Daily ScriptureO God,who by the leading of a starmanifested your only Son to the peoples of the earth:mercifully grant that we,who know you now by faith,may at last behold your glory face to face;through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,who is alive and reigns with you,in the unity of the Holy Spirit,one God, now and for ever. (Church of England Collect Prayer for Epiphany)Daily ReflectionIt is thought, that the star leading the wise men has again been spotted this Christmas, namely the aligning in the night sky of two bright planets, Jupiter and Saturn. As the astronomers of old were led to a remarkable birth in an unexpected location, so can we let the “Star of Wonder” lead us to ponder God’s remarkable plan. By sending his Son, his ONLY Son, to live among us God showed us the extent of his love for all the Earth. His Son was not rich, or famous at his birth. The wise men found God in a small poor child and were overjoyed! We can find our purpose in loving and protecting that which is small, or looks insignificant, as God’s glory is revealed in unexpected places! Revd Ylva
Services this Sunday8am BCP Holy Communion at St Nicholas, Sandhurst led by Revd David Commander10am Holy Communion at St George's, Benenden led by Revd David Commander
Daily Scripture: Advent into ChristmasStrengthen the weary hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to the anxious, ‘Be strong, fear not, your God is coming with judgement, coming with judgement to save you.’ (Isaiah 35.3-4)Daily ReflectionAdvent means ‘arrival’. When the baby Jesus arrived, that was not ‘it’, the moment when God came with judgement. It was not the end of waiting for God to put the world to rights. When the prophets, including Jesus, spoke of judgment, the sort of justice they were looking for was a radical reform to society’s value systems. Jesus is the image of the Father God who saves us day by day. We continue to need ‘strength for weary hands’ as we pray and work for change in our own lives, in society and in all the injustice of our times. Thank God for all that has been good in 2020! If we feel anxious about 2021, Fear not, your God is with you, coming with judgment to save you. David Harmsworth
Daily ScriptureFor if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered…... For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than, after knowing it, to turn back from the holy commandment that was passed on to them. It has happened to them according to the true proverb: “The sow is washed only to wallow in the mud.” (2 Peter 2:20-22)Daily ReflectionIsn't that that a wonderfully simple image to understand?.... Washing the pig only for it to go and wallow in the mud as it did before. What a waste! So….. what does it mean to us, today? Peter is speaking to someone who has learnt about Christ and how this brings salvation, but then turns their back on the good news and ignores it in their life. They are worse off than before; they’ve rejected the true lifeline that they’ve been thrown. (To mix in another metaphor!) Christmas is very nearly here. It reminds us of the birth of God’s Son…. God came to earth as one of us. The same Jesus (the Christ) who died for you on the Cross – because of his love for you. Now you’ve been reminded of that, don’t go back to wallowing in the mud! Instead: rejoice and live! Happy Christmas.Revd David