Reflection: Sunday 3rd October and for the week ahead:Scripture:'Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known,' (Luke 12 v2) …. 'And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.' (Luke 12v8-9)ReflectionThe tension between the Pharisees and Jesus is escalating. To Jesus, the Pharisees are those who 'talk the talk' but do not 'walk the walk', and he refers to them as hypocrites. The Pharisees, though, are not much different to us, Christian or not! Inside all of us is a deep desire to be liked, to be thought well of by others, to be considered a 'nice person'...I'm sure this was the intention of the majority of the Pharisees too, but Jesus issues a stark warning - everything we do to try and 'look the part' will one day come to nothing. 'Looking the part' is a natural human inclination, but it is false. Looking to please others instead of God is futile. Our maker, who knows us so intimately that he knows how many hairs we have on our head, is the only one that our thoughts and actions should look to please. Instead of asking ' What would he/she think of me if I did that', the only question we need to be asking is 'what would God think of me if I did that'? They may be very different answers!Vicki Young
Services Sunday 3rd October 8am Holy Communion at St Nicholas - led by Revd David Commander11am HARVEST Holy Communion at St George's- led by Revd Ylva Blid-Mackenzie
Reflection: Sunday 3rd October and for the week ahead:Scripture:'Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known,' (Luke 12 v2) …. 'And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.' (Luke 12v8-9)ReflectionThe tension between the Pharisees and Jesus is escalating. To Jesus, the Pharisees are those who 'talk the talk' but do not 'walk the walk', and he refers to them as hypocrites. The Pharisees, though, are not much different to us, Christian or not! Inside all of us is a deep desire to be liked, to be thought well of by others, to be considered a 'nice person'...I'm sure this was the intention of the majority of the Pharisees too, but Jesus issues a stark warning - everything we do to try and 'look the part' will one day come to nothing. 'Looking the part' is a natural human inclination, but it is false. Looking to please others instead of God is futile. Our maker, who knows us so intimately that he knows how many hairs we have on our head, is the only one that our thoughts and actions should look to please. Instead of asking ' What would he/she think of me if I did that', the only question we need to be asking is 'what would God think of me if I did that'? They may be very different answers!Vicki Young
Reflection: Sunday 26th September and for the week ahead:Scripture :“Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another”. (Mark 9.50)Reflection :What do Jesus’ words mean to you? What need do you have of ‘salt in yourself’? In what sense might the salt have ‘lost its saltiness’? Is it about flavour? Is it about purity? Salt as an antibiotic? Salt as a preservative? The idea that we would be more at peace with one another if we make sure we have salt in ourselves perhaps connects with all of these associations – inner health, tasteful thinking, the capacity to enhance a meeting… David Harmsworth
