He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near.  Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near."   Luke 21 : 29 - 31

Reading for this week : Luke 21 : 25 - 36

Thought for the week

Bishop Graham was with us at St Ed's last week for the Confirmation. This is part of the opening of his Advent letter to the Diocese. The full letter is at the back of church:

“Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, Advent marks the beginning of the Church year. We begin again the annual cycle of hearing and praying the story of Salvation in the birth and ministry, passion and death, resurrection and ascension, of Jesus Christ.

Our Christian pilgrimage is a journey into the life and company of Jesus. I invite you to seek to live out our diocesan vision to be “Transformed by Christ”. To be Transformed by Christ inspires us to be Prayerful, Pastoral and Prophetic. All three ‘P’s’ are powerful words, full of promise and potential, and they will help us navigate the route along our journey of holy transformation.

Will you come with me on this journey? It is not another programme, not another project, not another ‘thing’ to do. In fact, much more than more ‘do-ing’, I see this as a gift to ‘be’ more, to inhabit more fully and completely our lives as baptised children of God.

….I see this year’s journey into deeper prayerfulness as a great gift. It is a gift offered to each one of us, to each congregation and to the diocese at large. An invitation to journey with me and each other into the mystery of God.

Every blessing as you travel through Advent and open this gift in the coming weeks”.

Bishop Graham of Norwich

Prayer for this week

Almighty God,

give us grace to cast away the works of darkness and to put on the armour of light,

now in the time of this mortal life,

in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;

that on the last day,

when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead,

we may rise to the life immortal; through him who is alive and reigns with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen