Scripture for this Sunday: Isaiah 9.1-4; Psalm 27.1, 5-13; 1 Corinthians 1.10-18; Matthew 4.12-23 Last week’s reflection upon the calling of disciples left us with the question: what are we looking for? Today’s reading, describing the calling of Jesus’ first disciples from a different point of view, makes it clear that whatever we may be […]
Archive | January, 2020
Theme for Sunday, 19 January 2020
Scripture for this Sunday (Epiphany 2): Isaiah 49.1–7; Psalm 40.1–12; 1 Corinthians 1.1–9; John 1.29–42 “What are you looking for?” Jesus asks this question of two disciples of John the Baptist who approach him. It’s a fundamentally important question for all followers of Jesus to address. In his book, Freedom Is Coming, the Bishop of Leeds, Nick […]
Theme for Baptism of Christ, Sunday 12 January 2020
Scripture for this Sunday: Isaiah 42.1–9; Psalm 29; Acts 10.34–43; Matthew 3.13–17 I have conducted two baptisms in the sea during the past five years, and there is something quite mystical about connecting the blessing of the water of baptism with the blessing that water gives to humankind on our planet. In fact, to baptise […]
Readings and Hymns for January 2020
Readings for the services of Holy Communion on Sunday and Wednesday, plus Sunday hymns. 1 January – Naming & Circumcision of Jesus Numbers 6.22–27; Psalm 8; Galatians 4.4–7; Luke 2.15–21 5 January – Epiphany Isaiah 60.1-6; Psalm 72.10-15; Ephesians 3.1-12; Matthew 2.1-12 Hymns: 86 The First Nowell – tune The First Nowell 105 We Three Kings – tune […]
Theme for Epiphany, 5 January 2020
Scripture for Epiphany: Isaiah 60.1-6; Psalm 72.10-15; Ephesians 3.1-12; Matthew 2.1-12 Epiphany might be regarded as the culmination of gift-giving for the Christmas season; God opens it with the priceless gift of the Christ child, and the Magi conclude it with unsolicited gifts vastly disproportionate to the situation of the baby Jesus and his family. […]
Theme for the first Sunday after Christmas, 29 December 2019
Scripture for this Sunday: Isaiah 63:7-9; Psalm 148; Hebrews 2:10-18; Matthew 2:13-23 In 1863, in the midst of the American Civil War, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote a poem, “Christmas Bells:” I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar carols play, and wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to […]
Theme for Christmas Day 2019
I have an issue with one of the Christmas carols that we sing: Away in a Manger. The problem? “No crying he makes.” What? Why not? Was there something wrong with him?! I was present at the birth of my own child who no crying did make – and the paediatric cardiologist who fortunately happened to be […]