Featured articles from the Parish Magazine
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“Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow” - Jo writes
Added: 10th March 2010 Submitted by: Revd Jo Farnworth.
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“How come you know Jesus and you heal nobody?”
“The Sioux Indian Christian received no answer from his audience of American priests. We may smile tolerantly at what we regard his simplistic reading of biblical narratives. Yet his question leaves an uneasy feeling that we might be missing something. It cannot easily be brushed aside. Should we be doing more to fulfil Jesus Christ’s commission to his disciples, “Go preach---- go heal?””
The above paragraph is taken from a report for the House of Bishops, “A Time to Heal,” published in 2000. In the introduction…Added: 7th February 2010 Submitted by: Revd Mary Wadsworth.
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Happy New Year
Seventy years ago, just after the outbreak of World War 2, in his Christmas Message to the nation, King George VI quoted from the poem “The Desert”, by Minnie Louise Haskins:
“And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:
“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied:
“Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be…Added: 31st December 2009 Submitted by: Revd Pat Lodge.
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Advent…... Josie writes
Here we are, so soon it seems, approaching Christmas.
Much is written in Christian circles about consumerism and the iniquities of the plastic and the tinsel and the spending at this time. I sometimes wish they would be a little less vocal about this. Christmas is a huge part of our culture – and we should as Christians be grateful for that. We make judgements about people’s understanding of the Christmas story – but often I hear the birth of Jesus mentioned in the most tender and prayerful…
Added: 7th December 2009 Submitted by: Revd Josie Partridge.
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Remembering…..
So much of our Christian faith seems to be about remembering the past. This is brought into sharp focus for us in November. In November we remember those who gave their lives in different conflicts around the world - people to whom we owe a great debt of gratitude. Throughout the year, we also frequently use the word >remember= in the Eucharist. In particular, we hear it in Jesus' words: "Do this in remembrance of me.@
So, is Christianity all about remembering the past? No, it isn't! Our remembering doesn't…Added: 28th October 2009 Submitted by: Revd Roger Farnworth.
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Learning from the Saints
I had not realised that it was my turn to write an article for the magazine until a week before it was needed, so I have been exercised in my mind about what I should write.
It is October - the year already three quarters gone! - and in October the Church remembers a selection of "saints", people who have been valued for their qualities of holiness, generosity, wisdom and example. These include St Francis of Assisi, William Tyndale, St Denys, St Paulinus, St Wilfrid, Elizabeth Fry, Edith Cavell, Teresa…Added: 1st October 2009 Submitted by: Elizabeth Hartley.
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Up, up, up and away by Revd Roger Reece
Up, Up, Up! Will I be proud? Roger Reece writes....
Our treatment of others in the home, at work, or at play is our invitation for similar treatment. In fact, our every action, be it overt or covert is noted by someone. We are always teaching someone how we treat us.Anger is a seductive teacher. Unwanted tension, missed opportunities, stifled growth, are all we can expect if we're trapped by anger. Our chances for creative fulfilment will be unnoticed when our attention is sapped by anger. But we can…
Added: 3rd September 2009 Submitted by: Revd Roger Reece.
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Green Shoots
I'm very much a morning person, ready to begin my day at around 6am most mornings.
I enjoy listening to the early morning editions of "Farming Today" and the "Today" programmes on Radio 4. Recently the people on "Farming Today" have been discussing the green shoots of crops growing from seed as Spring has rolled over into Summer.
Following the banking scandal the words "green shoots," have also been popping up in the "Today" programme as presenters and expert commentators look for signs of growth in the economic…Added: 2nd July 2009 Submitted by: Revd Mary Wadsworth.
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It’s only words - or is it?
In the days before Customs & Excise took over the Inland Revenue, it often seemed as if it was the Department of Acronyms. People and groups would often have lengthy titles so w called them by the initials. At various times I have been a PELO, TACO, TAVO and (yes, you can laugh) LILO. It was even rumoured that a gentleman in Manchester named MacDonald was the Excise Import and Export Intelligence Officer, with a particular specialism in livestock.
Often the reverse process is used: a word is read as…
Added: 28th May 2009 Submitted by: Revd Rob Fox.
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The Grace of Giving - Roger writes
Christian Aid Week always falls in the middle of May. It gives us the opportunity to think about the needs of others around our world and an opportunity to give. Christian Aid has worked tirelessly over many years to encourage development, to meet urgent needs and to aid our understanding of the needs of others. Please do give generously, this month, to the work of Christian Aid.
The amount we can give to others is not only to be measured in terms of the size of the cheque we write,…
Added: 1st May 2009 Submitted by: Roger Farnworth.