Tag Archives: Lectionary

New Books

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I am delighted to announce that two new books, based around the work on this blog and some I found languishing on my computer have been published.

Introducing Voices Through Mark. Mark is the feature gospel in the coming lectionary year, so it could be useful for that.

Voices Through Mark journeys through all of Mark’s gospel from John the Baptist up to The Plot to kill Jesus.

We hear the voices of the characters encountering Jesus for the first time and the development of what Jesus means to them and the world.

Suitable for use as private reflection or in worship.

Price £7 plus £2.00 postage.

It is a bit early, but in this strange current world, who knows what might happen, so here is Voices Through Lent

Beginning with an Ash Wednesday appraisal of our lives in the light of the Ten Commandments, we journey together through Lent, hearing the voices along the way.

It follows the Lectionary readings for Years A, B and C from Ash Wednesday to Lent 5.

Each of the 16 voices stands alone, but weaves together to forma whole.

The pieces in this book are suitable for personal or public reflection and worship following the lectionary readings for the first five Sundays in Lent leading up to Holy Week.

I have copies available, or it is available directly from Moorleys, price £4.50 plus £1.50 postage.

I am doing a offer of both together for £11 plus £2.50 postage

I can also make the text of either book available as a PDF. Please contact me.

All my books are available from Moorleys, or you can order directly from me – please use the contact form below to contact me. If you live near me, I can leave one in the porch for collection or get it put through your door. Or as per the Eyam plague, goods and money can be left at the boundary marker!

Thanks to everyone who has encouraged me to do this and helped make it possible – and to those who support it.

Both Voices Through Advent and Christmas (£4) and Voices Through Holy Week and Easter (£4.50)are also still available.

God’s Outrageous Promise

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Genesis 18: 1–15

A Son Promised to Abraham and Sarah

The Lord appeared to Abraham by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the entrance of his tent in the heat of the day. He looked up and saw three men standing near him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent entrance to meet them, and bowed down to the ground. He said, ‘My lord, if I find favour with you, do not pass by your servant. Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree. Let me bring a little bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.’ So they said, ‘Do as you have said.’ And Abraham hastened into the tent to Sarah, and said, ‘Make ready quickly three measures of choice flour, knead it, and make cakes.’ Abraham ran to the herd, and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to the servant, who hastened to prepare it. Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree while they ate.

They said to him, ‘Where is your wife Sarah?’ And he said, ‘There, in the tent.’ Then one said, ‘I will surely return to you in due season, and your wife Sarah shall have a son.’ And Sarah was listening at the tent entrance behind him. Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in age; it had ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women. So Sarah laughed to herself, saying, ‘After I have grown old, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?’ The Lord said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh, and say, “Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?” Is anything too wonderful for the Lord? At the set time I will return to you, in due season, and Sarah shall have a son.’ But Sarah denied, saying, ‘I did not laugh’; for she was afraid. He said, ‘Oh yes, you did laugh.’

 

You turn up in the strangest of ways Lord.

As I sit
doing nothing really,
resting from the heat,
taking the air.

As strangers passing by
who I can’t help but invite in,
to offer respite from their journey,
shade from the heat,
an opportunity to wash,
refresh and feed.

And in them,
in that action
you speak to me.

God of presence
how will you appear to me?

Who are you bringing before me today?

Who are the strangers
who have so much to teach me,
to show me,
to point me to you,
to truth,
to hope?

Who are you asking me to entertain,
to feed,
to give rest?

Who are you calling me to tend,
to care for,
to refresh?

To listen to?

To receive from?

Who is bringing your word to me
that I might have missed
if I hadn’t invited them in?

How are you going to speak to me?

Please don’t play with me God
you know the pain I carry
deep within,
the feeling of failure,
of emptiness,
of letting this precious man down.

Don’t toy with my emotions
and allow me to hope.

My hope is gone,
my time is over,
what I believed was my purpose
has slipped by.

And yet
you turn up
and make an outrageous promise.

God of promise
who made such an outrageous promise to Sarah,
what promises are you making to me today?

What are you calling me to
that I can’t believe?

What are you asking me to trust you about?

What faith, trust, promise can I carry for you today?

I offer you what I have,
however I feel about it
and leave you
to do the rest.

Bless me
in the unexpected,
the outrageous,
in giving
and in receiving.

May I see you,
invite you in,
hear you
and join with you
on an outrageous journey of faith.

 

17th January

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I’m not sure when I’m going to be able to post some of my lectionary based blogs again, so for the moment I will link to what I’ve previously written on this Sundays readings.  Hope that is some help.

Isaiah 62:1-5

God is Pleased With You

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Using What You’ve Got

Have you Got the Missing Piece

John 2:1-11

Saving the Best