Readings: Acts 9:1-22, Matthew 19:27-30 Complete turnaround… Growing in discipleship On this Conversion-of-St-Paul day, help us to have the courage that he did to turn our lives around. In Jesus name. Amen. I really admire people who are open to change and to seeing things in a new way. I remember a man in my […]
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Loving God, Open the Bible in a new and exciting way. In Jesus name. Amen. My experience of fishing is so different from that of our Gospel. I once spent a summer sea-fishing with a friend off the Moeraki Peninsula. I watched very carefully everything he did so that I could imitate him in his […]
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Open the meaning of the Bible to us in fresh and new way. In Jesus’ name. Amen The first few words said by someone are very important. I heard of a bishop visiting a congregation. He rose into the pulpit to greet the faithful. The congregation was well versed in Anglican responses. His first words […]
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When we visited Israel in 2008, I was asked to lead a service for the renewal of our baptismal vows at Yardenit, traditionally the site where Jesus was baptised. Previously I’d imagined the Jordan being like a New Zealand river – shallow, fast flowing over a rocky bed – with Jesus and John standing in […]
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That carol, ‘We three kings’, has a lot to answer for. As well as changing them from wise men to kings, they even have exotic names: Melchior, Gaspar, Balthazar! The Christmas story isn’t complete until they arrive, dressed in purple and gold, wearing rich jewelled turbans, carrying exotic gifts; camels and servants following behind… Matthew […]
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