Trinity Sunday

A sermon preached on Trinity Sunday in Church of the Resurrection Blarney on Sunday 26th May 2013

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be now and always acceptable in thy sight O Lord our strength and our redeemer. Amen

Today is a day when we celebrate God … who he is in all his fullness …

Celebrating Father, Son and Spirit and the relationship between the three  and in celebrating …

We remember

• The work of the Father in Creation,
• the work of the son in our redemption which he has won for us and the
• work of the Holy Spirit in our sustaining us in our lives today .

We celebrate also the dynamics which exist between them and the love which is at the very centre of the relationship between the three parts which overflows into creation.

In our readings today we see this work between the three is a work of love … it is dynamic and it flows out to the world

The father loves the son and the same love he has for the son is the love with which he loves the world.  And we (as people in the world ) are called to respond to that love with which he created the world and he created us.

The Epistle Reading

Romans 5: 1-5

By faith we have been made acceptable to God. And now, because of our Lord Jesus Christ, we live at peace  with God. 2 Christ has also introduced us to God’s undeserved kindness on which we take our stand. So we are happy, as we look forward to sharing in the glory of God. 3 But that’s not all! We gladly suffer] because we know that suffering helps us to endure. 4 And endurance builds character, which gives us a hope 5 that will never disappoint us. All of this happens because God has given us the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with his love.

Paul writing to the Romans…  we see that it is by faith we have been made acceptable to God … by faith we have the peace with God … its then we able to live at peace with God.

Those 2 words … at the beginning … BY FAITH  … For so many that step is difficult … we have questions, we have doubts, they put up all sorts of arguments  but there comes a time when the challenge has to be made.  

We see also that Christ has introduced us to the Father’s undeserved kindness on which Paul says the church takes its(our) stand – I wonder do we understand God’s amazing Glory.

But with all of this, and this is where we sometimes get things wrong …we sometime think that all will be rosy but we see that Paul is grounded … this life is one in which there will be suffering and difficulties. But this is where the Holy Spirit, the Sustainer, the advocate and the teacher comes in who as he describes will fill our hearts with his love.

In our Gospel reading today we see the dynamics which exist in the relationship once again is unique and upon which the gospel absolutely depends

12 I have much more to say to you, but right now it would be more than you could understand.13 The Spirit shows what is true and will come and guide you into the full truth. The Spirit doesn’t speak on his own. He will tell you only what he has heard from me, and he will let you know what is going to happen. 14 The Spirit will bring glory to me by taking my message and telling it to you.15 Everything that the Father has is mine. That is why I have said that the Spirit takes my message and tells it to you.

Let’s Trace it again

All that the father has is mine -  Jesus  says

Jesus proclaims that message

the Spirit takes Jesus’ message and tells it to you

Like we saw in the Romans Reading …  we see that the spirit is revealing the truth to the world … That Truth, as we trace it through John’s Gospel is the love of the father for creation and the relationship the father wants his creation to respond to the love that is shown

We see it in John 3:16 the well known verse

God so loved the world that he sent his son

We see that he also loves his son … 3:35

• The Dynamic of the father is always outwards love flowing to the son and to the world
• The Dynamic of the son again is always outward love flowing to the world and to the father
• The Spirit’s love is filling our hearts with the love of the father and the son

No other philosophy … or religion apart Christianity … proclaims this truth of the relationship in God at the heart  this is love, and grace together   …

During a British conference on comparative religions, experts from around the world debated what, if any, belief was unique to the Christian faith. They began eliminating possibilities.

Incarnation? Other religions had different versions of gods' appearing in human form. Resurrection? Again, other religions had accounts of return from death.

The debate went on for some time until C. S. Lewis wandered into the room. "What's the rumpus about?" he asked, and heard in reply that his colleagues were discussing Christianity's unique contribution among world religions. Lewis responded, "Oh, that's easy. It's grace."
After some discussion, those in the room had to agree. The notion of God's love coming to us free of charge, no strings attached, seems to go against every instinct of humanity.

The Buddhist eight-fold path, the Hindu doctrine of karma, the Jewish covenant, and the Muslim code of law -- each of these offers a way to earn approval. Only Christianity dares to make God's love unconditional.

Undeserved Kindness … Made possible through the relationship of the trinity … we can’t work our way, talk our way only by faith through grace.

• Thank God for the trinity
• Have a think about the freedom this gives
• The great news of relationship this is possible  

When we grasp this … and it does make sense … it’s a relationship right before the beginning of the world and will sustain the world beyond the grave.

This is why the church does what it does

This is why we invest in kingdom things so that the world may know the love of God

So to recap

Trinity is essential … the relationship … equal and eternal

Its unique …none other speaks of grace made possible through the relationship

It’s the heart of message we proclaim to the world

Blogging Resumed

I was reminded this morning about my Blog ... I have certainly mangaged to neglect it since Easter (not unusual on this Blog) ... perhaps its been the pace of life, the many and various things which have been happening and the other things which take time away from sitting down and taking time to put thoughts together.

So with a cuppa coffee in a coffee shop with wifi ... what's been happening since Easter Sunday in this wee corner of Ireland ?...

Well, looking back at previous pages in the diary ...

... It was great to be back up in St. Coumba's for K McA's Wedding ... a wonderful event such a relaxed day and great to see so many friends gathered around and helping out in all sorts of ways at that event :-)

... We've been trying "Normalise Prayer" (a phrase which I was very struck by just before easter ... for me this means simply putting prayer into everything that we do as Christians)

... We held a prayer team training event with resources from New Wine Ireland for a team from the parish and others from various local churches in preparation for the New Wine weekend with John Hughes. This was a great time of teaching, fellowship and worship in Blarney Church.

... Lighthouse (Messy Church) has continued to go from Strength to Strength ... with the introduction of T-Shirts for the team, Puppet Ministry and new activities

... A week off spent in Rome and England It was great to catch up with Family :-)

... It has been great to spend time with friends who visited and catch up with them


Over the course of the next while again there are lots of things to do  ...

... Preparation for things in the Summer ... Holiday Club, New Wine in Sligo, Photo Festival, Prayer garden (More on that in a later Blog)

... Pastoral visits around the Village of Blarney

... Keeping going with whats happening

... finalising our new website

Easter Sermon 2013

Sermon preached on The First Sunday of Easter ... 31st March 2013 ... in the Church of the Resurrection Blarney 

What a difference a day makes ... Just 24 little hours! 

Bishop Tom Wright - in his book Surprised by hope ... Writes That ... "We could cope, the world could cope with a Jesus who ultimately remains a wonderful idea inside his disciples minds and hearts. The world cannot cope with a Jesus who comes out of the tomb, who inaugurates God’s new creation right in the middle of the old one...

All of us have questions ... 

What does the future hold ?... what’s the big picture? ... what on earth am I here for? ... is there a plan? ... Life after Death ...

These are all questions we at various times I am sure we have asked and have grappled with. It is interesting to hear people talking in cafes...on TV and around campfires. The human condition asks these questions. 

Easter day brings these questions into focus ... because on this day we are talking about death and life, God and eternal things, the big questions and it is interesting how as society has moulded these huge life defining issues into fluffy chicks, white rabbits with baskets and chocolate. 

So.. Easter day ... a day when we proclaim Christ is Risen ... What difference does that make?  I’m suggesting from the readings today that 

• Easter Produces Hope 

• Easter Provides meaning 

• Easter Changes Everything 

Hope ... is one of the essentials of life ... It is the virtue of the expectation that what we see is not what will always be ... in other words that change is possible ... no matter how unlikely that change might well be. 

This excites me ... and I hope you are excited too... When Jesus came out of that tomb on that first easter day he launched a world of justice and joy and hope for the whole earth. 

We can live through things if we have that expectation that better is possible. Easter provides this by saying Life is worth living, our world is not how it should be and we can change our circumstances in the present. 

Our hope in Christ is for now as well as for our future by this hope that things can be better things which lack meaning can have meaning. 

Hope for the poor, Healing for the sick, friendship for the lonely, meaning and restoration for the depressed, freedom for the slaves, homes for refugees, food for the hungry, a future for the abused, the down trodden and the despairing. 

God’s kingdom in the resurrection has been inagurated but it is still to find its fullness in our midst. 

We see some of this hope in our midst as we work to see God’s Kingdom here ... but more of it is still to come. 

Easter provides meaning ... In our world today there are many people who are searching for meaning, striving for the eternal things - some try to find it in all sorts of strange places - Tarrot, Material Possessions, Crystals, Pilgrimages, adventures ... 

In our Easter celebrations ... easter allows us to see that Those who are in Christ ... are a new creation the old is gone the new is here and that it is possible to find meaning in the creator God who has come amongst his people ... through sending his son to share our human experience. 

Our task ... Our purpose is to live as resurrection people in between Easter and the final day, with our Christian Life, corporately and individually in worship and mission. 

No other faith in our world today speaks about life and death the way Christianity does. 

Each person is a unique creation, loved by God, created for a relationship with him and we are to find our meaning in the mission he has given to humanity - Creating a better world, loving our neighbour, getting to know God better, telling others about him

All that we do as easter people we are called to know that fear is gone - worry, hatred all the rest of the stuff when we get the eternal perspective is removed. 

Yes setbacks come ... illness, broken relationships, bad decsions, but the big news about easter is that it is possible for us to have a structure upon which to make sense of life, death and meaning. 

There are many places which try to provide this, many gurus in our world today which try, down through the years people have tried to give their own philosophies. However the claim of the church is unique ... is that what we proclaim in our creed ... yes Christ has been crazily misrepresented by those who are supposed to know better but at its core - Christ claim to be the Son of God and that Death has be conquered has to be believed. 

And we also go further ... This is not just a nice code to be live life by ... just for now ... the Apostle Paul doesnt allow us to have that sort of belief If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

The effectiveness of Easter, is for all time - is for eternity. 

Easter Changes everything 

Imagine a business who is looking to grow ... they bring in a consultant who from outside is able to ask difficult questions, allowing those in the business to dream big dreams. 

One of the basic questions which they will ask ... where would you like to see your business being in 5 or 10 years down the line. This is a dreaming question, it is a question which asks something about the core business, about their values, about what could be. 

Once the vision is mapped out the question will be asked what steps need to be taken to get there ... what resources are needed, what needs to be worked on and what other things need to be done. 

Easter provides an opportunity for us all to reflect on our lives in the light of not just 3-5 years but what our lives look like in the light of eternity - in the light of the knowledge that we are called into relationship with Christ and what does that mean in terms of our dreams, in terms of what we we could do for him, in terms of the things we value. 

A business which doesn’t have a vision for what could and would be ... who is simply doing the same things day in and day out without planning for the future could be seen not to be growing and perhaps even declining. 

We all can get caught with all the worries of today, with all the concerns of making ends meet for today, and all the details. 

But easter calls us to a bigger vision, a vision which changes as we realise that our lives mean somthing more than the sum of our ideas, our wage packet. That there is something more going on. 

In conclusion 

The Easter message makes sense ... 

- Easter Produces Hope 

- Easter Provides meaning 

• Easter Changes Everything 

Let us take a few moments to pause ... Are there things we need to re-think, things that the Resurrection has thrown up for us that we need to follow up upon 

Blarney Update

Below is the latest Blarney Update to appear in our parish Magazine

Now that the month of April is on the horizon and the clocks have changed, plans are beginning to come together in Blarney for all sorts of things happening both within and beyond the church doors.

• ·         The Parish Website continues to be developed
• ·         Blarney Church has its own Facebook page – please do “like” us.
• ·         We are looking at our summer programme in the church especially tourist friendly information leaflets which will be distributed in May- June.
• ·         This the end of this month we are looking forward to welcoming John Hughes  - please do come along if you are free on any of the evenings  / Saturday Morning. More details elsewhere.
• ·         Linking up with primary School’s in the Blarney Area.
• ·         Continue to Develop our Lighthouse Ministry – AG reports on March’s Lighthouse :

“ The Lighthouse Easter celebration - Wow! So much enthusiasm! So many people and lots of happy noise and movement around the place! We have just had our Easter Lighthouse and there were a record 94 people in the church, with lots of new and familiar faces. It has been just such a joy to be able to be a part of Lighthouse and seeing the numbers attending it grow.

Some of you are probably thinking, so what is this Lighthouse thing all about. To Explain what Lighthouse is as well as having songs, prayers, Bible stories, all of which regularly happen at church services, there are also lots of different activities through which the Bible story may be explored. 

This month we did such things as put red paint handprints on the shape of a cross to show how Jesus died to forgive our sins, fold and cut a piece of paper to give lots of different shapes which could be used to tell the story of Good Friday and also spell out the word ‘Alive’, make a model of the empty tomb, an Easter card to help us share the ‘Good News’ with others and ice and decorate biscuits to share together at refreshment time, as well as other games and activities."

The Lighthouse is aimed at families with children 3-12 years, with a play area for younger children.”

Why not come and join us at the next one which takes place on Sunday 14th April at 3.30 – 5pm.

Move us into action ... we must go! ... but how? ... where? and whom?

Right ...

With lots of people in Blarney ... I have just returned from a service for the World day of Prayer ... a service prepared by some women of France. A service which is being prayed by lots of people throughout the world over these 24 hours.

There was a real challenge in this service this evening, and if this challenge isn't heard then I wonder what the church of God is doing ... it is a challenge ...a huge challenge ... A biblical challenge right throughout Old and New Testament ... a challenge which, as we were challenged tonight with is get on with it ... do it!

According to the World Day of prayer website
World Day of Prayer is about Informed Prayer which flows into Prayerful Action. After hearing the voices of our sisters, experiencing their pains with them, and feeling their hopes and fears, we are empowered to act. Prayer and action are not two different things connected by a string but rather inseparable realms of our faith experience. To pray truly is to be changed. To truly let in a new perspective is to be changed. To act in accordance with these shifts happens organically. Action continues our prayer.

OK, let's be very practical about this ... in Blarney, in Cork ... wherever you find yourself ... what can we do for those who are Hungry, Thirsty, Strangers, Naked, Sick, In prison

How do we know who they are?

I was very challenged by someone who said on the way out ... something along the lines of ..."well what are we doing about what we have just prayed about" ... mmm... yup ...

 all ideas welcome ... It would be a great conversation to have ... not for the sake of talking but to get on with the business of being Jesus' hands and his feet in this village, city, county and beyond.

Be careful what you pray for!!!

Mustard Seed Mission

This morning ... I was reading through the CMS UK resource for Lent and the whole issue of "Mustard Seed" came up ... the small things which we do which can have unforeseen kingdom consequences.

This is a facinating area which has really been on my heart this week ... for a few reasons ... take a read at the reflection below ...

Mark 4:30–32

Reflection

“Do you know what’s in a bottle of washing-up liquid?” asks Caroline Gilmour-White, a SAMS partner.  

“At a training day in an urban church in Asuncion, Paraguay, we saw the following ingredients being added:

• Water
• Caustic soda
• Sulphuric acid
• Trietanaloamina - an ingredient that softens and/or lubricates the skin
• Scent
• Colouring

“The government programme DEAG, a bit like the UK Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, uses every opportunity to share their trained knowledge to improve people’s lives or economic situations. We had sewing in the morning and detergent making in the afternoon. The day was a hit with everybody. Our prayer is that lots of people take initiative and start mixing, bottling and selling. Everyone uses detergent and the supermarket quality is often not as good as homemade. People can boost their incomes very easily by selling door to door.”

Reflect on how God can use even small things to bring transformation to people and societies. Where have you seen God at work in the small things?

Prayer
Lord, great things grow from small beginnings.
Trees from tiny seeds. New quality of life from a small business venture.
Faith in Christ from a word shared or kindness performed.
The Kingdom of God from shoots of faith
Lord, please - give us vision and give us faith.
Amen

RF - For me this is crucial ... whilst we in Blarney are not called to make and sell washing up liquid ... the small things we do for the Kingdom do not go un-noticed... This monring I drove up to the church gates and out of the corner of my eye ... I saw a card sitting on a seat at the church gate, covered in plastic and addressed to "whoever finds it" ... I have no idea who put it there ... but I opened it and found inside a letter reminding me that I am special and some other encouraging words. After resealing it and leaving it there its great.

I wonder who put it there? it doesn't matter ...  but it is my prayer that whoever else sits and reads it will be encouraged in whatever they face today.

Small things ... we have no idea what effects they will have in the greater scheme of things.

What small things will you do today ... to help, to encourage

Mission, me and Lent

Over the course of the past few weeks, I have been thinking a lot about the topic of Mission for a variety of reasons ... It is a topic which I have thought about quite a bit from college days.

This morning I woke up, and over breakfast was browsing around various websites ... and came across Church Mission Society - UK website and found this resource which is great!



 The resource itself is very simple and easy to use ... straight forward and cuts to the core of what mission is all about and why we should be about the things of God in this our generation and in our culture.

As people of God we are called to communicate in a way which resonates with our society ...
what does that look like ... well.. it will be different for different people but from this resource there are many challenges ... I particularly like this resource and practical outworkings of the challenges it poses.

Take for example today ... which by my reckoning is Day 8

The reading which they pose is ...

Luke 4:16-24

16 When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, ¹⁷and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
¹⁸ ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
   because he has anointed me
     to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
   and recovery of sight to the blind,
     to let the oppressed go free,
¹⁹ to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.’
²⁰And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. ²¹Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ ²²All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’ ²³He said to them, ‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, “Doctor, cure yourself!” And you will say, “Do here also in your home town the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.” ’ ²⁴And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town.

“Can someone from Kibera [the vast informal settlement outside Nairobi] be ordained in the Anglican Church?” I posed this question to a class of students from an ecumenical university who were studying at our Centre for Urban Mission, based in Kibera. It wasn’t a very original question. Forty years ago, our vicar in Bermondsey had asked something similar about dockers in London’s East End. Thousands of years ago, Nathanael asked regarding Jesus: “Can anything good come from Nazareth?” “No”! my class replied. Whether the students were being pessimistic about Kibera residents or the Anglican church, I’m not sure. Either way, they were proved wrong. On 26 October the Archbishop ordained three Centre for Urban Mission graduates. Lillian had lived in Kibera virtually all her life until she had to flee the post-election violence a year ago. Her classmates, Zadock and Barrack, helped her get out of Kibera with the few belongings she could carry. Seeing all three of them ordained was a wonderful affirmation of the gifts, calling and experiences that people from Kibera and other “slums” can bring to the rest of the church. I don’t know whether they were the first people from Kibera to be ordained, but three in one day – that must be a first! (Anita and Colin Smith, mission partners in Nairobi)

• Where do you see mission flourishing in your local context? 
• Is God stirring up a new call to mission in surprising people or places you know?
• Is God stirring up a surprising new call to mission within your own life?
• How might God be stirring up the CMS mission community (RF- or our parish community?) for action – and what might your part in that look like?

This is a huge challenge ... are we looking for the surprising people ... are we looking our for opportunities in our local community... finding the points of contact in Blarney, in Carrigrohane, in Belfast, in Banbridge ... wherever we are ... in misison in its fullest sense. 

The invitation here is to accompany us in this journey through lent and take to heart some of the lessons from the world church and apply them to what we are doing in the church in this our wee corner of the globe! 

Listening to Jesus … … In times of Temptation

A Sermon preached in The Church of The Resurrection – Blarney on Sunday 17^th February 2012 – Luke 4 reading – Jesus’ Tempation.

This is the Second of in a series – Listening to Jesus …

… In times of Temptation

Life can be hard! (For many this is a complete understatement … depending upon the situation you find yourself in today!)

The wilderness is a difficult place to be … for each of us it is a place we do not choose to be but sometimes find ourselves

A couple of years ago … I led a trip out to the Holy Land … It was a trip which T and K R from this union were on as well. I had the privilege of celebrating Holy Communion in the Judean wilderness …Somewhere between Jerusalem and Jericho …  Nothing there except rock. A barren desolate place. Sun beating down and no shade whatsoever to be found.

It was probably the most poignant communion service I have ever conducted because of the scenery, the hostile nature of the terrain. The Gospel reading was read that we had this morning.

And there was a real sense of having to rely on God in that place … In the heat we needed the sustenance of our water bottles … and when it came to food … we only had with us the bread of communion.

Over these weeks of Lent we are reading the readings laid down by the church … but are also keeping an ear to our theme …listening to Jesus … this morning is in the Midst of temptation.

Our reading this morning follows on from Jesus’ Baptism in the Jordan River and he is driven into the desert for 40 days … this has all the echoes of 40 years the Israelites spent in the wilderness following their exodus from Egypt. It also reminds us that Jesus was tempted as we are … in his own way…and we see how he faces his struggles … struggles which we face will undoubtedly be different to his but none the less real for us.

As we think of temptations … we know Jesus faced 3 temptations

… the first was breaking his fast, turn these stones into bread … He could … it would only be a minor thing you may think …but actually he knew it was something he shouldn't be doing and replies with the words of scripture

… Then there was the worship … bow down and worship me … this seems to be a more serious one where … could you imagine what would happen if  Jesus got down and worshiped the devil the whole story would have been very different… The importance of worship … what we give our worth to is so vitally important Jesus knew this … its fundamental in terms of the commandments

… Then we have Jesus deciding not to be a super man character … not to jump of the temple … the only signs which Jesus did had meaning beyond themselves … showing his power over nature, over sickness, over death … he wasn’t show off / show man but rather he was into kningdom building

Jesus’ Temptation in the wilderness seems a whole world away from the lush green, wet weather here in blarney … 2000 years after the events  

However …  if we look at these temptations … we see that actually the same fundamental things are still around … As Ecclesiastes reminds us “There is nothing new under the sun”

Whether they be  small things … which we think won’t count in the great scheme of things

… things of our worship –OK we might not be tempted to  bow down to golden calves or the devil but we could possibly be putting other things before God…  And this can be lots of different things … what we spend an enormous amount of time doing …

… the bigger stuff which glorifies us rather than God … then maybe we shouldn't be  actually doing those things .

Temptations are those things which we are constantly being prompted to do which if acted upon have the potential to destroy the our life, our relationships, our security and our minds but also the smaller temptations might seem to be insignificant in themselves but lead to more things if we keep going down that road and .

Once you pop you can’t stop … somehow this seems pretty true  (Pringles Ad) / Jaffa Cakes

In our world today there are many, many temptations around us.  The things I find tempting will be different from yours and vice versa … all will be different from each other but the heart of the matter is the same… They are things which have the potential to destroy.  

Overcoming temptation …

I am no expert in this … and certainly I have been preaching as much to myself as I’ve been preparing this sermon.

I do think it comes back to Self Discipline … Of the old faithful ways of the Spiritual Disciplines

Knowing Scripture … Knowing the promises / words of God

For parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles … anyone who has influence on young minds here … this is something which is key for you guys … of trying somehow to help kids and young people know key verses so when temptations in you kids lives come they have somewhere to turn for truth

This is one of the reasons that next Sunday we are giving out to parents … new books which have been produced of ideas for parents to take time out with their kids and help them to get into the Bible

For all of us … having a knowledge of God’s word the resources of memory verses and committing scripture to memory for those times of struggle

Knowing God … Taking time  … Coming before God at all times during the day … Knowing Whose we are …. And who we are … Before the wilderness experience … Jesus heard God’s voice … This is my son …

Community of faith

Not many of us will face temptation in a physical wilderness with no-one else around … even  though we might feel it is so.

The church community is called to be there for each other, to hold each other accountable … to ask the questions … How are you … really?

The Wilderness times are not nice … but none of us need to go through things alone.  As a community here It is my hope and prayer that we are a people who are able to chat to each other, to support each other.

Not one of us has this all sorted … all of us do find ourselves at various times in situations which are scary, which worry us, which have the potential to destroy good things … but also each of us also have the potential to encourage and to build each other up in the Lord.

In listening to Jesus… and his word this morning

… know that he has gone through temptation … in the words of

Hebrews 4:15 - New International Version (NIV)

¹⁵ For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.

… Know that temptation is able to be overcome -1 Cor 10:13

No temptation has seized you except what is common to all. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

… Know that temptation is not sin

So often we beat ourselves up when we think of those thoughts about what we could do …its when those things are acted upon then there are issues … temptation is common to all … find someone to chat to, pray, read the Bible, find ways of diverting yourself from giving into temptation. Things can be overcome.

Lent is traditionally a time of self examination … as you look inwards today … in what areas do you need to be careful …what temptations are you tempted by and how are you going to overcome that temptation?

O let me feel Thee near me! The world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle, the tempting sounds I hear;
My foes are ever near me, around me and within;
But Jesus, draw Thou nearer, and shield my soul from sin.

All of us have to keep our ears tuned to what God is saying to us… Which is great in theory  … it is my prayer that we may know this in practice.

Folks this lent, if there are things which need sorted … please do find people to chat to you, to encourage you. 

119 out of 119 ... Not too hot! (understatement!)

In a comprehensive survey Vital Signs survey which was carried out surveyed things which matter to the Irish population as a whole

According to an Irish Times report

The report graded 12 areas which most affect people’s quality of life, and asked respondents to rank their priorities in each area...

Of the 119 priority options presented to respondents, eight of the top 10 items listed related to education and learning. The quality of the education system; literacy levels; universities and third-level education; and early childhood education topped the priority rankings in that order....

Perhaps the most surprising finding was the ranking of religion and spirituality, which respondents placed last of all 119 priority options, despite the country’s once strong Catholic identity.

Ireland achieved an overall grade of C+ when people’s satisfaction ratings with life were collated. A comparable study for people living in Toronto also scored a C+, with Vancouver scoring B.
The area that people were most satisfied with was arts and culture, rating this B+, with respondents citing the welter of concerts and festivals on offer each year and access to heritage sites.

Religion and Spirituality as last on the list ... That is worrying, it is disappointing but is it to be expected? Perhaps, but it has also got to be a wake up call for the church (in all its forms and denominations) to be engaging with the culture around. To speak directly to those who are critical of faith / church / religion and engage in the public square.

After all - the tiredness, the despair, the disengagement which many feel with organised church is probably the result of our collective failure as church to communicate what we should be communicating ... good news ... purpose ... life giving messages... relationship.

What can be done? - surely the church needs to waken up ... at local, national and international level - we need to figure out what the needs of our local community are, to communicate effectively to anyone who will give us a hearing ... to do that we need to build relationships, to earn respect, to do the things which we do well ... excellently ... we need to be proactive in that engagement ... we might need to do different things as clearly what we are doing generally speaking is not working in Ireland!

Surely our faith in God should be high up those things which we see as important? ... How do we do that? Yes its the million dollar question! but we do need to do something if not the Irish Church at large is in a much worse state than we thought.

I do think we as church at large needs to communicate what we are about, engage with community and pray, pray hard for our outreach, our mission, our vision as Christians and perhaps even dare to pray for the Holy Spirit to revive these dry bones. 

All comments welcome.

Prayer Blog #5 - Not rocket Science!

What does a Church of Ireland Minister do?

This is a topic I have been asked to speak about at a local school over the next couple of weeks ... It's a good question ... and I'm sure lot's of people would have their own answers to it.  So I thought I'd blog a wee bit of it ...

Some may jokingly say ... uck sure you only work one day a week ... let's laugh that one off immediately! ;-)  .. haha ... and move on. :-)

Some may genuinely wonder ... not knowing at all ... apart from a sunday morning what clergy do when we're not at the front of church.

Well ... over the past 3 1/2 years + 3 years in Minister School! I have reflected on some of the tasks at length - Firstly it is a lifelong commitment, The vows which I took shape the task which I am currently doing.

So those are the theory: In reality over the course of the past few years, since arriving in Belfast and now Blarney I have been thinking about this question and would say that the role of Deacon, Priest, Presbyter, Minister ... whatever you wish to call what I do comes down in my opinion to 2 main things

• Communicating Good News 
• Providing Pastoral Care for anyone who is in need 

These are very much linked and takes the whole of my time as they mean diferent things in all sorts of ways.

Communicating the good news - of course means preaching & teaching on sundays, celebrating Holy Communion, taking services ... but communicating also means talking with people, being with people, writing, blogging, phoning, getting involved in all sorts of things at community level, building relationships with all sorts of people. You can't communicate if you are not out and about meeting people and doing practical things to simply help!

Providing Pastoral Care - In our world today there are many needs - in every community there are many needs, many issues ... As part of my work I am out and about chatting with people who have all the stresses and strains of life - we see the great moments of celebration in lives and also have the responsibility and privilege also to be invited into the most difficult and troubling issues of lives and situations. As a minister this pastoral aspect to work is so vitally important - simply asking "how are you?" allows people to say - what they normally say - "yeah - I'm good thanks" or actually say "mmm... not that great" and allows them the chance to chat openly about issues.

We do these things in the context of our understanding and experience of God & his word as written in the Bible as well as how the church has understood it down through the centuries. That's why my office is filled with books and why day by day I try to pray and read my Bible (it's not always easy - even for a minister!) ... But I  do want to  get to know God better than I did yesterday ... I want to apply the Bible to what I read in the newspaper.

I also want those who are in the church to grow in their faith and share it, and make an impact in their families, in their workplaces and schools again communicating the good news and providing support where they can.

So I suppose that's a start to understand what a Church of Ireland Minister does!

PS ... for this to happen there is of course all the necessary meetings, admin, form filling..  housekeeping and all the rest of the things that are necessary for any organisation to do but those do enable the above to be done!

Any of my facebook friends like to give their own answers???

Prayer Post #4 - Journaling prayers

Journaling is a way have found useful from time to time to pray ... especially at times of decisions, big issues or simply when I find prayer difficult.

Journaling is basically writing stuff down on paper. Ideas, topics, prayer pointers and praying through them. As you write you pray.

Again all of this is ... as with anything on the blog is simply my own experience, my ramblings but if they help in any small way then feel free to take, use and adapt.

For me, I like to have a notebook set aside for the purpose of prayer and simply begin writing. Usually when I would use this form of prayer I'd begin ...


Dear Lord ... and simply write out the issues and how I'm feeling and the way I see things developing.

It has been great to look back over the years at some of the places I have been in prayer ... the times when things have been difficult and seeing God's guidance in what has been uncertain times. I am not an organised person but taking the discipline of sitting down and writing out prayers has in different seasons been a good discipline and one which I do return to now and again.

Again ... it's another idea

This is the fourth in the Prayer Series as we look at the topic of prayer in Carrigrohane Union during these days.

Have you any experience of Journalling ... any advantages of it? have you anything to add?
Feel free to email / comment

Dark Winter Days ... Blue Monday

I don't know if it's the dark winter days ... if its the lack of sunshine ... the bad news on our screens ... the television programmes which are sapping our time. ... I don't quite know what it is but what I do know is that many of my friends around Ireland and UK at the moment are suffering and also just generally in society in the UK and Ireland there seems to be a season of grey ness, messy-ness and general need of something to lift the darkness.

As somebody who is in no way a counsellor or trained any way in this stuff ... but I am concerned about these issues as they impact people I know ... and also it is something which I know the Bible has a lot to say on the topic of life and meaning, purpose and vitality of life I wanted to make a comment here at this point in the year - According to somebody ... This monday coming is Blue Monday ... the most depressing day of the year... I got to ask... how can we work through depressing of whatever magnitude?

There are loads and loads of stuff on the internet ... some by people who are qualified to comment, some who have been on the journey through depression and some like myself who are looking on, knowing friends who are struggling with stuff of whatever kind and wanting to help in some small way.

In dark days ... the natural thing to do is want to turn the light on ... but for those who are struggling trying to find the light switch is difficult.

Those who are professional in this tell us that depression can set in for all sorts of reasons - worries, concerns about the present, relationship stuff in the past as well as concerns about the future

We are also told that there are other factors such as lack of sunshine, nutritional, our own gene makeup as well as many other factors. And it is usually a complete mix and mess of many of these and other  things together. So with all of this what can we do?

It is not easy ... but somehow we need to work though it.

I'm someone who knows about mess ... my friends from Theological College will testify to that! ... "Messy Monsters" used to invade my room when I wasn't looking and I struggled to keep clothes in the wardrobe, paper off the floor, books on the shelves and all the rest. But some days would come when I would go on a massive clean up ... some days it was sorting, some days it was a panic ... perhaps a staff member was doing an inspection

I definitely preferred the days when it was a sorting day ... a day which I set aside to do the sorting ... taking time to put particular things in particular places ... A day when I could decide what to throw out, a day when I could deal with stuff which I had left and not dealt with as they should have been dealt with. A day where windows could be open and every thing returned from whence it came.

The Panic days were crazy ... they ended up stuffing things in cupboards, mugs ended up in drawers, books in wardrobes, clothes in bin bags and all sorts of things all over the place. The Panic days were crazy ... things did get dealt with ... to those who arrived in ... everything looked like it was sorted but in the back of my mind I knew ... actually all the work I had done would have to be undone at some stage and I'd have to start all over again.

I don't know if this makes any sense ... but I wonder ...

I wonder if we need to set aside days when we can deal with stuff ... to allow ourselves space and time to sort out things which need sorted out. Days when we can pin point the things ... specifically we need to deal with ... name them and leave them where they need left.

I wonder if we need to make changes ... for some people it might mean taking up new stuff which excites them, putting into our routines time to be with friends, to do stuff which ensures that we do things which challenges.

I wonder if we need to use the rich gifts which God provides in a systematic way - to cling to the promises which he gives us in his word.

I wonder if we need to put in place some "rule of life" structures to help us deal with the stuff which is going on ... a framework for life ... Including maybe  ... daily Bible Study ... Time with Friends ... Meals at set times ... limiting the TV we watch ... Going on retreat ... Getting Sufficient sleep... Time with family ... Journalling ... whatever it may be ... simply to get some sort of structure into our lives... watching our negativity and seeing how we can turn the negative thoughts we all have from time to time into positives.

I also wonder if we sometimes are too hard on ourselves ... if we strive for perfection and beat ourselves up when we fail to live that perfection.

THE PANIC CLEAR UP DAYS

These days don't (always?) work ... yes there are deadlines but things are forced where they shouldn't be ... structures are undermined and sometime later they will burst out ... try finding the car keys after a panic clear up ... they'll always be in the last place you look!

As I write this stuff - I am challenging myself as well ... There definitely are structures in my own life which need to be strengthened ... things which I need to sort out ... I just wonder if you/I were to name a couple of things ... which need sorted out over the next couple of weeks what would they be.

Yes the student room ... one room could be tidied in a day ... usually a couple of hours would do it if I set aside the time to do it - yes usually there was something better to do but once it's done - its done.

Unfortunately its not usually the case that things can be tidied in such a short period of time ...  as we think of mess which has taken months and years to accumulate may need to take time. But I do think it might be taking a room/ a drawer at a time to name and deal with before we approach something else.

A challenge ... what stuff do we need to deal with? why not get a friend to pray/talk with you about general stuff and also particular things you need to deal with so that Blue Monday can be used for good and positive things.


I of course, as a committed Christian come to this topic from a prayerful perspective ... but realise that not all readers / friends share my understanding of life however I do believe that the principles are the same ... and many of my thoughts on this topic are guided by general stuff I have been reading on various websites and books.

I'm very happy to continue discussion of this topic either via email, Facebook or Blog comments or face to face if you happen to be in the Cork / Blarney area for coffee or a dander.

Regards

Robert



There are places to find more information

In Northern Ireland there is a  great website from the Public Health Agency - http://mindingyourhead.info/

In Ireland there is a similar site - http://www.yourmentalhealth.ie/

For those who need to chat to people there are always the Samaritans - http://www.samaritans.org/


----

Minding your head website suggest these things ...



Making lasting changes to your health can be hard.
Here are some steps that can help.

Choose what you want to change. Be SMART - set, and write down, goals that are:

Specific - Rather than ‘get fit’, a better goal would be ‘to take a brisk walk after lunch on  Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays’.

Measurable - Set goals that can be measured. ‘Get fit’ is hard to measure, but it’s easy to know if you walked for half an hour on Monday, Wednesday and Friday or not.

Achievable - Start small and set goals that are within your reach.

Relevant -Choose changes that make sense for you.

Timely - Set a target date. Without one, it’s easy to put off making the change.  And give yourself a (healthy!) treat when you achieve a goal.

Puppet training #1

One of the things which I have been looking at with our kids ministry in the parish has been with puppets and hopefully developing this.

I have managed to find a few of training videos ...

This one is the finished article ... what puppets singing to a track looks like ...

This is about how puppets enter and leave the stage

This one is about what puppets are doing when they are on stage ... eye contact

This is the tough bit ...!!! but essential

Prayer Blog #3 - Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina is a divine reading/ praying of scripture ... allowing the words of scripture to penetrate your heart.

It can be done individually, with a friend or group. It is a slow reading allowing you to hear God speaking to you through scripture. It is best done when you are not rushed in a quiet space.

I also would stick on a contemplative CD / Worship song ... one song comes to mind as I write ...



Some background ... from http://www.lectiodivina.co.uk/

LECTIO DIVINA

Some 1800 years ago men and women retreated to lonely places to escape the stresses of daily life and developed Lectio Divina or ‘Sacred Reading’, a way of meditating that people have found helpful ever since. Traditionally it involved a ‘slow reading’ of a chosen text from the Bible and allowing the words to speak in new ways. There are four parts to a Lectio Divina exercise.

Reading (lectio) - Slowly begin reading a biblical passage as if it were a long awaited love letter addressed to you. Approach it reverentially and expectantly, in a way that savors each word and phrase. Read the passage until you hear a word or phrase that touches you, resonates, attracts or even disturbs you.

Reflecting (meditatio) - Ponder this word or phrase for a few minutes. Let it sink in slowly and deeply until you are resting in it. Listen for what the word or phrase is saying to you at this moment in your life, what it may be offering to you, what it may be demanding of you.

Expressing (oratio) – If you are a praying person, when you ready ready, openly and honestly express to God the prayers that arise spontaneously within you from your experience of this word or phrase. These may be prayers of thanksgiving, petition, intercession, lament, or praise. If prayer is not part of your journey you could write down the thoughts that have come your way.

Resting (contemplatio) - Allow yourself to simply rest silently for a time in the stillness of your heart remaining open to the quiet fullness of God's love and peace. This is like the silence of communion between the mother holding her sleeping infant child or between lovers whose communication with each other passes beyond words.

These four movements of Lectio Divina may not always follow a linear progression. Allow yourself freedom. The aim is to move into the depths of silence and stillness where we can hear the Word spoken to us in love and respond to this Word with our love and our life. This is a gentle invitation into a movement from silence into the Word and back into silence, dwelling there in the presence of God.

In modern times the scope of the materials used in the exercises has been greatly widened to include the visual arts and music. In today’s understanding it can be described as ‘attentive listening or looking’ – allowing what is listened to or looked at to speak to your situation in a fresh way.

Why not begin with a psalm ... for example Psalm 23 which works really well.

This is the third in a series of prayer ideas which I am blogging over the month of January as we journey to the Last Sunday of January which in Carrigrohane Union will have a focus on prayer. The next Blog will look at Journalling as prayer.

Prayer Blog #2 - What is Prayer?

This is the second blog in a series looking at Prayer as we seek over the next few months to look at Prayer and praying for our parish.

Prayer Blog #1 - Daily Prayer

Different people have different ways to pray.

For me daily prayer is a useful way to pray when I'm not sure what to pray or seasons when I find prayer difficult. Daily prayer is a traditional way which is traced back to monastic offices ... set readings, set psalms, liturgy and topics for intercession. 

In the Church of Ireland ... The Book of Common Prayer 2004 has in it a form of daily office which can now be found online ... take a look at ... Daily Prayer today 

The advantage of this type of prayer is that it is set and you have the knowledge that what you are praying is being prayed by many, many people across the globe. 

Daily the intercessions change and you can add in your own prayers and your own thoughts to the readings and psalms. Taking time to think about what they mean to you. 

If you find the Daily Prayer model of prayer useful why? 

How do you use it? 

any other comments? 

This is part of a series prepared to think about the topic of prayer ... next article will look at the topic of praying scripture ... Lectio Divina 

Image from the Worship Section of the Church of Ireland website 

New Year ... New Topic ... PRAYER

Right, the book thing ... Purpose Driven (previous blog)... hasn't taken off as various other things have managed to crowd in on ministry here... but one other things our parish is doing over the next few weeks and months is a focus on prayer ... both individually and corporately.

So I hope to look at some practical ways of praying ... just to spark some ideas. If you have any other ideas please do feel free to share, to email or get in touch with me some other way!

I have been chatting with various people recently about prayer and various ways they find it useful to pray and to study the Bible. Over the course of the next few weeks I hope to think some of the issues through and provide some resources from different places on ways to pray and to keep prayer fresh.

A Christmas Carol - Midnight Communion

A Sermon preached on Christmas Eve in Inniscarra

Christmas past present and future.

A sermon for Christmas Eve Holy Communion. 

He was born in an obscure village, the son of a peasant woman.

He grew up in another village, where he worked in a carpenter's shop until he was thirty. Then for three years he became a wandering preacher.

He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a house. He didn't go to college. He never visited a big city. He never travelled two hundred miles from the place where he was born. He did none of those things one usually associates with greatness.

He had no credentials but himself.

He was only thirty-three when the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. He was turned over to his enemies and went through a mockery of a trial. He was executed by the state. While he was dying, his executioners gambled for his clothing, the only property he had on earth. When he was dead he was laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race. All the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of humanity as much as that One Solitary Life.

This evening we come together to celebrate the birth of Jesus of Nathereth, The Christ, The Son of God. We do so remembering that this one solitary life brings together all things earthly and heavenly.

That things changed for good the night the angels sang the first Christmas carol.

I wonder for you what does this annual remembrance mean?

Charles Dickens in his book A Christmas Carol --- brought together 3 aspects of life … to get Ebenezer Scrooge to look back, to look at his present life and reflect on the future. By doing so life changed for him so incredibly

Is it a time to look back ? – a time to remember the past year or years …  a time to think about happy times as family, a time of fondly remembering those things which you have enjoyed.

Christmas has always been for Christians a time of good news and great joy for all the people. However we must admit that at times the joy is sometimes marred with pain as we remember loved one who are no longer with us. As we deal with issues in families and with friends. 

As years go on … the importance of remembering and looking back, of learning from our experiences is so vitally important. But we need to remember that the Birth of the child in the manger has changed things … has opened up for us a way to understand life and death, purpose of living and hope beyond the grave.

As we look back - Have we grasped the amazing message of Christmas … that in the Child whose birth we celebrate … it is possible to understand amazing truths of the triumph of Light in the darkness, hope over despair and life over death

Is it a time for you to look around now?  - A time to enjoy the moment … tomorrow/ or today … a time filled with expectation, of loving those who gather at the table, a time when all will be well with your world?, a time of celebration, a time of relaxing and feasting.

And rightly so … In the gospels there is an amazing picture of the Kingdom of God as a feast, of enjoying life … life in all its fullness.  Christmas is a time to remember … Immanuel God with us.

I wonder as you look around … where do you see God with you? … do you see God with you in your work … in your home … in your friends …wherever you may be. As we pack into this church this evening we do so as family of God in this little corner of Ireland … Not simply to remember an historical event … as historians remember, or to re-enact a battle as actors do … but we are here to worship the Living God, to receive strength and to commit ourselves to following through.

Christmas is a time when we gaze in wonder of the events of that first Christmas in Bethlehem … far from us both in time, geography and culture but it is a event which still challenges the powerful and the weak.

 As you look around you this evening … who is Christ to you?

Is Christmas a time to look to the future? – In the angels message to the shepherds … the message is for all the people … we are included in this message … the question is what are we going to do with this message?

Are we content with simply seeing Christmas a nice tradition or are we prepared for the adventure of following this Christ Child … of taking his radical and life changing message and allowing this message to transform our thinking, our speaking, our doing not just for one or two days but for the rest of our life.

In the Dicken’s book Scrooge is given a bleak picture of what his life & those around about him could be like in the future if things did not change.

But he was given a chance to change … and change he most certainly did.

The good news of Christmas, the good news of Christians is that Change is possible … yes we cannot change the past, we can decide how we are going to react in the present and we certainly can change our future.

In his Christmas message the new Church of Ireland Archbishop said “In this Christmas season, we are each challenged to connect or reconnect with our family, friends and others who are without friends, but also to connect or re–connect our lives with a faith that tells us we are each loved in Jesus Christ, and that calls us to carry Christ’s love into the dark and lonely places of this world, near or far”.

This Christmas… it is my hope and prayer for all here that we enjoy this Christmas time but also that we allow Christ to change our hopes and mind, that we are able to change what needs to be changed in our lives … and live our lives for him.

Let us pray

Purpose Blog #2 - It's not about you

Rick Warren begins his book with a radical statement as he sets out in looking at purpose of life ...

IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!

Then the question has to be asked ... "What is it about?"

As I have been thinking over some stuff over the past few weeks, and been reading various books it seems to me that the frameworks which we build in our lives are so vitally important.

Sometimes those frameworks stand the stresses and strains of life ... and sometimes they buckle under pressure. I remember, I think it was technology in High School when we were given the task of building bridges out of straws to span a certain distance. How those straws were arranged dictated how when weight was applied the straws would buckle.



Engineers also tell us how structures are arranged in big buildings dictate how they behave if there is excessive weight applied, if winds blow, if heat is applied, if cold is applied, if the earthquakes come.

Similarly as this picture shows sometimes structures can protect but sometimes those structures do fail.

Thinking about these things and building in structure into our lives is so vitally important, or strengthening the structure which we already have is something vitally important. Not only for the storms and rough times of life. But we gotta remember that Jesus said that he has come so that we may have life and life to it's full.

All structures in our world have a purpose

If the purpose of your life is not you what then is it? to answer that question we need to build a structure.

Examples of some of these structures
- Time out with friends & family to do fun stuff ... striking a balance
- Prayer Time ... time out with God
- Time to reflect, evaluate, say sorry and move on
- Time to read & study Bible
- Meeting with other Christians for Bible Study / chat
- Regular worship with Christian Community
- Living out the lessons of Bible Study
- Remembering to have a sense of humour!

For some reading these things might be thinking these are not part of anything you've ever done ... but do give them a try ... they do indeed work.

Purpose Blog #1 - some things to listen to

It's amazing how things work out ... The first set of readings in Purpose Driven Life .. the book which I set out out on this week to look at (See previous blog) are under the title of "What on earth am I here for?"

Truth be told over the past few days I haven't managed to sit down and read anything! But I have been listening to a few things during quiet time which have been very helpful in looking at the question from 2 people and I share these with you simply as reminders of what God is up to and what he might be doing in our midst and we're not even aware of it... they are all linked to purpose and living out John 10:10 - Jesus said A thief comes to kill and destroy ... but I have come so that you may have life and have it more abundantly. A very important lesson for all of us today.

Both of these audios are from Willowfield Parish Church recently - The first is from someone who is working with Christians Against Poverty who has seen their life transformed by God.

The Second is a sermon preached by George Newell ... who is seeing lives transformed by God in community in East Belfast

Purpose Driven Life

It has been great now to be getting settled in here in Blarney, to meet loads of people from all sorts of backgrounds and positions in society.

Over the next few months I hope to work my way through a book which many of the study groups / home groups have been working their way through and simply fire some thoughts onto the Blog ... looking my way through some very important questions of faith, life and things generally. I do this combining Scripture and Church life,  the text of Rick Warren's book as well as through experiences.

If you wish to join me on this ... what  Rick calls Journey please do feel free to email me, comment on the blog, on facebook or invite me out for a coffee!

I hope to start tomorrow but it will not be an everyday affair ... as things around here are busy but I will try my best to keep up with reading and blogging.

The Structure begins with the fudalmental question ... a basic one which lies in all of us ...

 "What on earth am I here for?" I wonder how you would answer that question?

A Community at Christmas

What a great time of year to be starting out in a community.

 I write this blog just after the Blarney Christmas tree lights have been switched on ... It was great to meet ... retailers, community reps and loads of people involved in so many ways in and around the community.

 I look forward over the months and years to come to get more involved in the work and witness of this community as it supports one another and welcomes visitors from all over the world.

 At this time of year there is so much going on, so many things happening in this community.

Based on the number of photo's that were taken this evening ... there will hopefully be a few to be linked to in the days ahead :-)

 PS ... I love the wand that was used ... instead of the traditional button ... The creativity and ingenuity of members of this parish knows no bounds! ... Well done Kate & Co!