Monday 2 April 2018

Easter Monday and what next?

Throughout Lent and into Holy Week I've been writing a daily reflection on Facebook; it's something I've taken up doing for a few years as part of my Lenten devotion.
Each day I never quite know what I'm going to write.  At times it seemed a bit of a chore and I looked forward to it coming to an end.  Now it has, it seems strange as if something is missing.
Although I have said this before, I am going to try to write a blog more often - it's been a few years since my last one!  I am going to aim to write a weekly reflection and see how I get on.


Wednesday 29 June 2016

divided or united...

Yesterday evening my daughter Amy and my son Reece were confirmed by the Bishop of Dover along with other candidates from other parishes in the Dover Deanery.
Confirmation is a 'next step' following baptism in their journey as disciples of Jesus.
Confirmation takes place in the Church of England, other denominations have other practices and different views on 'becoming' a Christian.  However, I think all would agree that what really matters is making the decision to follow Jesus.
In the early church there was much division and debate about all sorts of things but what united them was Jesus.
Things don't seem to be much different today when we consider the many issues which seem to divide the Church - BUT the Church remains UNITED BY JESUS.
The recent EU Referendum result has caused division among many people...
There are Christians who voted 'remain' and others who voted 'leave' - the result has left many of them feeling angry at the decision...
and they (like lots of other people) seem to be clutching at straws and looking for loopholes.  This is sad and yet another example of how 'worldy' things cause division among followers of Jesus.
We need to remember that we are UNITED BY JESUS.
My prayer is for reconciliation, peace and harmony across our great Nation.
My hope is in Jesus...

Monday 30 May 2016

has it really been that long?

Quite often we start off with good intentions, but then we put things off...

for ages I've been thinking, "I should post another blog", then I get distracted...

today, I finally take a look at my blog and am shocked at how long it's been since my last post, especially because since then I have another granddaughter and grandson!

'Busy-ness' is often my excuse for putting things off; but maybe it's really that my priorities are not what they should be?

In the time since I last posted a blog, lots of things have developed for us in Dover with the formation of the new Dover Group Ministry and the arrival of Revd Dr John Walker (as Team Rector) in March 2015; then Revd Josias de Souza Jr (as Mission Priest) in March this year.


Josias and I work closely together in Buckland, partly because of my parish role and partly because of my Cross-Links role.

He and his family answered God's call to leave their home in Brazil to come to Dover.  They embody what it truly is to be sent by God!

Josias is passionate for people to find out about Jesus and for them to turn to him.

At Cross-Links we want to share the love of Jesus and mostly do this by 'being there' for people especially when they most need help.

Sharing the GOOD NEWS OF JESUS is not something we should put off.  It should be part of our DNA as Christians.  As Josias often reminds us - we can do it because Jesus is with us.

Thursday 27 March 2014

new life....

As I become a grandparent for a third time and welcome little Emily into the world I am reminded of the joy that new life brings.

Sometimes New Life comes from unexpected places

we see this

in the experience of Easter

an experience that, for Jesus brought great pain and suffering leading to death and what seemed like defeat

but it was NOT defeat at all

just the beginning of something new

new life

a new life that he bore witness to

a new life that changed the lives unexpectedly and unimaginably for his friends who witnessed this

a new life we can all encounter and experience as we turn away from the Ways of the World to the Way of Jesus

and hope of a new life beyond our earthly existence.

Some want proof and evidence and facts and evidence

if life was only about facts and proof and explanation, then why do we have emotions and feelings?

life is more than this

new life in Christ is more than this.


Friday 1 November 2013

all saints day messy church

we gathered at St Nicholas church to think about saints - who were they?  we looked at 5: George, Andrew, Patrick, David and Nicholas finding out a bot about each of them.  They all followed Jesus and told other people about him. Here are some photos...























Tuesday 15 October 2013

Overseas visitors welcomed

The Diocese of Canterbury hosted a Wider Church Partnerships conference.  I attended the conference day at the Cathedral yesterday and learned a great deal about a wide range of projects taking place in France, Germany, Sweden, Madagascar, Seychelles, Israel as well as locally in the diocese.  It was a great pleasure to welcome many of the overseas delegates to our Toddler group this morning, here are a few photos from the visit...