Rev elations

An Introduction The Love Feast, or Agape Meal, is a Christian fellowship meal recalling the meals Jesus shared with disciples during his ministry and expressing the koinonia (community, sharing, fellowship) enjoyed by the family of Christ. I t is not the same as Holy Communion or the Eucharist. The Love Feast has often been held on occasions when the celebration of the Lord's Supper would be inappropriate—where there is no one present authorized to administer the Sacrament, when persons of different denominations are present who do not feel free to take Holy Communion together. This is perhaps the first time in history that the Love Feast will be used because of a pandemic; it is an ideal time to make use of this resource.   One of the advantages of the Love Feast is that any Christian may conduct it, participation by all who are gathered is encouraged, and it's easy to involve children. Adapted From Discipleship Ministries, the United Methodist Church ht

'Lazarus, Come Out!' John Chapter 11 Pod cast/Lazarus-is-called-back-to-life The story of Lazarus if a very helpful one for our current predicament. Like Lazarus we are physically restricted and bound; we are prevented from going out, seeing people, going to work, going about our normal business. We are told that Lazarus has been dead for 4 days. We will be restricted for much longer and we will be challenged not to give ourselves over to a spiritual or emotional death. It is important that we hold on to the bigger picture - whilst Lazarus was bound his family (Mary and Martha) were in relationship with Jesus. In the midst of their grief they dared to trust that Jesus would help them. Sometimes, indeed, most of the time, events don't occur when we want them to. Jesus seems to deliberately stay away from Bethany in order that God might be glorified. We are also playing a waiting game, we are waiting for the sign that it is safe to resume our normal lives. We are

Lent Study Group One of my top 10 books of the last 10 years has to be: 'A Book of Silence' by Sara Maitland. I first heard Sara talk at Greenbelt many years ago and I was fascinated then by who she was - an eccentric woman, speaking with intensity and insight, offering an alternative and captivating viewpoint on the human experience. In this book she explores silence in all sorts of ways: by living on her own; by visiting the desert; through analysing the desert traditions within early Christianity; and through attending to what happens to the body and the mind in and through extended silence and isolation. Her book begins: I am sitting on the front doorstep of my little house with a cup of coffee, looking down the valley at my extraordinary view of nothing. It is wonderful. Virginia Woolf famously taught us that every woman writer needs a room of her own. She didn't know the half of it, in my opinion. I need a moor of my own. Or, as an exasperated but obvious

Reflective material for personal use ‘After immense activity one passes into a phase where passivity is the only way. I pray that you may be finding this passivity as the way in which the soul serves God, not by doing this or that but by passively receiving the great stream of His love and compassion.’                             Michael Ramsey Butcher and Sheep Rumi Do not despair when the beloved sends you away. Today’s rejection may turn tomorrow to an invitation. If the door shuts, do not go away. Be patient, even if every possibility seems closed. The friend has secret ways known to no one else. Is it not the case that when a butcher kills a sheep, he does not leave the carcass? Rather, he bends down and works more closely. The sheep’s life becomes the butcher’s life. The meaning with this is: There is a great generosity in being killed by the beloved. Solomon’s kingdom goes into a single ant. Both worlds combine in one heart. I hav

Christians are formed in spiritual practices that are designed to help us grow in love and holiness. During Lent we enter into the desert or wilderness, metaphorically speaking, to learn more about God's love. Christians have sought solitude and time alone with God since the earliest times of the Christian faith. We should not be unduly worried therefore about the prospect of needing to spend time alone. Christians who have fasted, prayed and practiced contemplation annually for the 40 days of Lent, are well prepared for this time of testing. We can encourage others, who may be less prepared, by our prayers, by our example and our teaching. This may be an opportunity to proclaim the love of God to others and to share with them something of the wonders of the Christian spiritual tradition. Moreover, during Lent we are encouraged not only to pray and fast but to be deliberate about practicing 'acts of service and compassion'. This is also critical to how we should and must