Faith Goes Walkabout

Thoughts and reflections

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Happy Easter

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On April 3, 2018

In Easter

What is Easter all about? Why do we have so much chocolate?

 CBBC explains the history of Easter, eggs and chocolate. 

 A weekend of wet weather in the UK could certainly turn us all into eating chocolate.

But the real Easter message is about Jesus, risen from the dead, alive and with us, here, now and forever.

The cross that we wear and the cross that he bore gives us the light to walk out into the world and proclaim him Lord, It takes away the power of darkness, it takes away the things that we do wrong and leads us in to an eternal life.

It is a love proclaimed, God who sent his only Son to be with us to show his love for all his people.

We are  lucky indeed

Rev’d Sue Martin

Joy to the World

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On February 17, 2018

In Lent, Papua New Guinea

From Papua New Guinea to England, there is joy in every place. Sometimes we just do not see it!

At a community school, where all the staff are volunteers and life is quite hard, the chair of governors welcomes our pilgrimage from Diocese of Norwich in 2015, with joy and happiness in her smile.

Sometimes we just do not recognise the happiness and joy in our lives. So let’s go out there and spread the joy!

The earth is the Lord’s and all that is in it.

Psalm 24, verse 1

Bishop’s Lent Appeal, Norwich Diocese is to Simbai in Papua New Guinea

Rev’d Sue Martin

Joy in Lent

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On February 14, 2018

In Faith goes walkabout, Lent, Uncategorized

Kalpana, brothers and sisters in the Himalayas. We support them.

Lent is a time for reflection and for giving things up. But why can’t it also be a time for joy!

This year as part of a Lent Reflection I will be posting about joy.

 

Joy can be seen all around us, it is infectious and children share it very easily.

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy. It is for all the people“.  Luke 2, verse 10.

What better news could there be.

Joy, happiness and blessings in abundance.

Rev’d Sue Martin

 

 

 

 

 

 

Advent and only a few days to go…

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On December 20, 2017

In Advent

Sitting at the computer and knowing the daylight will soon be going, even though it is only 2.00pm, brings thoughts to mind of all those without a warm home.

A world full of anguish and uncertain futures.

I have just visited a parishioner, Pearl, who I should have seen much sooner. She lives on her own and wanted to pray for all those who are on their own over Christmas. Her family are close but her life has become lonely.

 

A prayer…

Close the door of hate, and open the door

Of love all over the world.

Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.

Rev’d Sue Martin

Remembrance November 11th 2017

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On November 12, 2017

In Sermons, Uncategorized

Sunday 11th November St Nicholas Church Gayton

 Remembrance Sunday

Poppy at King’s Cross London

If we do not remember it can happen again

I think myself as lucky for being part of a generation that has not known war close at hand. But I have know the effect on lives of people close to me, through injuries, illness and often very long term effects of all aspects of war.

Many  have experienced war, both in the past and in recent times.

Nowadays we are always reminded about wars in different parts of the world.

Our toll of lives lost across the world goes on, more soldiers and air personnel killed, more people back home  having lost someone very close to them.

But today is about remembering, Remembrance Service, held every November to mark Armistice Day, the marking of the symbolic end of the First World War on November 11th 1918. And special today as we are here on November 11th.

The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

The armistice was signed between the Allies and Germany at Rethondes in France for the cessation of hostilities on the Western Front. Although hostilities continued in parts of the Russian Empire and in parts of the old Ottaman Empire.

The cruelest of wars which lasted from 1914 – 1918. A war fought in the most abysmal of conditions and with such an enormous waste of life.

If we remember we hope it will not happen again.

If we do not remember it can happen again

More in Sermons 2017

Rev’d Sue Martin

Rocky ground, thorns and good soil

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On July 15, 2017

In Faith goes walkabout, Sermons, Trinity, Uncategorized

The Parable of the Sower – Rocky ground, thorns and good soil. We all have time with rocky ground, thorns and good soil.

I would like to tell you about my garden.

Living in a new house for nearly a year now, and builders are great but they are not gardeners! The garden is, well let’s say it’s getting there!

On visits and walks in this village and other villages I see gardens of all sorts.

I have a little categorisation going on in my mind about gardens:

There are those where everything seems to remain in neat and tidy order all the time. How does that work? I’m never really sure how that can happen?

And then there are gardens where disorder has taken over completely, it could be in design, or not sure how to make a garden, or that life has become hard and the long worked over garden has just got out of control.

And then there are  gardens where plants are purchased from the garden centre at least twice a year and order is restored, or the gardens where shrubs and everlasting plants are intertwined with gravel paths and maintenance is very low, but the effect is okay, nothing needed to be done.

And finally the garden where children’s games and toys are everywhere, plants are battling with the  Buzz Light Year toy in the shrubs or tennis balls and footballs long ago punctured scattered across the garden. A grass lawn is usually there too, but with patches and areas where too many ball games have even worn down the grass.

The Parable of the Sower is a bit like modern day gardens. Jesus tells the story of how and where God can find his word present and alive. Jesus used parables as a way to explain the unexplainable, to give a picture in people’s minds of how God can be alive in everyone and how sometimes we are all a little deaf to His voice.

Read more in Sermons 2017

Rev’d Sue Martin

PS The swing is very important for daily reflection… and for looking over the hedge!

Advent: Are we ready?

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On December 4, 2016

In Advent, church seasons, Faith goes walkabout

bauble image 3

See more here…

Advent calling. Are you getting ready, what can you actually do to get ready, how much time do you need and will this have the right effect?

My Advent reading this year is with Tom Wright, a great writer of commentaries and his Advent for Everyone: A Journey Thrugh Matthew.

So get ready for the adventure ahead, or are you already Advent ready!

Matthew 3:1-10 is the place to be!

Advent content available here…

John was preaching in the Judean wilderness. By all accounts John was a wild character, clothes made from camel hair, eating locusts and honey and foretold by Isaiah that there would be a voice in the wilderness shouting in the desert.

And he doesn’t let us down! As in Matthew 3:7 he says to the Pharisees approaching,  who were full of pride and righteousness.

‘You brood of vipers, who warned you to escape from the coming wrath, you had better prove your repentance by bearing the right sort of fruit!

But what about us?

Can we take ourselves away from the glitter and spending for a little while, to reflect and prepare for Jesus coming into our world?

 Advent is a wonderful time of year and it does  bring Jesus into many homes, through Nativities, cards, carols and the church services. We can pass on that understanding of what Christmas is actually about.

That wonderful togetherness and joyousness is a reflection of the joy that Jesus can bring into all our lives.

It isn’t a case that we have to stop enjoying the preparations, let’s all have a great time and make as much festive Christmas preparations as we can, let’s light up the churches, let’s light up the world and let’s light up our hearts with the knowledge that once again we find ourselves at this splendidly wonderful time of year.

Rev’d Sue MartinBaubles in Advent

 

The best gift of all! The Holy Spirit

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On May 24, 2015

In Faith goes walkabout, Pentacost

PentecostActs 2: 1- 21

And just how amazed do you think the disciples would have been to find that they were speaking in different languages!

Can you imagine it now? What would people have said?

A great crowd of people at a special festival, tongues of flame start to appear from all around, mmmm… not looking to good. Someone by now would have called the police on their mobile.

“Come quick please, I think we have been tricked! This new band have sent fire into the crowd and now there are men who are talking in all sorts of different languages. You’d better hurry!”

At the feast of Pentecost there were a group of about 200 followers, the disciples, and Mary, mother of Jesus and his brothers. A sound from Heaven, like a strong wind appeared and tongues like fire rested on them.

Peter, standing with the other 11 disciples, addressed the crowd. He interpreted the tongues as the fulfillment of God’s promise, described in Joel

Peter went on to baptise about 3000 people that day. They were from countries far and wide; they had the potential to cross cultural boundaries. They had the power and the spirit to take the word of God across the world.

The church and Christianity started here!

Rev’d Sue Martin,  Diocese of Norwich –  www faithgoeswalkabout

Easter Sunday

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On April 5, 2015

In Easter, Faith goes walkabout

Easter Sunday April 5th

Is there Hope? 

Ch Anunc Naz

Matthew 28:1- 10  Acts 10 34-43

Alleluia, Christ is Risen!

He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!

What a week!

Quite a story, starting with the triumphal ride into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday on the humble donkey. Crowded streets, the place packed with people preparing for the feast of the Passover, Jesus turning over the tables in the temple, the Last Supper in the upstairs room, for fear of being found, the long night in the Garden of Gethsemane, the betrayal of Jesus by Judas, the capture by the soldiers, Jesus coming before Pontius Pilate, the crowds calling for him to be crucified and the release of Barabbas.

And then the crucifixion.

Saturday, the holy day for the Jews. What was that like then?

And so to today, the good news that Jesus is risen.! Alleluia!

This is the good news, the news we all share even today 2000 years after the event and it hasn’t changed, He is risen indeed Alleluia!

But let’s go back to that tomb, the tomb given by Joseph of Arimathea. There are tombs in Jerusalem just like the one given by Joseph and I have seen a later tomb where they think Joseph of Arimathea was later buried.

In the morning Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus had gone to visit the tomb and see where they had laid his body. It had been such a dreadful day on Friday their sorrow and grief were unmeasurable but together they walked to the tomb, maybe like us today to visit the gravesides of our relatives, in respect and in love.

In Matthew we hear that an angel had rolled back the stone and was sitting there. This is a very short passage, but it says all that is needed.

The guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women,

‘Do not be afraid, He is risen. Go and tell his disciples.’

What could have been in the minds of the two Mary’s – joy, exhilaration, fear, wonder.And then on the way to the disciples they met Jesus. Immediately they bowed down and worshipped him.

In the meantime the soldiers had described what had happened and the story was made that his body had been taken by the soldiers, for fear of reprisal from the crowds.

The eleven disciples were making their way to the mountain in Galilee, when Jesus appeared to them.Jesus said to them,

‘Remember I am with you always to the end of the age.’

And that surely is what the Easter message is about. Hope, resurrection, a life hereafter.

What happen to us in this world when we lose all hope? This is such a sad and miserable place to be, the depths of despair.

But Hope… Jesus gives us that hope forever, a love that never ends, a hope for all to be well, a love that is unconditional, a hope that one day we will all meet with Jesus.

Jesus risen from the dead, alive and with us, here, now and forever.

Rev’d Sue Martin Diocese of Norwich

Darkness and Light

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On December 5, 2014

In church seasons, pastoral

IMG 1346

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One candle burns at the start of Advent, in St Clement’s Church, Terrington St Clement, a magnificent and pretty church in the Fens, sometimes called the Cathedral of the Fens.

The light shone in to the church as the south windows were filled with the sun’s low rays.

All out of darkness we have light….

A beautiful reminder that Advent is here and Christmas is on it’s way.

So let’s get ready!

Rev’d Sue Martin Diocese of Norwich

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