[This reflection by Helen Ruffhead was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 15/Sep/2024]
Recently I was on holiday in Wales with my sister Jean and son David. Jean was keen to attend a local service, so we looked up the parish church online. All the reviews described it as a beautiful church, with particular reference to the stained-glass windows. (more…)
[A devotional reflection originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during September 2024]
A recent comment on one of our earlier reflections posed a question: I was interested to know how you center yourself and clear your mind before writing? I’ve had a hard time clearing my mind in getting my ideas out. I do enjoy writing however it just seems like the first 10 to 15 minutes tend to be wasted. Perhaps this is an appropriate time to revisit the purpose for these reflections and explain how they come into reality.[1] (more…)
[This reflection by Martin Shorey was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 08/Sep/2024]
Stepping Forward: Making Space for Those Yet to Come
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Philippians 2 v3-4
I’m reflecting on this passage the morning after our church meeting, where we voted to trial two services on Sunday mornings. The discussions leading up to this decision were long and involved, but at the core of it all is a desire to remove barriers for those seeking God through our Sunday services. (more…)
[A devotional reflection originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during September 2024]
Recently I overheard a telephone conversation between a young boy, who was on holiday, with his father who was at work. The conversation, more accurately the monologue, consisted entirely of a list of the things he wanted when he got home: a long ladder with a slide, a tree-house and, for Christmas, a present “costing 300 pounds”. (more…)
[This reflection by Michael Goble was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 01/Sep/2024]
In my last reflection I reminisced about a town in central Australia where they held an annual regatta on a river where there was no water. I thought this time I would also recall an experience in Queensland, Australia, in the tropics. (more…)
[A devotional reflection originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during August 2024]
Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again.
This proclamation is known as the Memorial Acclamation and it has its formal origin in the liturgy of several of the early Eastern denominations. More recently it has been adopted by many of the major western denominations.[1] Whilst it is primarily used in communion services it is a simple statement of faith that is appropriate for many other occasions. (more…)