The Last Post

[A ‘Tuesday Challenge’ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during December 2024]

The Last Post – what do those words conjure up in your mind?

The Last Post: I suppose that if you were a fencing contractor then this might mean that your day’s work was complete or that you had reached the end of the line. Fences need to be firmly grounded and regularly maintained, otherwise they soon become useless.
Do you ever feel like a broken fence? You try to hold a line but people can trample all over you. The Psalmist identified with that feeling:

I feel like a shaky fence or a sagging wall. How long will all of you attack and assault me?
Psalm 62 v3 [CEV]

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Contributor: Steve Humphreys
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The Night Before Christmas

[A ‘Tuesday Challenge’ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during December 2024]

“Twas the night before Christmas” is the opening line of a popular poem first published in 1823 and commonly ascribed to Clement Moore, an American professor and author. It relates a vision of Christmas Eve with snow, reindeer and a jovial Santa dispensing gifts whilst children are asleep. Although the poem predates the accession of Queen Victoria, the sentiments it expresses, along with the writings of Charles Dickens, have helped to form our perceptions of a Victorian Christmas. (more…)

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Contributor: Steve Humphreys
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Let the Foolish Things of the World Confound the Wise

[This reflection by Chris Ginter was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 22/Dec/2024]

I often think I fit into that category!

When I was a child my mum would pray this prayer over me as I went to sleep at night:
“Gentle Jesus meek and mild look upon this little child, pity my simplicity, suffer me to come to thee.”
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Contributor: Chris Ginter
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Love came down at Christmas

[A ‘Tuesday Challenge’ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during December 2024]

Where do I begin to tell the story of how great a love can be
The sweet love story that is older than the sea?

These words, composed by lyricist Carl Sigman, were written to give a vocal counterpart to the theme from the 1970 film, ‘Love Story’. Various artists have made both the tune and the lyrics very popular. But can there really be a ‘love that is older than the sea’? (more…)

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Contributor: Steve Humphreys
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Jesus – the Fulfilment of Prophecy

[This reflection by Helen Ruffhead was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 15/Dec/2024]

For some time now I have been working my way through the Bible and after wading through the history and poetry books I have finally reached what I see as the jewel in the Old Testament crown – the book of Isaiah. (more…)

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Contributor: Helen Ruffhead
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A Spiritual Adventure

[A ‘Tuesday Challenge’ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during December 2024]

Each morning I tune in to the daily reflection from All Saints’ Cathedral, Nairobi (an Anglican church that I used to attend in the early 1960s). This week the theme is an introduction to Advent,[1] using the lighting of candles as a visual aid to the explanation of the four personal characteristics that that particular denomination emphasises during this season. The four candles represent hope, peace, joy and love – sentiments that we promote at Christmas but which should be part of our life year-round. (more…)

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Contributor: Steve Humphreys
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