The Pain of Unrequited Love

[This reflection by Helen Ruffhead was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 03/May/2026]

Have you ever poured out your love on someone who didn’t want it? Perhaps you fell in love with someone who wasn’t interested. I remember when I had that experience many years ago, what helped me most was (heresy alert) not a Bible verse but hearing Gloria Gaynor’s song “I will survive”. The message about surviving and saving my love for someone who loves me has inspired me ever since I first heard it 47 years ago.
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Contributor: Helen Ruffhead
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The Fear Factor

[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during April 2026]

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
1 John 4 v18 [ESVUK]

During a recent conversation around the parable of the prodigal son,[1] the focus turned to the feelings of the younger son after he recognised his plight. He had lost everything – his wealth, his friends, his self-respect, even the very means of providing for himself.
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Contributor: Steve Humphreys
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What If I Don’t Even Know How To Begin?

[This reflection by Dennis Ginter was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 26/Apr/2026]

Two Sundays ago Martin introduced us to our series of teachings on prayer. He emphasised that prayer is communicating with God. But what kind of communication can we have with God (or anyone else for that matter) if we can’t be honest with each other?
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Contributor: Dennis Ginter
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Feeling Thirsty?

[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during April 2026]

Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Isaiah 55 v1 [ESVUK]

In the UK the 21st April has been designated as National Tea Day. Whether your preference is the scent of Earl Grey or the real taste of Yorkshire, this date gives us an excuse for an extra ‘cuppa’. A cup of tea is an excellent aid when reading the Scriptures so it is particularly disappointing that there is no mention of tea, as we know it, in the Bible.
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Contributor: Steve Humphreys
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’Twas The Time After Easter

[This reflection by David Makanjuola was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 19/Apr/2026]

‘Twas the time after Easter and all through the night, not a fishy was biting, not even a trout’. This is the story of what the disciples were doing after Easter. It must have been a confusing, if not mind-blowing time for them. So much had happened in such a short span of time. Peter decided to go back to something he was familiar with – fishing, and he took a few of the disciples with him. John, one of the disciples, tells the story in his gospel as follows;
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Contributor: David Makanjuola
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Shipping Included

[A ‘Tuesday Challenge‘ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during April 2026]

Quinquireme of Nineveh from distant Ophir
Rowing home to haven in sunny Palestine,
With a cargo of ivory, and apes and peacocks,
Sandalwood, cedarwood, and sweet white wine.
John Masefield (1903)

Does this cargo manifest sound familiar? Those of a certain age may have learnt John Masefield’s poem at school but its inspiration is much earlier. King Solomon had a fleet of trading ships modelled after those built at Tarshish for the equivalent of global trade within the then-known world. They were the container vessels of their day.
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Contributor: Steve Humphreys
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