[A ‘Tuesday Challenge’ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during November 2024]
The 5th of November is one of those dates which seem to have a more than average frequency in a catalogue of world events. Even if we ignore the current headline-grabbing squabble amongst some dissident former colonialists,[1] events occurring on the 5th November have had a disproportionate effect on history. (more…)
[A ‘Tuesday Challenge’ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during October 2024]
As often happens when preparing these reflections, it starts with a question: “Where do I begin …” Fortunately, the actress Julie Andrews is able to offer some advice:
Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start [1]
For us as Christians (and for everybody else but few admit it) that takes us to the earliest verses of the Bible. (more…)
[A ‘Tuesday Challenge’ originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during October 2024]
During the past few weeks we have been encouraged to think of worship as more than just singing songs on a Sunday morning. We heard five sermons exploring the impacts of a wider concept of worship.[1] Worship should:
No doubt, when we heard those sermons we felt a desire to apply them but now, a few weeks later, has that resolution passed the same way as so many others? In short, do the words that we sing on Sunday still ring true on Tuesday morning? (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…)
[A devotional reflection originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during July 2024]
The 1972 film ‘The Godfather’ tells the story of Vito Corleone, the patriarch of a New York gangster family. Despite his involvement in a wide range of nefarious business activities he was noted for his devotion to his family. By contrast, James Hilton’s 1933 novel ‘Goodbye Mr Chips’ describes how a lonely school teacher became a father-figure for hundreds of boys, not just earning not just their respect but also their devotion.[1] It has been said many times that our perception of God as ‘Father’ is often conditioned by our relationship with our own father or other father figures that we have known. (more…)
[A devotional reflection originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during June 2024]
During the research for last week’s reflection a question arose about the timescales defined (or rather, not defined) in the early chapters of Genesis. That question – how long were Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden before they sinned? – led to another: When did Satan fall from heaven? (more…)