Posts Tagged: ‘John’

Filling The Void

[This reflection by Helen Ruffhead was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 16/Jun/2024]

When I started my journey to adoption, over 30 years ago, the magazine for prospective adopters was full of profiles of children needing new homes. Since most adopters want babies or very young children, most of the children still waiting for homes were older, or had disabilities. I particularly remember the description of one 12-year-old girl, who it said: “wore her carers out with continual demands for new possessions.” It also said: “X has been described as having a huge hole inside her which she desperately tries to fill, but nothing satisfies.” Clearly this girl was crying out for the love which she had never experienced, but was trying to fill the void with possessions. (more…)

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Contributor: Helen Ruffhead
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Categories: Yours on Sunday ~ Tags: ,

Digression or Distraction?

[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…)

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Contributor: Steve Humphreys
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What Comes After Pentecost?

[This reflection by Michael Goble was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 02/Jun/2024]

Martin’s article last week reminded me that the previous week had been about the Jewish Feast or Festival of Pentecost. I had been ill that day and not been at church to be reminded of that. That also made me think of an excellent article by Helen Ruffhead in which she told how a number of Jewish Festivals related to our Christian faith. At Pentecost when the Jews celebrated the revelation of God’s word to Moses, God revealed His Holy Spirit and the Christian church was born. So how do all these Jewish Feasts or Festivals have meaning for us as Christians? (more…)

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Contributor: Michael Goble
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The Maleficent Seven

[A devotional reflection originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during May 2024]

During the past eight weeks our Sunday morning preachers have been deeply into sin. Pride, greed, wrath, envy, lust, gluttony and sloth have all found their way into the centre of the church’s life but it should be added by way of clarification that the preachers have been researching these sins rather than indulging in them. We now know much more about sin after hearing what they had to say. (more…)

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Contributor: Steve Humphreys
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See the Pyramids along the Nile

[A devotional reflection originally prepared for the congregation of Horley Baptist Church during May 2024]

Our title is taken from the first line of a popular song from the early 1950s. In its original form it was a reminder to servicemen that, no matter where they were, there was someone waiting for them. Later it was taken to include anyone travelling far away from home. (more…)

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Contributor: Steve Humphreys
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The Cure for Envy

[This reflection by Helen Ruffhead was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 05/May/2024]

Our recent series on the seven deadly sins reminded me of a time, around 40 years ago, when some friends and I compiled a list of the sins in the order in which we committed them. The top three in my list were envy, anger and pride, with envy way out in front. Envy of my more popular sister had blighted my childhood (and hers) and envy of others was continuing to blight my adult life. (more…)

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Contributor: Helen Ruffhead
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