I am the wick You are the flame I am the silence You are the presence I am the space You are the stillness I do not know how to pray as I ought But I hold still and you pray in me. I am the seen You are the rest Visit Steve’s blog, Unfolding Light, […]
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As we look back over the days we have lived May our hearts be filled with gratitude. We give thanks for each person and each moment that shaped our journey. Each brought us gifts; albeit some more welcome than others. We, too, have shaped the lives of others, in ways we may never know We […]
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Our bodies are so fragile Our time here is so brief Our lives are but a single drop in the ocean of eternity And yet… We are known We are loved We are held May our fears about our death be transformed And may all our suffering be transfigured. May we discover, within ourselves, a […]
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Teach me the habits that love you Show me the visions that ring true Shower on me the light that shines through In all of this hold me Give me the courage to reach out Help me to challenge where I find doubt Let me grow so I am curious about How you are holding […]
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Arising from Exodus 3.14 (Year A, Season after Pentecost, Proper 17) I am. I am who I am. There are times when I know who I am. There are times when I don’t know who I am. There are times when I wish I didn’t know who I am. I have a God, who when […]
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The singular (me/I) might be replaced with the plural (us/we) for a prayer to include in corporate worship. Your hands hold me They meet me in prayer They comfort my spirit They show me that you care Your hands reach out to me They tell me that love forgives They lead me to a place […]
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One thing we ask and one thing we seek, that we may live in God’s presence all the days of our life. For God will be our shelter when hard times come, covering and protecting us, planting our feet on solid ground.
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Before you know it, your kid’s childhood is over and she’s gone off to college. Before you know it, your vacation is over and it’s time to go back to work. Before you know it, the storm has passed and the sky is clear. Before you know it, way too much of your life has […]
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Tune: Hereford A voice for the voiceless A promise of forgiveness A chance to be A people of blessing A call to share love that God richly gives so freely A love that encompasses A world that needs its healing A voice in the darkness To shine a light on visions That show us the […]
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A prayer for healing after trauma Easily adapted for a group, e.g. using ‘our’ and ‘us’ God of all time, this time is difficult. My memories rush at me. My memories have disappeared as my mind manages each day. I am aware that others have had times like mine or worse. But God it feels […]
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Walking through the valley of the shadow of death… Death accompanies us all. Waiting silently for acceptance. Not frightening, except for those who fear shadows. Peaceful. I’m grateful for those who show me how to transition from the life we know into this unknowable mystery. So many names and angles of understanding: eternity, resurrection, dust-to-dust, […]
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The next time it gets light I will awake with hope And tonight as it gets dark I will not fear The next time it grows light I will welcome the dawn The next time morning comes I’ll be reborn The next time it grows dark I will not hide away The darkness does not […]
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Inspired by words of Julian of Norwich: ‘All shall be well and all manner of things shall be well for there is a force of love moving through the universe that holds us fast and we never let us go.’ Never let go Though it’s hard to hold on This love will hold you And […]
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There you are In quieter moments In fragile sunrises In delicate tapestries There you are In words of encouragement In the tenderest touch In a subtle embrace There you are In sweeping majesty In roaring oceans In crashing thunder There you are In a stable On a cross In hope you are there
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A new copyright-free song and video from poet Lucy Berry. A song written in Covid-19 lockdown offering comfort for times of trouble. Piano music and guitar chords for down-load: ‘Lean on me’ music Click here for the video and soundtrack, ready to use for on-line worship. And God said: “Lean On Me” 1. It seems […]
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No matter how bad things get, there’s always hope. Even when things were at their worst for the young Anne Frank, she wrote: ‘The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quiet, alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does […]
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A reflection on Dame Julian of Norwich’s text from Revelations of Divine Love: ‘All shall be well. You shall see yourself that all things shall be well. That which is impossible for you is not impossible for me. I shall keep my word in all things and I shall make all things well.’ ‘All shall […]
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In the silence The clarity of your voice, Climbs high Upon the eagle’s wings. The chains of doubt That imprison my soul, Fall away beneath my feet. In the freedom and majesty Of the sentinel’s gaze, Faith is strengthened And hope returned To a weary heart, Upon the silent flight Of eagle’s wings. Chris posts […]
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By your side There is peace, A quiet place Of beauty and realisation, Where wisdom Seeks reason and understanding, Where myth is laid to rest By the reality of knowledge. By your side There is hope, That arrogance and greed Will not destroy, That selfless love Will prevail. By your side Life is sacred, A […]
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“I said to my soul, be still and wait without hope, for hope would be hope for the wrong thing; wait without love, for love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faith, but the faith and the love are all in the waiting. Wait without thought, for you are not ready […]
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Appropriate for sharing at a funeral, crematorium service or at a memorial service We give our loved one back to God And just as God first gave them to us And did not lose them in the giving, So we have not lost them in returning them to God. For life is eternal, And love […]
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