How we view Mary, mother of Jesus, can help define us as Christian believers. In orthodox and catholic traditions, she is held in high esteem and endowed with other earthly qualities. She is deemed to be ‘ever virgin’ despite the… Continue Reading
Today we have our last reading about the times of David. Next week we celebrate Mary, the mother of Jesus and then briefly look at Solomon who succeeded David, the last of the three kings to rule over all Israel.… Continue Reading
The simple three letter word ‘sin’ is not often used by people today. It’s not that sin has gone away or has ceased to exist. It’s just that we have different words for it. We talk of violence and abuse,… Continue Reading
A slogan pinned on a church door once read: ‘Carpenter from Nazareth requires joiners. Enquire within.’ What does Jesus want from you? Not joiners in the sense of wood workers or chippies as I gather they are known in the… Continue Reading
It seems to be the way with churches and Christian communities in general that they start out not having their own dedicated buildings for worship but acquire them in the end. In the Acts of the Apostles, we often read… Continue Reading
The ups and downs of royal life are rarely out of the news. Whether you’re a royal watcher or not, it’s difficult to ignore Meghan and Harry and the rift between the princes. We have been following the life of… Continue Reading
We have been following the fortunes of the first two kings of Israel. Saul, the first king anointed by Samuel falls out of favour with God and a good many of his subjects. He does what is wrong in the… Continue Reading
‘Samuel did not see Saul again until the day of his death, but Samuel grieved over Saul and the Lord was sorry that he had made him King over Israel.’ (1 Samuel 15.35) Last week, we saw how God’s people,… Continue Reading
‘Give us a king’. That’s the request of the elders of Israel as they gather around the aging prophet Samuel at Ramah. Up until this point, Israel had been no more than a collection of family clans or tribes united… Continue Reading
USP’s, Unique Selling Points. People in business will often talk about USP’s. A USP is something that a particular product or service has which its competitors do not. It is the thing that makes the difference, that puts it out… Continue Reading