church – The Green Tau

Feast of St Peter and St Paul

29th June 2025

Reflection with readings below

Peter was a fisherman who gave up his job, not once but twice, in response to God’s call. He gave up security and income and the guarantee of a bed to follow Jesus. He listen to and struggled with what Jesus was teaching, sometimes giving the correct answer to Jesus’s questions and sometimes the wrong. He took risks – like walking on water – and accepted that sometimes he ended up (so as to speak) flat on his face. His risk taking and his passion for Jesus gave the gift of oratory when it came to addressing a potentially hostile crowd. He was willing to have his deepest beliefs challenged by God and understood the need for the church to include not just Jews but Gentiles too – and still he could make mistakes and still he accepted justifiable reproof (from Paul).

Paul began as Saul, an ardent deeply faithful Pharisee skilled both with his hands (a tent maker) and intellectually. He was adept both at learning and in teaching, and deeply committed to his religious cause. After his conversion through a visionary experience, the ardour with which he pursued his

Pharisaic ideals, he transferred and more so to the development of the Christian faith. Initially happy to be apprenticed to more experienced missioners, he quickly became a master missioner establishing church communities and developing the skills of others. And yet he never forgot the place and the people from whence the church had first grown, bringing back financial aid and gathering for worship with the community in Jerusalem. Paul’s vision for the church went beyond even what Peter imagined, setting aside many of the traditions which had seemed such important parts of Judaism, to allow the church to grow in new – God inspired – directions.

Both Peter and Paul were people willing to take radical action, to go against the norm. They were both willing to acknowledge that they made mistakes and to accept forgiveness for their mistakes. They were both willing to grow in knowledge and understanding in response to God’s wisdom.

The combination of all these attributes was probably essential in establishing and developing the early church taking it from being a group of passionate pupils into becoming a resilient, international community. One of the biggest changes to which both Peter and Paul contributed was the expansion of that community to include non Jews – outsiders, foreigners, people of different backgrounds! And to hold women and men, slaves and freeborn as equals – so becoming a truly inclusive church. To achieve this it was important that both Peter and Paul were leaders who were willing to be imaginative and to think outside the box, willing to discuss difficult issues – and to listen and to share their thoughts with others in the community.

In contrast the reading from Acts presents a different sort of leader – Herod. Here is someone who likes to use violence to assert their authority, but who also likes to ‘toady up’ to others if that will gain their support.

Good leaders that are able to listen to their community, that are able to keep their community together (with unity), that are concerned for the needs of their community especially the marginalised, are of great value – both then and now. And equally leaders who use violence and favouritism, leaders who are ‘me’ focused and who disregard the needs of others were – and are – a great danger to everyone.

The passage from the Gospel of St Matthew shows what a very heavy responsibility was being laid upon Peter – and other leaders following after. The church is both to present Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God to the world, and to shape the ways people and communities live such that here on earth we may live in accordance with rules or the reign of heaven.

It seems to me that the church – whether that is the overarching Church or the local church – has a huge responsibility to both witness to the truth of Jesus Christ, and to walk and talk in the way of the kingdom of God. The church – whether Church or church, and actually both – should be calling out the unacceptable bloodshed and oppression being afflicted on the people of Gaza; should be providing financial aid and support to the victims and not facilitating the supply of more armaments; should be praying and using diplomatic skills to ensure peace and justice for all in the region.

The church – both church and Church – should be calling for tax justice and for a fair distribution of wealth and opportunity; should be praying for and offering skills and financial support for those marginalised by poverty, ill health, disability and prejudice, should be offering a clear vision of an alternative economic system.

The church – both church and Church – should be calling for action to protect the earth from climate change and biodiversity loss; should be encouraging each and everyone of us to live more simply, to ensure that our lifestyles choices do not take more than the planet can give, nor more a fair share bearing in mind the needs of all our brother and sisters.

The church – both church and Church – should be encouraging and enabling discussion as to how we can all live and work together for the common good: for the kingdom of God.

As we remember the gifts that Peter and Paul brought the church, let us pray for and encourage good leadership in our communities and churches today.

Acts 1:1-11

About that time King Herod laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He had James, the brother of John, killed with the sword. After he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. (This was during the festival of Unleavened Bread.) When he had seized him, he put him in prison and handed him over to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending to bring him out to the people after the Passover. While Peter was kept in prison, the church prayed fervently to God for him.

The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, ‘Get up quickly.’ And the chains fell off his wrists. The angel said to him, ‘Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.’ He did so. Then he said to him, ‘Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.’ Peter went out and followed him; he did not realise that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, ‘Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.’

2 Timothy 12:19-26

But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his’, and, ‘Let everyone who calls on the name of the Lord turn away from wickedness.’

In a large house there are utensils not only of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for special use, some for ordinary. All who cleanse themselves of the things I have mentioned[b] will become special utensils, dedicated and useful to the owner of the house, ready for every good work. Shun youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with stupid and senseless controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, patient, correcting opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth, and that they may escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

Matthew 16:13-19

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus answered him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.’

Pentecost

8th June 2025

Reflection with readings below

Pentecost is traditionally seen as the birthday of the Church. Filled with the Holy Spirit, the small band of disciples in the upper room are transfigured into community of missionaries who will preach the gospel to all nations. They are so equipped by the Spirit that they can express the good news in different languages to diverse groups of people.

Overtime (and when we read Acts, really rather quickly) divisions appear in the unity of that community and so I guess we should not be surprised that over the centuries and over the millennia the One Church has splintered into a multiplicity of differing churches, as different people have differed over what is important, what should be included or excluded etc. And even now that there is such diversity, there are still disagreements about what a church should be like, whether it should be traditional or modern, principled or lax. And it is not unusual for individuals to opt out of church altogether because they cannot reconcile what they believe with what they feel the church represents.

Yesterday I was at my local Franciscan area day and our guest speaker was Claire Gilbert, the author of ‘I Julian’. Both Francis of Assisi and Julian of Norwich were inspired to each other have very radically different understandings of God from those presented to them by the Church. For Francis – at a time when the Church was very wealthy and its ministers prince-like in their power – to serve Jesus was to love poverty, rejecting all the trappings and the power that came with wealth and possessions. For Julian – at a time when the Church preached a message of sin and damnation for all who fell short – the overwhelming characteristic of God was love, and only love. There was no wrath in God, no desire to punish or exclude – only love.

But neither Francis nor Julian tried to leave the Church; nor to set up an alternative Church. It was as if they both saw the Church as both human made and therefore frail, and as created by God and therefore good. Both seemed able to sit with this dissonance, to see both what was positive and what was not, and through faith in Jesus as saviour – the one who heals all – to remain faithful to their calling.

So I wonder if we too can joyfully celebrate all that is good about the church – both locally and denominationally – and yet still acknowledge our church’s shortcomings with love and truth?

Acts 2:1-21

When the day of Pentecost had come, the disciples were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs– in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.”

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

`In the last days it will be, God declares,

that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh,
and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,

and your young men shall see visions,
and your old men shall dream dreams.

Even upon my slaves, both men and women,
in those days I will pour out my Spirit;
and they shall prophesy.

And I will show portents in the heaven above
and signs on the earth below,
blood, and fire, and smoky mist.

The sun shall be turned to darkness
and the moon to blood,
before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day.

Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ “

Psalm 104:25-35, 37

25 O Lord, how manifold are your works! *
in wisdom you have made them all;
the earth is full of your creatures.

26 Yonder is the great and wide sea
with its living things too many to number, *
creatures both small and great.

27 There move the ships,
and there is that Leviathan, *
which you have made for the sport of it.

28 All of them look to you *
to give them their food in due season.

29 You give it to them; they gather it; *
you open your hand, and they are filled with good things.

30 You hide your face, and they are terrified; *
you take away their breath,
and they die and return to their dust.

31 You send forth your Spirit, and they are created; *
and so you renew the face of the earth.

32 May the glory of the Lord endure for ever; *
may the Lord rejoice in all his works.

33 He looks at the earth and it trembles; *
he touches the mountains and they smoke.

34 I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; *
I will praise my God while I have my being.

35 May these words of mine please him; *
I will rejoice in the Lord.

37 Bless the Lord, O my soul. *
Hallelujah!

Romans 8:14-17

All who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ– if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

John 14:8-27

Philip said to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, `Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.”

“I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”

Counting on… day 2

2nd January 2025

Today is the Feast of St Basil the Great and St Gregory of Nazianzus both of whom were bishops and teachers of the faith. It is also the feast day of Vedanayagam Samuel Azariah, a 20th century bishop in South India, which is a reminder that saints and holy people are not just from the ‘old days’. All three remind us that as a Church – as Christ in the world – we have a role to play in providing leadership and pastoral care and in teaching – and this must embrace our relationship with the environment, with all our brothers and sisters, with the whole world so loved by God.

Counting on … day 227

27th December 2024

Today is the feast day of St John. There are quite a few St Johns but this one is the St John who in John’s Gospel is described as the Beloved Disciple. He is the one sitting next to Jesus at the Last Supper, and he is the one at the foot of the cross when Jesus says, ‘Mother, behold your son, son behold your mother.’

In many ways in John’s Gospel, Mary represents Mother Church and John represents the loving disciple. Today is a day for giving thanks for the example of John as an example of a loving disciple and of the primacy of creating community.

5th Sunday of Easter

7th May 2023

That first Easter the risen Jesus who was seen and heard and touched was the ultimate sign of the resurrection. Now some 2000 years later what are the signs we might look for to confirm the ongoing validity of the resurrection? What signs of new or renewed life do we see that point to the power, the glory of God?

Today’s psalm reminds us that in God we can find our refuge when life seems set against us. In our relationship with God we can find strength that offers solidity and ensuring support. This is the God of our salvation, the God of mercy and love. How and/ or where do we find this God? In our churches, in our communities, in our homes?

At what point do we realise that we are part of that community, that place, that home, that makes the living God a risen reality? When over the last weeks we have read in the Book of Acts of the new community of Christians that was growing larger by the day, eat and worshipping together, sharing their wealth with each other, we were witnessing the resurrection, the new life being nurtured in the follower of Jesus. This community – nascent church – was a place of refuge and security for the believers. It enabled people like Stephen to stand up for what he – for what they all – believed. It gave them the confidence that they were God’s children, that God was with them in this life and the next, and that in neither had they anything to fear.

As described in the Letter of Peter this was a church, a spiritual dwelling, built in the sure corner stone that was Jesus. And on that corner stone, the followers of Jesus, the first Christians, were its walls: living stones. And now in the 21st century we are the current generation of living stones that create the spiritual dwellings, the communities, where the risen Christ is to be found. We are called to be the places of safety and refuge in what feels like an increasingly conflicted world.

Today’s readings tell us both that Jesus is the corner stone on which we have been established, and that Jesus as ‘the Way, the Truth and the Life’ is the means – the route map, the philosophy, the blue print – by which we can be built into the church.

For the early church of the Book of Acts, the church being built needs the capacity to confront other religious groups who were unwilling to accept Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God. They needed people who could preach to the crowds and talk to the authorities on this issue. They needed people who were willing to be arrested and even executed for the cause. They also needed people who could lead the church, both in terms of resolving disputes and ensuring a fair distribution of resources to meet people’s daily needs, as well as those who could lead in terms of worship, teaching and discipleship. They needed people who could explore new strands of theology relevant to the changing circumstances in which they lived, and in this capacity they needed people who could peer into the future and see what lay ahead and what the challenges might be. In all this, they guidance came from their relationship with Jesus.

As living stones of the 21st century church, here in the UK, we need to be confront various issues including the climate crisis, the cost of living crisis, the lack of integrity and responsibility shown by the government, the refugee and asylum crisis, the bio-diversity crisis, the lack of global justice and the failure of rich countries to help the poorer ones – to name a few.

Do we as a church have people who can talk to the authorities and to the wider public on these issues? Do we have people who are sufficiently well versed in the sciences and in the art of rhetoric? Do we have people who were willing to be arrested and imprisoned for these causes? Do we have leaders administer communities sympathetically, leaders who can ensure a fair distribution of resources to meet people’s daily needs? Do we have leaders who can lead in terms of worship, teaching and discipleship such that they reflect the crisis of the current age? Do we have people who can explore new strands of theology relevant to the changing circumstances in which we live? Do we have people who can peer into the future and see what lies ahead and what the challenges might be.

In all this, can we seek guidance from our relationship with Jesus?

Acts 7:55-60

Filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. “Look,” he said, “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he died.

Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16

1 In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame; *
deliver me in your righteousness.

2 Incline your ear to me; *
make haste to deliver me.

3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for you are my crag and my stronghold; *
for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.

4 Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, *
for you are my tower of strength.

5 Into your hands I commend my spirit, *
for you have redeemed me,
O Lord, O God of truth.

15 My times are in your hand; *
rescue me from the hand of my enemies,
and from those who persecute me.

16 Make your face to shine upon your servant, *
and in your loving-kindness save me.

1 Peter 2:2-10

Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture:

“See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious;

and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,

“The stone that the builders rejected
has become the very head of the corner”,

and

“A stone that makes them stumble,
and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.

Once you were not a people,
but now you are God’s people;

once you had not received mercy,
but now you have received mercy.

John 14:1-14

Jesus said, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own; but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; but if you do not, then believe me because of the works themselves. Very truly, I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and, in fact, will do greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it.”

Advent 17

December 2022

This drawing from 1673 by Adriaen van Ostade presents a cheerful scene. People are making music, bowling, walking the dog, drinking, sharing a meal, having a chat. Standing in the doorway is the proprietress. She must be an industrious person for over the door are two bee skeps, higher up a dovecote, and by her feet, hens.

A pub can be a welcome place for a traveller needing a break, a relaxed place to meet friends, to share passions – darts or skittles, watch sport, book clubs – or a place to go if you are feeling alone and in need of company. It can be a place to find a phone, a toilet or to ask the way when lost. Some pubs double up as post offices, libraries and become the centre of their community. Maybe the challenge for the church is to be as open in its reach to the community as the local pub.

And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24,25