Community – The Green Tau

Trees of Life

19th September 2026

The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life. Proverbs 11:30a

Sovereign God, you are the source of all good things:

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation:

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives:

May we live together in peace

A reading: As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease. Genesis 8:22

An acorn is a comical thing

with a little hat that could be a cup.

Its pointed tip – that could be its bottom –

is not going to drill its way into the earth.

It waits for the rook or the squirrel

to snaffle it and bury it deep in the soil,

where after hours of dark contemplation

it will emerge as a slip of a thing,

with rusty red leaves that unfold into green.

An oak’s life starts in a very small way.

Lord God, in small and even comical ways,

let our faith grow.

From small beginnings help us sow

seeds that will transform your world.

A reading: I will put in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive; I will set in the desert the cypress, the plane and the pine together, so that all may see and know, all may consider and understand, that the hand of the Lord has done this, the Holy One of Israel has created it. Isaiah 41:19-20

Rooted together in community,

colonising land that might otherwise be void,

trees are not loners.

Companions, they support each other,

as neighbours they support others,

forming delicate ecosystems

where life is in the balance.

Lord God, let our faith

create neighbours and communities.

Rooted in togetherness,

may your kingdom come.

A Reading: He said, “Out of the eater came something to eat; Out of the strong came something sweet.” Three days later they had still not figured out what the riddle meant. Judges 14:14

Ancient oak,

wrinkled and gnarled,

gnawed at by time,

even in death you provide safe lodging

and sustenance for others.

With grace you return to the earth

the nourishment you harvested:

a life time of receiving and giving.

Lord God, let our faith

nourish generations to come

just as we gain from those who have gone before.

May the power of the resurrection

sustain us with eternal life.

Amen.

The Grace

Household Resilience

Other things worth thinking about to improve household resilience

Have a first aid kit, make sure you keep it upto date, and maybe do a first aid course. You can do a course with either St John’s Ambulance or the British Red Cross and become a certified first aider.
Install one or more smoke detectors, and check their batteries regularly.
Create a basic household repair kit with, for example flat and cross-headed screw drivers in a couple of sizes – ie some for screwing in wood screws, some for re wiring an electrical plug (never do electrical repairs unless you are properly qualified). Gaffer tape would certainly be useful for many temporary repairs – eg cracked windows, cracked plastic items, holding loose things in place. Glue such as aroldite glue and super glue. BluTac and silicone putty such as include sugaroo. If you can learn basic woodwork skills that could be useful, or just becoming practiced at sticking things together temporarily, it means you can cope better in the short run with unexpected crises.
Create a basic sewing kit with threads, needles, pins, buttons etc. You can learn/ practice basic repairs skills such as replacing buttons, re stitching hems, darning socks etc.
Practice your cooking and baking skills so you can make more things from scratch. Fresh bread and biscuits can boost happiness, and being able to make a meal from scratch makes you less reliant on ready made meals.
Have a go at growing some food – could be as small as sowing mustard and cress seeds on a piece of blotting paper/ paper towel.
Make friends with your neighbours. Community and team work make it much easier and enjoyable to cope with an emergency.

Proper 16, 12th Sunday after Trinity

23rd August 2026

Reflection with readings below

“What is the foundation of our faith, what underpins it, from what substrate does it grow, what is its backstory?” Such questions would seem to be what Isaiah is both asking and answering. What emerges is overwhelmingly positive.

God’s meta narrative (ie overarching story) is of restoration and redemption. What has become barren and desert-like will become as flourishing garden. The descendants of Abraham will receive instruction and justice, such that whatever the fragility of life, there will always be redemption and salvation. This is a story whose truth goes back to the beginning of time and continues to the end of time.

Our response, as the Psalmist reminds us, is to offer God due worship, sacrifice and praise. Whilst Paul’s words remind us that the sacrifice that God desires is to shape our lives, not according to the ways of the world – ways for example that are selfish, greedy and callous – but according to the ways – the wisdom – of God. ie. a mindset of which Jesus is the perfect exemplar.

We are then offered two different, or maybe overlapping, views of how the church might be shaped. Matthew’s Gospel, tells us that Jesus appoints Peter as the rock – the bedrock perhaps – on which the church will be founded. Peter is designated, or maybe ordained, to shape and lead the assembly of people that will become the Church. He will have the power to determine what will and what will not be lawful.

Paul on the other hand, has a vision of the church as being a collective that exists within the being – or presence – of Jesus, a collective in which each person has a role or a gift to contribute such that no one is less important nor more important than anyone else.

Of the two, I think the latter is both more demanding of each individual – and more rewarding. It is, perhaps, quite easy to understand and value our own skills, to see how important it is that we achieve our full potential – and receive our just praise and reward. It is less easy to understand and value the skills of a community that works together harmoniously. It is less easy to appreciate and accommodate in our lives, the skills and gifts that others have.

It would seem easier to have an understanding of ‘my personal vocation’, my personal role in following Jesus, in which my success will be doing what is right and my failure will be when others thwarted me. It is harder I think to have an understanding of the ‘community’s vocation’, of its role in following Jesus. For in that scenario I have to know my neighbours, I have to know and value their gifts. I have to work in harmony with them, ensuring that the joint efforts of our gifts is what flourishes. I have to accept what others have to give me, and be willing to share what I have with them. This is a community where teamwork is key, where trust and honesty are essential, where communication – both in hearing and in articulating – has to be clear, where the common good not personal gain is the objective. This is a community where forbearance and leadership must work together.

It is a community with a way of life that will be counter-cultural until such time as everyone embraces the reign of God. It is therefore a community that will have to think carefully as it seeks to find ways of living alongside – but not conforming to – the ways of the ‘world’. Holding onto the promise, the vision, of God’s meta narrative will be important.

We will, for example, need to be a community that welcomes the stranger, the alien, the outsider – doing so because that is part of God’s story even when the ‘world’ stigmatises such people.

We will, for example, need to be a community that respects and cares for the natural world because doing so is part of God’s story even when the ‘world’ sees nature as either a nice to have extra or as a mere resource to be exploited to maximise profits.

We will, for example, need to be a community that shares its resources so that there is neither rich nor poor, because doing so is part of God’s story even when the ‘world’ says we must hang onto our wealth to ensure that nobody else gets the better of us.

Paul does not ignore the role of leadership. Leadership is one of the gifts that is a constituent part of the church body – but it is a gift that is exercised in partnership with all the other gifts that make up the living body of the church – the living body of Jesus Christ. Such leadership is equally to be recognisable because it is counter cultural, because it is not conformed to the ‘world’s’ way of doing things but is shaped by the wisdom of God.

Isaiah 51:1-6

Listen to me, you that pursue righteousness,
you that seek the Lord.

Look to the rock from which you were hewn,
and to the quarry from which you were dug.

Look to Abraham your father
and to Sarah who bore you;

for he was but one when I called him,
but I blessed him and made him many.

For the Lord will comfort Zion;
he will comfort all her waste places,

and will make her wilderness like Eden,
her desert like the garden of the Lord;

joy and gladness will be found in her,
thanksgiving and the voice of song.

Listen to me, my people,
and give heed to me, my nation;

for a teaching will go out from me,
and my justice for a light to the peoples.

I will bring near my deliverance swiftly,
my salvation has gone out
and my arms will rule the peoples;

the coastlands wait for me,
and for my arm they hope.

Lift up your eyes to the heavens,
and look at the earth beneath;

for the heavens will vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a garment,
and those who live on it will die like gnats;

but my salvation will be for ever,
and my deliverance will never be ended.

Psalm 138

1 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, with my whole heart; *
before the gods I will sing your praise.

2 I will bow down toward your holy temple
and praise your Name, *
because of your love and faithfulness;

3 For you have glorified your Name *
and your word above all things.

4 When I called, you answered me; *
you increased my strength within me.

5 All the kings of the earth will praise you, O Lord, *
when they have heard the words of your mouth.

6 They will sing of the ways of the Lord, *
that great is the glory of the Lord.

7 Though the Lord be high, he cares for the lowly; *
he perceives the haughty from afar.

8 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you keep me safe; *
you stretch forth your hand against the fury of my enemies;
your right hand shall save me.

9 The Lord will make good his purpose for me; *
O Lord, your love endures for ever;
do not abandon the works of your hands.

Romans 12:1-8

I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God– what is good and acceptable and perfect.

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.

Matthew 16:13-20

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.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

Green Tau issue 126

26th June 2926

How can we better adapt to heat waves?

These are some initial thoughts on things that we could do as individuals, as communities and as a society.

Insulate all buildings – insulation helps maintain a comfortable internal temperature, warm enough in winter and cooler enough in summer. Think how a cool bag or thermos flask can be used both to keep cold things cool and hot things warm.
Government and local authorities can ensure that this happens through mandates, loans and grants.
‘Enough’ is a key word – warm enough in winter maybe 16-18C whilst cool enough in summer may be 24-26C.
As well as insulation, adaptation to buildings – domestic and otherwise – should include shading of walls and windows exposed to the sun. This could be in the form verandas, awnings, blinds, shutters and planting of climbing or other shade-giving plants. These ideally would provide shade from the summer sun but allow winter warming when the sun’s rays fall at a lower angle.
Other natural cooling could include vents at high-level that draw out hot air without allowing hot air back in and which can create a cooling air flow.
In some situations – such as hospitals and care homes – air conditioning may well be essential. Who will foot the bill? The taxpayer?
Prisons too should be be considered for air conditioning as people confined to a small space with limited options for cooling are vulnerable.
For some vulnerable groups – the old and very young, people with particular disabilities or ailments – additional provision of air conditioning at home may be necessary. Who will foot the bill? The tax payer who might then avoid the higher cost of medical care? Should grants/ loans be means-tested?
Consider providing schools and libraries with air conditioning if these can then also be used as cool hubs for other users. Encourage community networks that can check up on vulnerable people.
Expand number of cool hubs – encourage pubs, churches, community halls and libraries to participate – provide grants to encourage this. This map shows what is currently publicly available in London – https://apps.london.gov.uk/cool-spaces/
Ensure everyone is well informed about how to cope with heat waves – public health campaign etc. The Red Cross has food advice – could this be made available as a booklet? https://www.redcross.org.uk/get-help/prepare-for-emergencies/heatwaves-uk
Install more drinking water points and encourage people to carry refillable drinking bottles.
Public health campaigns to encourage everyone to use a sunhat and/or parasol.
Switch to double summer time so that in the summer we are getting up two hours earlier when the day is much cooler. (The clock change could take place at the May bank holiday).
Set the school day to start an hour earlier to maximise use of cooler air. This would also encourage businesses and shops to adopt earlier opening hours.
Switch the school year to start in January so that exams can be held when the weather is cooler. Consider dividing the academic year into four terms.
Encourage adoption of an afternoon siesta to include shops and businesses – but also consider could/ would this time be of benefit to staff.
Legislate for maximum working temperatures. Legislate for regular – paid for – rest periods during hot weather.
Mandate welfare provision such as access to toilets, drinking water, cool spaces etc for all work environments including bus, lorry and delivery drivers.
Expand planting of trees in streets and parks to create more cool places.
Expand the creation of parklets to provide cool resting places.
Encourage where practical replacement of hard surfaces and drive ways with grass or other suitable planting. Encourage generally more planting to create localised cooler microclimates – as well as supporting biodiversity.
Public health campaign to encourage active travel so as to reduce the number of cars driving or parked on the streets where they absorb and radiate heat.
Encourage shops and businesses to install awnings to provide protection from the sun in summer and rain in winter.
Mandate that premises using air conditioning keep doors closed to conserve energy. Such premises should not be attempting to cool the whole street! A public health campaign could encourage closing doors and windows to keep the heat out.

Any other suggestions?

Green Tau: issue 124

25th May 2026

Rivers of Spirit: Spirit of Rivers – a reflection

On the last day of the festival, the great day, while Jesus was standing there, he cried out, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me, and let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.’” Now he said this about the Spirit, which believers in him were to receive; for as yet there was no Spirit, because Jesus was not yet glorified. John 7:37-39

The above is one of the alternative readings given for Pentecost which thinks of the Spirit not as wind or fire, but as a river of water.

Last Friday I took part in a thought-provoking event at St John’s Waterloo entitled Rivers of Spirit: Spirit of Rivers – https://stjohnswaterloo.org/tag/rivers-of-life/

We began by going down on to the foreshore of the Thames where, like children, we looked at all the treasures on the little beach – shells and pebbles, smooth-worn glass, ends of clay pipes, rounded stubs of brick, sticks and pieces of bone. We sang and we prayed as, with increasing reverence, we were drawn to the sound and the movement of the river, to the ebbing-flowing tide – drawn to the Thames living presence.

From that reconnection with the river, we were more open to hear the wisdom of the afternoon’s speakers.

Bishop Martin himself quoted from the passage from John’s Gospel, and talked about the living nature of water through the example of the eel.

Eels are amazing creatures. They are laid as eggs in the Sargasso Sea from where they voyage by ocean currents some 6500km to reach Europe. During this first couple of years they develop from egg to glass eel. They leave the sea and swim inland up various rivers including the Thames, where they continue to develop becoming elvers and then yellow eels and finally silver eels – this can span from 5 to 20 years. Now they are mature enough to make the return journey to the Sargasso to begin the whole cycle again. Eels in the past were numerous in our rivers and a source of food for many (and not just humans). But due to the effects of climate change, pollution, loss of habitat including from obstacles such as weirs and dams, their numbers over the last 40 years have declined by a staggering 95-98%. (1)

God’s Spirit, like rivers of living water, is there to cleanse and refresh us. But what if we harden our hearts and do not seek forgiveness and renewal?

The first two speakers, Al Barrett and John White spoke about the importance of creating communities. Al Barrett is the vicar of the Hodge Hill Church in east Birmingham. John White is the founder of the Hazelnut Community and author of the Rooted in Rubble articles from which I have recently quoted.

Al spoke about creating ‘bumping places’ – places where parishioners from many and diverse backgrounds can meet and get to know and trust each other. He spoke how during Covid they ‘rediscovered’ the green places in the parish including the common. Commons have existed for hundreds of years as spaces designated for use by the community – the commoners – who would have rights to graze animals, gather firewood etc. Where Commons remain today they are often important as essential green spaces for local people and as essential habitats for wildlife.

And Al described how finally he managed to ‘discover’ the River Tame which was barricaded out of sight and inaccessible to the community through which it flowed.

John spoke about how the Hazelnut Community’s garden brings people together in the garden and in the gardening. Gardens root us and place us in a right relationship with creation.

Debbie Colvin described to us our place – our home – within the Thames basin which stretches from the Cotswolds to the estuary, from the Chilterns and northwards to the South Downs. Within this area rainwater drains down to the Thames, but not just via stream and rivers, but also percolating down into the strata deep below our feet where the water moves and buffers, hydrating the ground, feeding into springs and wells. A slow and measured process whereby rain falling on the hills of Reigate may take 10-20,000 years before reaching Trafalgar Square. (Prior to the 1930s the fountains in Trafalgar Square were fed by artesian wells (2)).

Paul Powlesland spoke about his life’s journey that finds him as a self appointed river guardian for the River Roding and as the founder of the River Roding Trust. His love and respect of this river sees him clearing rubbish, planting willow and Black Poplar saplings and defending the rights of the river and the communities that live nearby. Called to jury service, Paul made his oath not on a Bible but on the River Roding, making this river a sacred thing, a being worthy of worship. (3) Much of this river, the third longest in London, is degraded – desecrated – by sewage, rubbish and pollution. Paul’s approach is hands on and includes pressing the Thames Water Authority to do its job properly. (4)

Paul himself lives off grid on a narrow boat which means his life is intrinsically connected to that of the river and the environment. His awareness of the drought that we are currently facing, is measured by how much water remains in the rainwater that provides him with water.

What struck me about the issues raised by these speakers was –

how little value we, as society, place on water,
our lack of concern/ interest as to where our water comes from and
our lack of concern as to whether it will be there in sufficient quantity in the future (humankind is extracting fresh water at a faster rate than the rate at which natural processes allow for replenishment (5))
our lack of concern for the health and wellbeing of our rivers – and not just our rivers, but the springs and aquifers from which they come, and
our lack of concern for the other living communities that depend upon rivers and the river environment.

At the same time, the speakers brought to mind way we might change our relationship with rivers:

looking at / treating rivers as living needs and rights, and
as beings that give generously of themselves to our benefit, and further,
that maybe we should treat rivers as sacred –
and not just rivers, but all water. In the past wells were often considered as holy places so why not also taps and reservoirs today?

And from this came thoughts about what we might do as local communities and as churches.

Create a map that shows local rivers, streams and wells.
Arrange pilgrimages to walk along or between these
To spend time in prayer and celebration in these places, to wonder and to rejoice.
Work out – maybe add to the map – where our drinking water comes from, and where it goes when we have used it
Find about local riverine habitats and whether they are in good or declining health.
To engage with – or establish – means of safeguarding and caring for wellbeing of your local river/ stream etc – and allowing yourselves to benefit from its contribution to your wellbeing.
Identify our local water sources as sacred.
Arrange water blessings for local rivers, streams and wells and wells
Provide blessings for taps, drains and water butts
Encourage people to value water – to treat it as sacred and not as something to be consumed rashly or without consideration
Encourage people to think about being less wasteful in the use of water. At current levels of consumption, we are likely by 2055 to see a shortage of 5 billion litres per day (6)
Encourage people to be aware of water cycles – seasonal changes, periods of rainfall and periods of droughts, of tidal cycles where appropriate.
Encourage people to do even small scale gardening (cress seeds grown on blotting paper) to appreciate the importance of water in keeping plants – and therefore us too – alive.

Counting on 2026 …. Day 40

11th May

‘Simplifying life is not a one-time decision, but an ongoing practice. It requires discernment, honesty and, often, a willingness to live differently from the dominant patterns around us. It also requires community. These shifts are difficult to sustain alone.’ (1)

Living any counterculture lifestyle can, by definition, be lonely. If only living simply were not counter cultural but the norm! This is where finding your community – Green Christian/ Christian Climate Action/ Hazelnut Community etc – helps

(1) https://hazelnutcommunity.substack.com/p/the-life-we-miss-while-wanting-more?r=1r0y9l

Second Sunday of Advent

7th December 2025

Reflection with readings below

This week saplings that have been grown from seeds collected from the sycamore gap tree after it was rudely felled, have been distributed around the country. Places chosen to receive these symbols of new life have included the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, the Woodcraft Folk’s youth campsite, the West End Women and Girls Centre in Newcastle, the Treetops Hospice, Rhiwbina Primary School, the Goan Welfare Society, and Thames Valley Police HQ. The constituent parts of a good society are varied and diverse.

Today’s reading from Isaiah also talks about a new shoot – a sign of new growth, of life springing up a new. This shoot Isaiah foretells, will create a new era, a new society where life will flourish. This new will be shaped by justice, equity, peace and harmony. Who wouldn’t want such a future for them and their children and their children’s children?

This last week has seen two different aspects of the climate crisis. One was the National Emergency Briefing held in London when ten top scientists and other experts addressed an audience of MPs (sadly only 80 turned up), peers, faith leaders, members of the press and others. Over the three hours concise arguments were presented as to why the government and those in authority should be paying serious attention to the emergency we are facing and to address the crisis with the same urgency and comprehensive engagement that was used during the Second World War. For anyone wanting to hear what was said, a full recording of the morning is available on YouTube.

The other were the horrendous floods and mudslides in Indonesia, Thailand, and Sri Lanka that have engulfed so many communities, washing away so many homes and livelihoods and depriving over 1300 people of their lives. This and similar highly destructive storms in the preceding weeks that affected the Philippines, Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba, have all been intensified by climate change.

Whether it is here in the UK or in the tropical parts of the world, we need to rebuild and reshape the infrastructure of our lives and economies. We need to build for greater resilience and we need to dismantle our dependency on oil and gas. We need to ensure strong caring communities. We need to ensure economic justice and equity. We need to restore harmony with the Earth, living sustainably within its natural limits.

We need to hear afresh the words of John the Baptist, “Prepare the way of the Lord!”

Isaiah 11:1-10

A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse,
and a branch shall grow out of his roots.

The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

His delight shall be in the fear of the Lord.

He shall not judge by what his eyes see,
or decide by what his ears hear;

but with righteousness he shall judge the poor,
and decide with equity for the meek of the earth;

he shall strike the earth with the rod of his mouth,
and with the breath of his lips he shall kill the wicked.

Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist,
and faithfulness the belt around his loins.

The wolf shall live with the lamb,
the leopard shall lie down with the kid,

the calf and the lion and the fatling together,
and a little child shall lead them.

The cow and the bear shall graze,
their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the
ox.

The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp,
and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder’s den.

They will not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain;

for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord
as the waters cover the sea.

On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.

Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19

1 Give the King your justice, O God, *
and your righteousness to the King’s Son;

2 That he may rule your people righteously *
and the poor with justice;

3 That the mountains may bring prosperity to the people, *
and the little hills bring righteousness.

4 He shall defend the needy among the people; *
he shall rescue the poor and crush the oppressor.

5 He shall live as long as the sun and moon endure, *
from one generation to another.

6 He shall come down like rain upon the mown field, *
like showers that water the earth.

7 In his time shall the righteous flourish; *
there shall be abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more.

18 Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, *
who alone does wondrous deeds!

19 And blessed be his glorious Name for ever! *
and may all the earth be filled with his glory.
Amen. Amen.

Romans 15:4-13

Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. For I tell you that Christ has become a servant of the circumcised on behalf of the truth of God in order that he might confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written,

“Therefore I will confess you among the Gentiles,
and sing praises to your name”;

and again he says,

“Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people”;

and again,

“Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles,
and let all the peoples praise him”;

and again Isaiah says,

“The root of Jesse shall come,
the one who rises to rule the Gentiles;
in him the Gentiles shall hope.”

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 3:1-12

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.’”

Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, and they were baptised by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit worthy of repentance. Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

“I baptise you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Feast of All Saints

2nd November 2025

Reflection with readings below

All Saints tide is a time for celebrating what it is to be a holy community, a community shaped by God. It is a community that stretches back to the beginning of time when God first created living beings. It is a community that encompasses both past generations and the generations to come.

Each generation has in turn taken from and given back to the earth with the intention of passing on a better future for the generations to come. Each generation has been guided by sages and prophets – by those who have learnt from the past, by those who can see into the future and by those in tune with the wisdom of God. Not every generation has succeeded in passing on a better life to their offspring, but overtime we can see how life has improved for many people.

However now in the first few decades of the 21st century, human greed and folly – and to an extent – human ignorance, look set to hand onto our children and our children’s children, a much more depleted, more polluted, more damaged world than our parents handed onto us.

Of the nine planetary boundaries that ensure a comfortable and sustainable existence, seven have been exceeded. In terms of climate change we are now heading for 2C of heating and ever increasing extreme weather events. In terms of the oceans, acidity levels and rising temperatures are already causing the bleaching of coral reefs. In terms of water systems, over extraction of ground water, shifting rainfall patterns and loss of glaciers is already leading to water shortages. Many parts of the world had seen significant losses of biodiversity which is leading to the collapse of ecosystems that maintain soil fertility, ensure clean air and water, pollinate crops etc. Of the various novel chemicals we have introduced, plastic nano particles are now to be found in very part of the planet from the icecaps of mountains to the bottom of ocean trenches, and even in the cells in our bodies. And all this is due to human activity.

What is perhaps more distressing is that most people are either unaware or unconcerned about this!

The Letter to the Ephesians talks about the inheritance we have received in Christ. The gospel that Jesus taught, the power of healing that he brought, the gifts of wisdom that he shared, weren’t just for that generation but for all generations. The gospel message is even today the hope of salvation, the hope that we can turn things around and hand on to the next generations a world that is being healed and restored. And we must make sure that that message is heard, that that wisdom is relearnt, and that the damage we have caused is healed.

The words of today’s Gospel – the Beatitudes – is a reminder how far apart God’s ways and humanity’s ways have become. And how radically we must change direction. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

How can we find ways of putting these directions into practice? How can we find ways – with stories and parables, with positive actions – to enthuse others to hear and respond? How can we transform a whole generation? The church, as Jesus’s agents of change, has a lot of work to do!

Let’s sing praises to God as we celebrate All Saints Tide, as we celebrate all who have gone before us. And let’s pray for God’s blessing as we determine to pass on a goodly inheritance to the generations to come.

Daniel 7:1-3,15-18

In the first year of King Belshazzar of Babylon, Daniel had a dream and visions of his head as he lay in bed. Then he wrote down the dream: I, Daniel, saw in my vision by night the four winds of heaven stirring up the great sea, and four great beasts came up out of the sea, different from one another.

As for me, Daniel, my spirit was troubled within me, and the visions of my head terrified me. I approached one of the attendants to ask him the truth concerning all this. So he said that he would disclose to me the interpretation of the matter: “As for these four great beasts, four kings shall arise out of the earth. But the holy ones of the Most High shall receive the kingdom and possess the kingdom for ever—for ever and ever.”

Psalm 149

1 Hallelujah!
Sing to the Lord a new song; *
sing his praise in the congregation of the faithful.

2 Let Israel rejoice in his Maker; *
let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.

3 Let them praise his Name in the dance; *
let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp.

4 For the Lord takes pleasure in his people *
and adorns the poor with victory.

5 Let the faithful rejoice in triumph; *
let them be joyful on their beds.

6 Let the praises of God be in their throat *
and a two-edged sword in their hand;

7 To wreak vengeance on the nations *
and punishment on the peoples;

8 To bind their kings in chains *
and their nobles with links of iron;

9 To inflict on them the judgment decreed; *
this is glory for all his faithful people.
Hallelujah!

Ephesians 1:11-23

In Christ we have also obtained an inheritance, having been destined according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to his counsel and will, so that we, who were the first to set our hope on Christ, might live for the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory.

I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, and for this reason I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power for us who believe, according to the working of his great power. God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Luke 6:20-31

Jesus looked up at his disciples and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.

“Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.

“Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.

“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.”

“But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.

“Woe to you who are full now,
for you will be hungry.

“Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep.

“Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.

“But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Proper 18, 12th Sunday after Trinity

7th September 2025

Reflection with readings below

Today’s gospel has a hard hitting message: “Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple… So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.”

What does it mean?

We know from the Book of Acts that for the first Christians it was about sharing what they had in common so that no one in their community went with out. It meant meeting regularly for prayer. It meant healing those who were sick, taking care of the widows – and all those who were particularly vulnerable. It meant preaching the same message that Jesus had preached: honour God and love your neighbour with all your being; release those held captive, free those who are oppressed; don’t hoard your wealth for gain; put your trust in God – share what you have with those in need; challenge those in authority when they make life hard for the vulnerable, when they make doing the right thing impossible; be prepared to put yourself in the firing line when those in authority or those with vested interests, fight back.

Time and again, the Book of Acts tells us how the disciples did challenge those in authority when they tried to disrupt the gospel message; that the disciples did end up in prison because they would not stop speaking God’s truth; that some of them were rounded up and persecuted; that some of them were killed for the sake of the gospel. But at the same time that Book of Acts tells us that thousands and thousands were drawn to become followers of Jesus because of the gospel message being preached by word and deed. People spoke in admiration of the love and care being demonstrated by the new Christian communities; of their willingness share their resources and hold things in common; that through their actions people were healed and restored to life. The Letters of St Paul reveal to us the growth of new Christian communities across the Mediterranean region, communities that were marked out by their inclusivity; communities that regularly met for worship and to share meals, that sought to learn more about the gospel of Jesus – what it meant and how to put it into practice; communities that prayed for each other and shared their resources, aiding far distant communities when their brethren faced hardships.

When we are asked to take up our cross, Is it a calling to sell up everything? To go and work for a refugee charity or a homeless charity? To put our bodies on the line by walking into a conflict zone? To devote our lives to walking the length and breadth of the country preaching the gospel? For some of us, yes.

Is it a calling to live counter culturally, to resist buying the next status accessory, to resist flying or driving an SUV, to avoid companies that exploit their employees or their supply chains, that disregard care for the environment, that recklessly emit greenhouse gases? Yes!

Is it a calling to resist judging people according to their race or faith or wealth or gender or age? To not to joke about or disparage such differences? But rather to welcome and affirm everyone as beloved by God? Yes!

Is it to inform ourselves about the ways in which we can replace unjust systems with ones that care and protect the environment, that care and protect the vulnerable? Yes!

Is it a calling to speak out against injustice, to challenge those in authority, to speak truth to power? Yes!

Is it a calling to step outside of our comfort zone and take action to support those who are persecuted, the vulnerable and the marginalised? Yes!

Taking up the cross is letting go of all that constrains us or ties us into a state of inaction. Taking up the cross is resisting popularist culture that derides and negates God’s will. Taking up the cross means repeatedly reassessing our thoughts and actions – ‘Are they aligned with God’s will?’ and seeking strength and insight through a prayerful relationship with God. Taking up the cross is to be part of a loving, lively, joyful company of fellow followers of Christ. It is to be part of a loving, caring and nurturing community. It is a calling that offers moments of deep peace.

Earlier this week Christian Climate Action published a vision document calling on the Church to recover its original charisma. Entitled “Stop Crucifying Creation” it is a “call to the Church to exemplify radical and transformative Christian living in the face of climate collapse.” It is a call to take up the cross!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iDHUJW1RXQmbX1ik_YvkgqowHTnrwqkw/view?usp=drivesdk

Jeremiah 18:1-11

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him.

Then the word of the Lord came to me: Can I not do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done? says the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. At one moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, but if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will change my mind about the disaster that I intended to bring on it. And at another moment I may declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, but if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will change my mind about the good that I had intended to do to it. Now, therefore, say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: Thus says the Lord: Look, I am a potter shaping evil against you and devising a plan against you. Turn now, all of you from your evil way, and amend your ways and your doings.

Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17

1 Lord, you have searched me out and known me; *
you know my sitting down and my rising up;
you discern my thoughts from afar.

2 You trace my journeys and my resting-places *
and are acquainted with all my ways.

3 Indeed, there is not a word on my lips, *
but you, O Lord, know it altogether.

4 You press upon me behind and before *
and lay your hand upon me.

5 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; *
it is so high that I cannot attain to it.

12 For you yourself created my inmost parts; *
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

13 I will thank you because I am marvellously made; *
your works are wonderful, and I know it well.

14 My body was not hidden from you, *
while I was being made in secret
and woven in the depths of the earth.

15 Your eyes beheld my limbs, yet unfinished in the womb;
all of them were written in your book; *
they were fashioned day by day,
when as yet there was none of them.

16 How deep I find your thoughts, O God! *
how great is the sum of them!

17 If I were to count them, they would be more in number than the sand; *
to count them all, my life span would need to be like yours.

Philemon 1-21

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus. I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for Christ. I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.

For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love– and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful both to you and to me. I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might be of service to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel; but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced. Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother– especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

Luke 14:25-33

Now large crowds were traveling with Jesus; and he turned and said to them, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, `This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.”

For a better tomorrow

28th June 2025

I will pour out My Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your elders will dream dreams, your youth will see visions. Joel 2:28

You Lord, are the source of all good things:

We praise you.

You call us to tend and care for your creation:

May we strive to do your will.

You have made us as brothers and sisters with all that lives:

May we live together in peace.

Acts 4: 42-47 – See! Together we can create a better world.

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. A sense of awe came over everyone, and the apostles performed many wonders and signs. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they shared with anyone who was in need.

With one accord they continued to meet daily in the temple courts and to break bread from house to house, sharing their meals with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

I pray that tomorrow the seas will be full of fish

and whales, seahorses and turtles,

whilst the skies above throng with a whole gamut of sea birds.

I pray that tomorrow the fields will be full of flowers,

and the air buzzing with insects, whilst the hedgerows

thrill with the dancing of butterflies.

I pray that tomorrow’s streets will be full of children at play

and old people chatting, passing the time of day,

whilst cyclists weave carefully through the mix.

I pray that tomorrow houses will twinkle with solar panels,

and hum with heat pumps, whilst insulation

mitigates the ‘way too hot’ and the ‘way too cold’.

I pray that tomorrow, our futures look bright,

and our children secure, whilst we relish

the satisfaction that we can live in harmony with all.

Amen.