Weekly Green Tau

Feast of Pentecost 

24th May 2026

Pentecost feels like a time of great anticipation, excitment,  and new opportunities. At Pentecost we should expect to be surprised!

Echoing the words of the prophet Joel, Pentecost is a time to ask each other ‘What dreams do you have? What is you vision for the future? 

Sometimes it feels as if all we want for the future is for things to continue as they are – that we can keep on with life as it is: the same type of shops in the high street, the same sorts of food for our meals, the same pattern of holidays – sun or snow in winter, sun and beaches in summer etc. Or maybe this is only so for those of us whose lives already feel comfortable. 

Or maybe we do want a different future but can’t imagine how it could become a reality. Maybe we dream of a world where everyone has enough to eat, where everyone has the safety and comfort of a home, where the health service delivers equally to all, where everyone can access a good education, where war is no more and know one lives in fear of violence.

Maybe our vision for the future is smaller, more local. A vision of wildlife friendly green space. A friendly cafe where friends and strangers can meet and chat. A church roof covered with solar panels. A community vegetable patch.

To have a vision or a dream may lead to a prophetic role as God urges us to speak out, to inspire others, to draw out the skills and resources that will make the dream a reality. 

Sometimes God summons us to take on a prophetic role that calls us to challenge those who say that a different future is impossible, to challenge those who cling to the status quo. God may gives us different ways of expressing that message – different tongues mean that more people will hear the message in the language or medium that they are most attuned to. 

In terms of action how do we have agency? 

Talking with and enthusing others to share the vision: the more who are committed to effecting change methods more likely it will happen. Share it with your church – perhaps your vision could  be part of your church’s Mission Action Plan.

Talking with and/ or writing to people in positions of power and authority – such as your MP, your local councillor, the CEO of relevant businesses etc.

Making changes in your own lifestyle which can influence others to do the same and be a means of exerting consumer power.

Take practical action. If you want less litter, do a litter pick. If you want more trees, plant some. 

Support other groups who similar aims. Make donations to relevant causes.

What ever the vision, what ever the message, those inspired by God’s Spirit will be enthused and enliven by that same Spirit. With all our differences, with our different modes of communication, with the different focus of our dream, if we can come together and work together like the parts of a body, we will be effective agents of growth in God’s kingdom here on Earth.  

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!

1 Corinthians 12:3b-13

No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except by the Holy Spirit. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of services, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who activates all of them in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are activated by one and the same Spirit, who allots to each one individually just as the Spirit chooses.

For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in the one Spirit we were all baptised into one body– Jews or Greeks, slaves or free– and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

John 20:19-23

When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” 

Prayers for Pentecost 

23rd May 2026

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17

Holy Spirit, you are the breath of life:

reinvigorate us with new growth.

Holy Spirit, you are the inspiration for knowledge:

refresh us with your wisdom.

Holy Spirit, you are the wind of change:

redirect us to the right path.

And let this be to the glory of the kingdom of God.

A reading from Isaiah 32:14 -17  (The Message)

The royal palace is deserted,
    the bustling city quiet as a morgue,
The emptied parks and playgrounds
    taken over by wild animals,
    delighted with their new home.

Yes, weep and grieve until the Spirit is poured
    down on us from above
And the badlands desert grows crops
    and the fertile fields become forests.
Justice will move into the badlands desert.
    Right will build a home in the fertile field.
And where there’s Right, there’ll be Peace
    and the progeny of Right: quiet lives and endless trust.
My people will live in a peaceful neighbourhood—
    in safe houses, in quiet gardens.
The forest of your pride will be clear-cut,
    the city showing off your power levelled.
But you will enjoy a fortunate life,
    planting well-watered fields and gardens,
    with your farm animals grazing freely.

.

Pentecost Spirit, 

taking  breath over creation, 

drawing life out of chaos. 

Inspire us with a vision of the world as it could  be.

Fill our hearts with active love.

Pentecost Spirit, 

riding on the storm clouds of anger, 

turning the world upside down. 

Inspire us with a vision of the world as it could  be.

Fill our hearts with active love.

Pentecost Spirit, 

dividing the waters, 

cutting through the bonds of slavery.

Inspire us with a vision of the world as it could  be.

Fill our hearts with active love.

Pentecost Spirit, 

raising up whirl winds 

yet drawing us into the still centre of calm.

Inspire us with a vision of the world as it could  be.

Fill our hearts with active love.

Pentecost Spirit, 

that comes from we know not where, 

yet reveals to us all truth.

Inspire us with a vision of the world as it could  be.

Fill our hearts with active love.

Pentecost Spirit, 

a sudden gale that rocks the boat, 

yet challenges us to hang onto our faith.

Inspire us with a vision of the world as it could  be.

Fill our hearts with active love.

Pentecost Spirit, 

a gentle evening breeze,

that refreshes the soul when the day’s work is done.

Inspire us with a vision of the world as it could  be.

Fill our hearts with active love.

The Grace.

Green Tau issue 123

22nd May 2026

Where as agents of change are we most effective?

I believe it is a Christian calling to be an agent for change. Indeed it is a necessary part of bringing in the Kingdom of God here on Earth. But bringing an agent for change is not exclusively a Christian activity – people from all different backgrounds wish to see change that makes the world a better place.

This week I have been involved in three different situations where I have been endeavouring to spur action that will address the climate and biodiversity poly-crises. 

Parish Annual Church Meeting 

The first was the parish’s Annual Church Meeting (we are a team ministry with three churches).  Not a large turnout given we have an electoral role of over 200. The fact that we are again running a deficit of £15,000 did not unduly concern those present. Was this indifference, complacency or a feeling that it wasn’t problem that none of us as individuals could address?

I spoke under AOB about the urgency of the climate and biodiversity crises and proposed a PCC sub group to help us focus on this. I suggested a proviso that such a group should only be formed if at least two people from each church were willing to join – otherwise the group could be always fighting a loosing battle against indifference. It did spark conversation – and objections – with the conclusion that there wasn’t a sufficient desire for this policy. There was the sense that the issue wasn’t that important, and that equally the climate was too big and too complicated an issue for us to deal with.

Shell AGM

On Tuesday I went to the Shell AGM which is now held in a hotel at Heathrow Terminal 5 to prevent attendees from having to encounter protestors on their way into the meeting. Inside security was very intense – thorough bag and body checks – and during the meeting security guards were it o my on the doors but sat at each end of each row of chairs. Separated from us by a 6 foot wall, the Board sat on a raised  platform. After  brief speeches applauding Shell’s successes by the chairman Andrew Mackenzie and  CEO Wael Sawan, the three and half hours of the meeting were dedicated to questions from the floor. Most of these were critical of Shell, questioning their policy of expanding oil and gas production, their failure to make good the environmental damage of oil production in the Niger Delta, their response to staff welfare and to whistleblowers, their contribution to the ongoing climate crisis and to the demise of AMOC. (My question is included below). 

The Board’s response was largely that Shell is a good business that ensures a secure flow of energy at a competitive price, that meets consumer demand. They argued that their products were low carbon – having reduced the scope 1 and 2 emissions linked to their upstream production. They contended that their products were essential for both industry and for underpinning renewable energy systems – and that therefore it was essential that they increase production for the benefit of all. 

The Board members were clearly convinced that their views about the future, about the cause and urgency of climate crises, and the importance of fossil fuels, were correct. Like most of us, I guess they pick and choose which scientific reports they read, which scenarios they believe. But I hope that having heard all that we on the other side of the floor had to say, they might at least be prompted to re-examine the evidence.

Rosebank Die-in

On Wednesday I joined Christian Climate Action’s die-in outside the Treasury. For the last two plus years, CCA along with other groups have been campaigning to persuade the government not to license for production the Rosebank oilfield. Whilst the decision finally rests with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Treasury also has an interest in the decision – both because the project would be underpinned by subsidies from the government and because once operational, there would be tax revenue on any profits. 

The action was die-in which meant that a number of us lay on the pavement wrapped in shrouds (sheets). Banners proclaimed our demands and two activists explained the reason for the action, highlighting the impact that drilling Rosebank would have on the climate and in particular on people’s lives – or rather loss there of. The whole action was witnessed by members of the press. Subsequent press releases included mention on Christian Premier Radio and others. (1) 

So where as agents are we most effective? 

Is it by working for change within our local community? Although here people will argue that as individuals there actions will make no difference.

Is it by challenging the big businesses whose products are the cause so much of the world’s troubles?

Although here, the business leaders say that they are only responding to consumer demand.

Is it by challenging government departments who have the power to mandate change?

Although here ministers say they must respond to what the electorate (or rather that part of the electorate that is vocal) wants.

Perhaps the answer is to be found in the words of António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, that we must all do ‘Everything, everywhere, all at once’ if we are going to break the cycle of ‘It’s not for me to act’!

My Question 

I am one of the group from Christian Climate Action who hold a weekly vigil outside your headquarters. We spend the hour praying for the wellbeing of the planet we share, for the people and the different ecosystems, we pray for the people passing by, for the staff going in and out of the building, for the security staff, and in particular we pray for you who have the responsibility for running the business, for the shareholders and financiers, in the belief that a better business model is possible – one that protects the environment, works for the common good and ensures a sustainable future for generations to come.

Last year I asked how morally you felt able to pursue a business that was destroying the planet in which we depend for our survival. Your answer was along the lines that business is in essence amoral. Yet if business is both part of economy and part of society, morality surely has a role to play. Simply to pursue profits with no regard for the impact your business has on the health of the planet, on the sustainability of life, on the wellbeing of generations to come, is surely not good business.

What I really want to know is when you will stop extracting oil and gas, and rather develop safe and secure renewable energy?

  1. https://www.thecanary.co/uk/news/2026/05/20/christian-climate-protesters-rosebank/
https://premierchristian.news/en/news/article/christian-climate-activists-stage-treasury-die-in-against-oilfield-expansion
https://christianclimateaction.org/category/press/
https://www.alamy.com/london-uk-20-may-2026-christian-climate-action-stage-a-theatrical-protest-outside-the-treasury-against-the-proposed-rosebank-oil-field-a-priest-poured-fake-oil-on-activists-in-shrouds-staging-a-die-in-and-wearing-spoof-death-certificates-marked-cause-of-death-rosebank-symbolizing-victims-of-climate-change-the-project-critics-say-would-threaten-both-emission-targets-and-marine-ecosystems-a-decision-about-rosebank-which-sits-off-the-coast-of-scotland-and-is-the-largest-unexploited-oil-field-in-the-uk-is-expected-from-government-soon-credit-ron-fassbenderalamy-live-news-image733098769.html

Counting on 2026 …. Day 46

20th May

Having both a number of sheets and pillowcases that are wearing thin (even after turning the outsides into the middle) I have combined the two to make/ mend some new pillowcases, and used the left overs to make handkerchiefs. Possibly a bit excessive but it does give the cotton an extended life. 

For more on making repairs and mending – https://greentau.org/tag/repairs/

and https://greentau.org/tag/up-cycling/

Counting on 2026 …. Day 44

18th May

Living simply for me is, in part, about being self reliant such as being able to cook from scratch, growing food in fruit and vegetables, sew clothes etc. It is not that I don’t want to be part of the local economy – in fact being part of a community is highly important – and whilst I grow some vegetables I don’t grow enough to be self sufficient. Nor would I even contemplate growing all the cereal and other crops on which my diet depends. Nor would I contemplate rearing sheep for wool or growing flax for linens. Nor would I contemplate living without the valuable services provided by water and electricity suppliers, by the medical world, by the writers and publishers of books, by the manufactures of bikes and those who maintain the roads etc etc.

Yet I still value and make good use of my (sometimes limited) ability to make and mend clothes, knit jumpers, darn socks, grow spinach, make a greetings card, and do simple repairs around the house. 

Again I have been encouraged by words from the Hazelnut Community, that endorse and make theological sense of what I do.

“Creation, in the biblical imagination, is not a finished project. It is an unfolding reality in which human beings are invited to participate through acts of care, cultivation and creativity.

“When we bake bread, repair a broken tool, ferment vegetables, plant seeds or cook a meal for others, we are responding to the gifts of the earth and extending their life into the world.” (1) 

  1. https://substack.com/home/post/p-190602804

Seventh Sunday of Easter

17th May 2026

Reflection with readings below 

“Lord is this the time when you will restore the kingdom” ask the disciples. It is a question I’m sure we are often tempted to ask, as we look around the world and despair. Couldn’t Jesus just wave wand or blow a trumpet, and with a flash and a bang establish instantly God’s kingdom here on Earth?

But it’s not like that. The kingdom of God has been edging its way in slowly and steadily, little by little. Prophets, like Isaiah and John the Baptist, have been calling on us to be part of process. Jesus himself announces that the kingdom is at hand, and throughout his ministry we see it emerging as the sick are healed, the possessed are freed, the hungry fed, the mournful comforted, the outcast empowered, the selfish challenged, the self righteous exposed, the greedy reformed. Act by act, step by step, we see the kingdom of God growing here in Earth. Like creation, it is an ongoing process.

This week we had the State Opening of Parliament when the King read out a speech outlining what the Government will do in this term of Parliament to ensure the wellbeing of the kingdom of Britain. Achieving that wellbeing – typically measured in GDP which is not really a measure of how well we are as individuals or as a society- is likewise an ongoing process. Whether all that is proposed will happen, is a moot point, and equally it is questionable whether all that is proposed is what is needed to ensure the common good of us all rather than the just a few. Since the King’s speech was made on Wednesday other alternatives have been put forward by, among others, Lord Blunkett and Kemi Badenoch. I’m not sure that any of these speeches and manifestos match with the bringing in of the kingdom of God. 

For a manifesto for that kingdom we have, in the gospels, the Magnificat and the Beatitudes- and from more contemporary sources we have such as R S Thomas’s poem The Kingdom

It’s a long way off but inside it

There are quite different things going on:

Festivals at which the poor man

Is king and the consumptive is

Healed; mirrors in which the blind look

At themselves and love looks at them 

Back; and industry is for mending 

The bent bones and the minds fractured 

By life.  It’s a long way off, but to get

There takes no time and admission

Is free, if you will purge yourself

Of desire, and present yourself with

Your need only and the simple offering

Of your faith, green as a leaf.

Or in the writings of John Ruskin. Just today a friend sent me these words summarising his outline for the wellbeing of  ‘the Workmen and Labourers of Great Britain’ 

  • to turn wasteland into food-producing plots
  • to protect wildlife 
  • to educate all people in schools according to their specific needs
  • to open public libraries and galleries as a ‘national cultural store’ for all people.

Maybe the Church should issue its take on the King’s speech, for we as Christians are called by Jesus to be kingdom builders and to this end, are empowered by the Holy Spirit.

  • Welcome the refugee and the migrant, ensure they become part of society and are able to make their contribution to our shared wellbeing 
  • End the sale of weapons to the State of Israel and other states that abuse their power
  • Ensure all church investment, including banking, is proactively aligned with the values of the kingdom of God
  • Continue to promote net zero by 2030 and press the government to do likewise
  • To promote food security and biodiversity through example and teaching and press the Government to do likewise
  • Continue to redistribute wealth within the church and press the government to do likewise across society
  • Continue to provide and advocate for the needs of people within our local communities and across the globe, and press the government to do likewise, so that everyone’s needs are met before the wants of a few
  • Continue to worship and learn from the source of all true wisdom.

Acts 1:6-14

When the apostles had come together, they asked Jesus, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers. 

Psalm 68:1-10, 33-36

1 Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered; *
let those who hate him flee before him.

2 Let them vanish like smoke when the wind drives it away; *
as the wax melts at the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

3 But let the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; *
let them also be merry and joyful.

4 Sing to God, sing praises to his Name;
exalt him who rides upon the heavens; *
YAHWEH is his Name, rejoice before him!

5 Father of orphans, defender of widows, *
God in his holy habitation!

6 God gives the solitary a home and brings forth prisoners into freedom; *
but the rebels shall live in dry places.

7 O God, when you went forth before your people, *
when you marched through the wilderness,

8 The earth shook, and the skies poured down rain,
at the presence of God, the God of Sinai, *
at the presence of God, the God of Israel.

9 You sent a gracious rain, O God, upon your inheritance; *
you refreshed the land when it was weary.

10 Your people found their home in it; *
in your goodness, O God, you have made provision for the poor.

33 Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth; *
sing praises to the Lord.

34 He rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; *
he sends forth his voice, his mighty voice.

35 Ascribe power to God; *
his majesty is over Israel;
his strength is in the skies.

36 How wonderful is God in his holy places! *
the God of Israel giving strength and power to his people!
Blessed be God!

1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may also be glad and shout for joy when his glory is revealed. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory, which is the Spirit of God, is resting on you.

Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, so that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, because he cares for you. Discipline yourselves, keep alert. Like a roaring lion your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in your faith, for you know that your brothers and sisters in all the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, support, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the power forever and ever. Amen. 

John 17:1-11

Jesus looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

“I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.”

After the king’s speech

16th May 2026

You Lord are the bread of life;

feed us with your wisdom.

Our nourishment is to do God’s will;

guide us in all we do

Whenever we eat or drink

Let it be to the glory of the kingdom of God.

When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very edges of your field, or gather the gleanings of your harvest; you shall leave them for the poor and for the alien: I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 23:22

A reading from Luke 1: 49-53

The Mighty One has done great things for me,

    and holy is his name.

Her mercy is for those who fear him

    from generation to generation.

She has shown strength with his arm;

    he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts.

She has brought down the powerful from their thrones,

    and lifted up the lowly;

She has filled the hungry with good things,

    and sent the rich away empty.

A response based on verses from Psalm 68

Sing to God, sing praises to the one 

who has ascended to Heaven.

Rejoice aloud!

May your kingdom come 

on Earth as in Heaven.

Hear the words of our King:

To the orphaned, be as good parents.

To the widowed, be as loving siblings.

May your kingdom come 

on Earth as in Heaven.

Hear the words of our King:

For the homeless, provide a place of safety,

For the prisoner, a place of freedom.

May your kingdom come 

on Earth as in Heaven.

Hear the words of our King:

Where rain is scarce, ensure live-giving water,

Where the soil is depleted, refresh its wellbeing.

May your kingdom come 

on Earth as in Heaven.

Hear the words of our King:

For the poor, provide positions of value,

For the hungry, provide a place at the table .

May your kingdom come 

on Earth as in Heaven.

Hear the words of the King:

For all who seek wisdom, make known the Gospel

For all who seek peace, make known the love of God.

May your kingdom come 

on Earth as in Heaven.

Amen. 

Counting on 2026 …. Day 43

15th May

Living simply can sometimes be demanding! 

For me living simply is about making my own bread, cakes and biscuits, growing food in the garden, preserving the harvest for use during the rest of the year – making jam, chutney and pickles, bottling and drying fruit, making vinegar and maintaining a sour dough starter. In this way I hope to be closer related to the Earth, to reduce my ecological footprint, to eat more healthily, and be more resilient in the face of disruption.

I have been encouraged by further words from the Hazelnut Community:- 

“When a group of people gathers to make something from what the earth provides, they are participating in the ongoing life of creation. They are receiving from the earth, working with its processes, and redistributing what is made within the community.

“Making food, preparing remedies, and preserving what has been grown are not simply functional acts. They are ways of participating in the life of a world that is held within God.” (1)

  1. https://substack.com/home/post/p-190602804

Counting on 2026 …. Day 42

14th May

Simplicity ‘is to begin the slow work of learning how to live within limits that are not only necessary, but life-giving.’ (1)

Living simply I choose to buy less things. It is not because I seek a life of poverty but that I want to,love a life that doesn’t unnecessarily take from the Earth’s resources. For when that is done without regard and excess, the life is diminished, even destroyed – that would be poverty.

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