Compassion
This week is Compassion Sunday and Fran reflects on how the church could use this opportunity to become actors and not spectators.
This week Richard and I were attending the London Baptist Ministers’ Conference at High Leigh. As a conference centre it is really beautiful, and the misty sunrises over the landscape just added to the beauty. As we were exploring the grounds we saw a beautiful gate by a tree. As you can see from the picture, the gate is well maintained, artfully painted to protect against rust with attention to detail highlighting the delicate ironwork. But there is a problem.
Look carefully at the picture. The gate is padlocked. Beside it is a ‘kissing gate’. But where is the fence, where is the path, where is the gate leading to? The gate is obsolete, not serving any useful function except to look pretty. No one uses the gate.
Mission specialists point out that sometimes our churches can be a bit like this gate. We spend time keeping everything looking beautiful, preserving things in case they are needed. But while we have been busy the path and the people the church once served have moved on.
This week we welcome a speaker from Compassion UK. Our news has been dominated by the huge earthquake in Syria/Turkey, thousands have been killed, injured, left homeless and hungry. The newspapers report that following the devastating floods in Pakistan last year, many are still without food and shelter.
Compassion requires us to be where the need is, where the people are. Compassion requires us to make a way where there is no way, to open closed gates, to build new paths, to look to see what God is doing and join in. Compassion sometimes means not painting our beautiful wrought iron gates but moving them to where they are needed. Compassion sometimes means change. As we pray for the work of Compassion, we also pray that God will give us eyes to see where that compassion is needed, and the courage to open closed gates
Fran Bellingham
God’s call to ministry
As Fran prepares for her ordination, she reflects on the journey that has brought her to this moment and how you can listen out for God’s calling
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Shrove Tuesday means pancakes but what can we learn from this age-old custom of preparing for Lent
Marmalade
What has marmalade got to do with God’s love for us? Fran explains all.
Verse for the year
Every year we choose a corporate verse that gives us a focal point for the year. Fran tells us what it is and how it was chosen.
Getting fit?
In her first blog article of the year, Fran talks about getting spiritually fit along with the challenges when you hit a bump in the road.
Advent 4 – Hope
In her fourth instalment Fran talks about the hope that comes from the birth of a boy.
Waste Not Want Not – Advent Reflection 3
This week Fran highlights the parallels between our current climate emergency and Isaiah’s prayer found in chapter 35 of his book.
Advent 2 – A reflection on Isaiah 11:1-9
Sometimes we get given gifts we don’t expect.
Longing for Peace
As we approach Advent, this article looks at the Book of Isaiah and how it reflects the world today where we long for peace.
Stir up Sunday
Fran Bellingham shares a lesson on what it means to be stirred into action and what happens if we get tired and settle.