Palm Sunday

One of the things that we have traditionally done on Palm Sunday is hand out Palm Crosses. Obviously, we won't be able to do that this year. But making a palm cross from a strip of paper is fairly easy to do. Here's one video, off the internet, showing you one way of doing it.

If you're going to be watching our Palm Sunday Service 'live' later and then joining us for our virtual coffee time afterwards, why not make a 'palm' cross now and show us later.

Re-learning something 'new'

Last week I wrote a post about the new things that many of us were having to learn as we get used to the new way of doing things as we attempt to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Whether it's learning to communicate on Zoom or how to film and edit a short film many of us are learning new skills that help us to keep in touch with each other - even in this time of lockdown.

Just one of the games we've been playing together

But I wonder whether we're also learning, or re-learning, some of the things that we've forgotten. I wonder whether during this time of enforced isolation and the removal of most of the things that kept us running from here to there all day long we'll remember some of the important things that we have forgotten.

We find ourselves with time on our hands - time to eat together, to pray together, to read, to phone a friend, to go for a walk, to check on that neighbour, to play games...

When this time of isolation ends, whether that be in weeks or months, we will have just as much time as we have now. There will still be 86,400 seconds in a day. The difference will be that we have the freedom to choose how we spend that time. 

When all of this is over do you want life to go back to 'normal'? Or are there things from the 'new normal' that you are appreciating and enjoying that you'd like to continue?

Today I'm thankful for ...

There are all sorts of things that you may be feeling anxious and worried about at the moment. I know that the list of prayer requests on our church WhatsApp group continues to grow as we pray for family and friends who are working on the frontline in the NHS, those who have coronavirus, those whose regular medical conditions and care are being impacted by the current crisis, those who are struggling with the impact of isolation ... 

There is certainly a lot to be anxious about. But in Philippians 4:4-7 Paul writes:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

God invites us to bring our concerns and needs to him in prayer, and he promises to give us his peace - a peace that is beyond all understanding - a peace that makes no sense given the circumstances we are in. 

But God invites us to bring our concerns and needs along with thanksgiving. Paul tells us to rejoice always. 

That might seem beyond you at the moment depending on your situation. I know from my own experience, sitting at a hospital bedside, watching the monitors and listening to the beeps, that there are times when even simple prayers have been beyond me - let alone looking for something to be thankful for.

Looking back I'm thankful that at those times God promises to hear our unspoken groans and cries - and that there were others who were able to pray for me and on my behalf.


One of the things that we're doing as a family in this time of staying at home is to start each meal, going round the table, stating one thing that we're glad for. Our glad list is now getting quite long. 

This time has certainly made me more thankful for the things that we do have and has dispelled any sense of taking things for granted. I'm thankful that we're still allowed out to exercise once a day, that we live in a beautiful part of the world, that God's creation is so amazing, and that the sun comes up each morning.

I'm also thankful for music.

Into the darkness

Under normal circumstances, this afternoon would have been our monthly Oasis Tea. Oasis is held in the Village Hall on the fourth Thursday of the month and is run jointly by the local Baptist, Anglican and Catholic churches. It's an opportunity for some of the more senior members of our community to come together, to enjoy conversation and an informal table-top quiz, to have a piece of cake and a cup of tea and take part in a short service - usually a prayer, Bible reading, a hymn and then a short talk on a given theme. This is sometimes followed by a simple craft.

Last year our theme was 'people who made a difference' and over the course of the year we looked at a number of individuals whose Christian faith had had a real impact on their lives - and through them, the lives of many others.

This year our theme is focused on artists, poets, authors and musicians - again, those whose Christian faith has influenced their work.

This afternoon it was to be my turn to lead the service and the title for this afternoon was 'Into the darkness'. I should just add that the titles are deliberately chosen so that no one has a clue as to what it's about.

Today's talk was going to be about Minnie Louise Haskins. I'm not going to tell you much about her here - as I may want to use this talk at some point in the future once we're able to meet together again safely. But Minnie Louise Haskins was a poet and she became widely known after King George VI read one of her poems as a part of his Christmas message in December 1939, in the very early days of WWII.

Popularly known as 'The Gate of the Year', the poem was named 'God knows' by the author. It was certainly relevant at that point in our history. It is also strikingly relevant in these days of coronavirus. The future is very uncertain. We are currently in lockdown and no one knows for how long. We can't see what the future holds. But God promises to lead us through the darkness. We might not know what the future holds - but God does.

You'll find the whole of the poem here, but the first verse says,

And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:  “Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”  

And he replied: “Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”  

So I went forth, and finding the Hand of God, trod gladly into the night.And He led me towards the hills and the breaking of day in the lone East.