Happy New Year

 So much has changed and so much is lost.

The way forward looks both daunting and unclear.

But the watchers say change is coming and this is a time of hope.

There is still much disintegration advancing towards us, and sometimes perhaps we will lose our footing in the floodwater rapids.

Despair is always misplaced, though, and a waste of energy.

Our task is to hold our light steady and walk singing into the unknown.

What John Wesley said (his last words on this earth): 

"The best of all is, God is with us."

"By thine unerring Spirit led

We shall not in the desert stray

We shall not full direction need

Nor miss our providential way;

As far from danger as from fear,

While Love, almighty Love is near." (Charles Wesley)

Happy New Year, friends. Celebrate what is beautiful, and good. Embrace kindness. Walk in hope. Let light find you. Choose wisely. Live simply and quietly. Grace guide you. Light is streaming into this world to transform and sustain you. 

"Keep the faith, baby — you are the liberated zone." (Stephen Gaskin)

May God bless you in 2022.

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 25 – The Infant Light

Happy Christmas, friends. Thank you for travelling with me.

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 24 — Be here now

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 23 — Mary

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 22 — Room at the inn

When Luke says in his gospel, "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 2.7 KJV), what was it he meant to tell us?

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 21 — The Manger

Yes. How did the shepherds know where to look, when the angel said, "in Bethlehem"?

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 20 — Shepherds

Nearly Christmas. Shepherds on the move . . .

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 19 — Homelessness

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 18 — Angels

You can tell it's nearly Christmas. We're on to the angels today.

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 17 — Gifts and Graces

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 16 — Children and babies

Where you find Jesus and respecting the agency and spirituality of children.

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 15 — Joseph

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

It's available from: 

Eden online bookshop, currently selling at £7.64 and they will give you up to £5 off your first order.

US Amazon. Low stock and much cheaper in Kindle ($8.99) than paperback ($18.87).

UK Amazon. Kindle (£5.69) is cheaper than paperback (£8.32).

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 14 — HEROD

Uh-oh. Herod!! Nooooo!

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

It's available from: 

Eden online bookshop, currently selling at £7.64 and they will give you up to £5 off your first order.

US Amazon. Low stock and much cheaper in Kindle ($8.99) than paperback ($18.87).

UK Amazon. Kindle (£5.69) is cheaper than paperback (£8.32).

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 13 — The Magi

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

It's available from: 

Eden online bookshop, currently selling at £7.64 and they will give you up to £5 off your first order.

US Amazon. Low stock and much cheaper in Kindle ($8.99) than paperback ($18.87).

UK Amazon. Kindle (£5.69) is cheaper than paperback (£8.32).

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 12 — Starlight

The twelfth of December already — the year is slipping away. In these Advent reflections we've thought about the momentous themes of judgement and dominion, and this is the last of the reflections focusing on the natural world in this winter season. Tomorrow we move on to thinking about the dear familiar unfolding of the nativity of Jesus, starting with the Magi because (although they are the last to enter the stage in the story) they like to sit next to the stars — and today's election is about starlight.

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

It's available from: 

Eden online bookshop, currently selling at £7.64 and they will give you up to £5 off your first order.

US Amazon. Low stock and much cheaper in Kindle ($8.99) than paperback ($18.87).

UK Amazon. Kindle (£5.69) is cheaper than paperback (£8.32).

Into the Heart of Advent — CHAPTER 10 — FIRE

Oops — sorry! — I got out of sync and posted Chapter 11 (Frost) yesterday, when it should have been this one (Chapter 10 Fire). Never mind, they're thematic rather than sequential so it's not the end of the world to have the wrong order. So you had today's chapter yesterday and now you've got yesterday's chapter today. Apologies!

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

It's available from: 

Eden online bookshop, currently selling at £7.64 and they will give you up to £5 off your first order.

US Amazon. Low stock and much cheaper in Kindle ($8.99) than paperback ($18.87).

UK Amazon. Kindle (£5.69) is cheaper than paperback (£8.32).

Into the Heart of Advent — CHAPTER 11 — FROST

Well. Evidently on this day a year ago (when I made these recordings) I had my hair cut. It's pretty much the same length now, as it happens.

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

It's available from: 

Eden online bookshop, currently selling at £7.64 and they will give you up to £5 off your first order.

US Amazon. Low stock and much cheaper in Kindle ($8.99) than paperback ($18.87).

UK Amazon. Kindle (£5.69) is cheaper than paperback (£8.32).

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 9 — Singing

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

It's available from: 

Eden online bookshop, currently selling at £7.64 and they will give you up to £5 off your first order.

US Amazon. Low stock and much cheaper in Kindle ($8.99) than paperback ($18.87).

UK Amazon. Kindle (£5.69) is cheaper than paperback (£8.32).

Into the Heart of Advent - Chapter 8 - Candles

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

It's available from: 

Eden online bookshop, currently selling at £7.64 and they will give you up to £5 off your first order.

US Amazon. Low stock and much cheaper in Kindle ($8.99) than paperback ($18.87).

UK Amazon. Kindle (£5.69) is cheaper than paperback (£8.32).

Into the heart of Advent — Chapter 7 — The Prophetic Life

The season of Advent carries entwined themes. The Church through the centuries has focused at this time of year on the coming again of Jesus in power and glory as king and judge; the Last Judgement and the fulfilment of his kingdom.

The season is also influenced by the turning circle of the year — first and fire, candles and stars, the winter cold when the seeds are sleeping.

And then, of course, it's the time when we prepare for the great winter feast, Yul (Old Norse for "the Turn") when the infant light is born into the depths of darkness, upon which time the first missionaries to the British Isles settled the feast of the Incarnation, the coming of Jesus our light into a cold and dark world.

Into the Heart of Advent explores the different facets of these themes. Today's reading on the prophetic life concludes the first cycle in which we have been staying with the traditional ecclesiastical focus on the reign of Christ in our lives and his role as lord and judge. 

Tomorrow we move on to the seasonal wintry themes of candlelight and singing and fire and frost. Then a few days later we'll move on again, to look at the different aspects of the Christmas story — Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, the Magi (and King Herod), the stable and the manger — the story of God in our world as a vulnerable child.

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

It's available from: 

Eden online bookshop, currently selling at £7.64 and they will give you up to £5 off your first order.

US Amazon. Low stock and much cheaper in Kindle ($8.99) than paperback ($18.87).

UK Amazon. Kindle (£5.69) is cheaper than paperback (£8.32).

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 6 — Vulnerability

May you be blessed through this winter's day. xx

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

It's available from: 

Eden online bookshop, currently selling at £7.64 and they will give you up to £5 off your first order.

US Amazon. Low stock and much cheaper in Kindle ($8.99) than paperback ($18.87).

UK Amazon. Kindle (£5.69) is cheaper than paperback (£8.32).

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 5 — Dominion

About what "Jesus is Lord" might mean.

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

It's available from: 

Eden online bookshop, currently selling at £7.64 and they will give you up to £5 off your first order.

US Amazon. Low stock and much cheaper in Kindle ($8.99) than paperback ($18.87).

UK Amazon. Kindle (£5.69) is cheaper than paperback (£8.32).

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 4 — Judgement

Judgement is a solemn thing, but not meant to threaten or frighten you.

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

It's available from: 

Eden online bookshop, currently selling at £7.64 and they will give you up to £5 off your first order.

US Amazon. Low stock and much cheaper in Kindle ($8.99) than paperback ($18.87).

UK Amazon. Kindle (£5.69) is cheaper than paperback (£8.32).

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 3 — What it means to be with us

For you. Blessed be. x

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

It's available from: 

Eden online bookshop, currently selling at £7.64 and they will give you up to £5 off your first order.

US Amazon. Low stock and much cheaper in Kindle ($8.99) than paperback ($18.87).

UK Amazon. Kindle (£5.69) is cheaper than paperback (£8.32).

Into the Heart of Advent — Chapter 2 — Expectancy and Expectations

Into the Heart of Advent is published by SPCK, who have given their permission for these recordings.

It's available from: 

Eden online bookshop, currently selling at £7.64 and they will give you up to £5 off your first order.

US Amazon. Low stock and much cheaper in Kindle ($8.99) than paperback ($18.87).

UK Amazon. Kindle (£5.69) is cheaper than paperback (£8.32).

Into the Heart of Advent, Chapter 1 — The Holy Family

As mentioned yesterday, through Advent this year, once again I'll blog the readings of my book Into the Heart of Advent, published by SPCK.

If you want the actual book, you can get it from: 

Eden online bookshop, currently selling at £7.64 and they will give you up to £5 off your first order.

US Amazon. Low stock and much cheaper in Kindle ($8.99) than paperback ($18.87).

UK Amazon. Kindle (£5.69) is cheaper than paperback (£8.32).

If you want the text but are really on your beam ends for money at the moment, tell me. Your comments on this blog reach me privately and I do not need to publish them. If you write your email address in your comment, I will not publish it and can correspond with you.