Lo, he comes with clouds descending – an Advent Meditation
Lo, he comes with clouds descending – an Advent Meditation
by Andrew Pratt
Lo, he comes with clouds descending – an Advent Meditation Taken from the book Inextinguishable blaze Part of the understanding that we have of religious story is the way it follows the calendar. This is not just a random whim, but a means of reminding us of God's action in hum…
Monologue/Reflection: Peter reflects after Easter
Monologue/Reflection: Peter reflects after Easter
by Andrew Pratt
Monologue/Reflection: Peter reflects after Easter I suppose no one knew quite what to say. Days had passed. At the height of the festival Jesus had been tried and executed. For the crowds that was becoming a memory. Many folk were returning home. Clouds of dust swirled around the…
Monologue/meditation: Lament
Monologue/meditation: Lament
by Andrew Pratt
Monologue/meditation: Lament Share all or part of the reading from Lamentations. The speaker, a modern day Jeremiah, is sitting on a stool, thinking. Raising his or her head, begins to speak... The rooftops were wet, shining in light that glinted between clouds. The damp mist of …
Monologue/Meditation: Faith is the assurance of things hoped for…
Monologue/Meditation: Faith is the assurance of things hoped for…
by Andrew Pratt
Monologue/Meditation: Faith is the assurance of things hoped for… Time and time again they take-off, tons of metal soaring sky-ward. Statistics say they're safe. Driving a car is more dangerous. I love flight, taking off and landing? But part of that is the exhilaration, the sens…
Monologue/Meditation: Crawling round at the bottom of the barrel
Monologue/Meditation: Crawling round at the bottom of the barrel
by Andrew Pratt
Monologue/Meditation: Crawling round at the bottom of the barrel Crawling round at the bottom of the barrel. Hungry. And the barrel was empty. And now I have splinters in my knees. Who was it who said that from the gutter the only is up? 'Above us only sky'? My sky is clouded. Ho…
Monologue/Reflection: Naboth’s vineyard and temptation
Monologue/Reflection: Naboth’s vineyard and temptation
by Andrew Pratt
Monologue/Reflection: Naboth’s vineyard and temptation Tempting when we want something. What the temptation is depends, I suppose, on what we’d like to get our hands on. For Ahab a vineyard was enough to make him happy, sufficient to accept the spoils of murder. Naboth dead, Jeze…
Monologue: A teeny, weeny bit silly…
Monologue: A teeny, weeny bit silly…
by Andrew Pratt
Monologue: A teeny, weeny bit silly… I have to admit that I felt just a teeny, weeny bit silly. It was to be a three storey house. It was architect planned. Four bedrooms, all en suite...jacuzzis You should have seen the design for the kitchen...every modern appliance. I like tec…
Monologue/reflection: Who do people say that I am?’
Monologue/reflection: Who do people say that I am?’
by Andrew Pratt
Monologue/Reflection: Who do people say that I am?’ If I wanted to make an impact I'd get an agent, a publicity agent - big campaign, peak time adverts on the TV, sponsorship, all that money could muster. So what was Jesus about, 'Don't tell 'em, Pike!' like that character on '…
Monologue/Meditation : ‘I’m good’
Monologue/Meditation : ‘I’m good’
by Andrew Pratt
Monologue/Meditation : ‘I’m good’ 'How are you?' 'I'm good'. It's a common greeting these days, but call me old-fashioned, every time I hear that, I'm brought up short. We used to say, 'I'm fine' or I'm well'. But 'I'm good'? No, that doesn't work for me. Let me run that by you a…
Monologue: Tower of Babel
Monologue: Tower of Babel
by Andrew Pratt
Monologue: Tower of Babel It was only when I met the barrel of bricks coming down and that hod carrier shouted at me and I didn't understand him that it all began to fall out of place... But wait a minute. None of that will make sense to you. Anyway, it took place some fifty year…
Monologue: ‘Those that sow in tears shall reap in joy.’
Monologue: ‘Those that sow in tears shall reap in joy.’
by Andrew Pratt
Monologue: ‘Those that sow in tears shall reap in joy.’ ‘Those that sow in tears shall reap in joy.’ Really? Sounds like the beatitudes all over again to me! Cursed to be Blessed? Bad times turned to Good? Comfort? Might be for you! For me? What was that old song? 'Why does it al…
Monologue: The gilded gates closed
Monologue: The gilded gates closed
by Andrew Pratt
Monologue: The gilded gates closed With a hiss and a whisper the gilded gates slid closed. The car beyond crunched the gravel as its bodywork mirrored the slant, evening sun. Safe. House like a fortress. So much to lose. So much effort spent in accumulating wealth. Affluent. Sign…
Monologue: Temptation – Hungry wasn't in it!
Monologue: Temptation – Hungry wasn't in it!
by Andrew Pratt
Monologue: Temptation – Hungry wasn't in it! Hungry wasn't in it. I'd decided to fast. Not forty days. Twenty four hours. The first hour was the worst and the other hours were not even that good! All I could think of was chocolate and chips. Not on the same plate. I mean, anythin…
Mother us gently, Father us lightly
Mother us gently, Father us lightly
by Andrew Pratt
Poem/Prayer: Mother us gently, Father us lightly Mothering Sunday Mother us gently, Father us lightly, God of our being, ground of our care; comfort our grieving, help our believing, graceful and loving, teach us to share. Hold and enfold us, parent with purpose, …
Now, in the garden, secretly
Now, in the garden, secretly
by Andrew Pratt
Now, in the garden, secretly a man and woman met. Outside a still and empty tomb she wished she could forget. Her mind still held the vivid sight: his body scarred and torn, and nothing here could dry her tears beneath this teasing dawn. Verses 3-5 follow Tune: GERONTIUS Metre: …
Not remote nor terrifying
Not remote nor terrifying
by Andrew Pratt
Not remote nor terrifying, this is Jesus standing here; not a blazing fire or darkness, this is love, love drawing near. Verses 2-3 follow Tune: GOTT WILL’S MACHEN Metre: 8 7 8 7 Trochaic Andrew Pratt (born 1948) Words © 31/7/2013 Stainer & Bell Ltd, London, England, www.staine…
Times and Seasons - Now the poppy petals flutter