BRF
52 Reflections on Faith - Becoming Real: Loved into life
52 Reflections on Faith - Becoming Real: Loved into life
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
7 Becoming Real: Once upon a time there was a velveteen rabbit. He woke up one Christmas morning to find himself in a little boy’s stocking with a pile of other toys. He was brand new and wondering what was going to become of him. When the little boy opened his presents, he was d…
52 Reflections on Faith - Jesus Christ today
52 Reflections on Faith - Jesus Christ today
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
8 Jesus Christ today: ‘Who is Jesus Christ for us today?’ This is the famous question asked by Dietrich Bonhoeffer from his cell in Tegel military prison, Germany, during the last 18 months of his life. Bonhoeffer had been arrested and imprisoned by the Nazis in April 1943. He wa…
52 Reflections on Faith - God and the world: Separate or together
52 Reflections on Faith - God and the world: Separate or together
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
God and the world:Separate or together? William Blake’s best-known painting is probably The Ancient of Days. Originally done in 1794 as the frontispiece for one of his illustrated books, it’s now in the British Museum. Often reproduced as a popular art poster in recent decades, t…
52 Reflections on Faith - Emmaus: the eyes of faith
52 Reflections on Faith - Emmaus: the eyes of faith
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
Emmaus: The eyes of faith During the last couple of decades or so, a series of fascinating coffee table books called Magic Eye have appeared in the shops. The books contain what, at first sight, look like fairly boring two-dimensional wallpaper patterns, but if you hold the pages…
52 Reflections on Faith - Growth and renewal: good soil
52 Reflections on Faith - Growth and renewal: good soil
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
Growth and renewal: Good soil: It’s amazing how things grow, isn’t it? The story is told of a young couple who bought a house with a large garden, including a lawn and an apple tree at the front. They decided they needed to ‘clear the garden’ and, in the process, chopped down the…
52 Reflections on Faith - Faith and Doubt: seeking understanding
52 Reflections on Faith - Faith and Doubt: seeking understanding
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
Faith and doubt: Seeking understanding: Richard Holloway’s autobiography Leaving Alexandria: A memoir of faith and doubt tells the story of the author’s life, from his birth and upbringing in Scotland, through his training for the priesthood at the Society of the Sacred Mission a…
52 Reflections on Faith - Jesus the good shepherd: the door of the sheep
52 Reflections on Faith - Jesus the good shepherd: the door of the sheep
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
Jesus the Good Shepherd: door of the sheep When I worked in the Holy Land with St George’s College, Jerusalem, we often took groups to the Sinai desert to camp overnight under the stars on the way down to St Catherine’s monastery. It was an amazing experience. Quite often I would…
52 Reflections on Faith - Ascension day: Presence not absence
52 Reflections on Faith - Ascension day: Presence not absence
by BRF - Stephen W. Need
Ascension Day: Presence, not absence Ascension Day is one of the most important days in the Church’s calendar. It has been celebrated since the fourth century and has played a significant part in the life and culture of many Christian countries. It forms a fundamental part of the…
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Zechariah meets Gabriel
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Zechariah meets Gabriel
by BRF - Rona Orme
Zechariah, a priest in the temple, and his wife, Elizabeth, both led good lives in the view of God. They did not have any children and they were old. Although Zechariah was godly, he doubted the message that Gabriel the angel brought him. This led to his being struck dumb until a…
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Nature provides
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Nature provides
by BRF - Rona Orme
God provides food for all the plants and animals in the world - and enough food for humans, if people remember to share the resources of the earth. By pointing out how things work in nature, Jesus taught that it is important to trust God to provide what is required for each day. …
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Food
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Food
by BRF - Rona Orme
This session introduces the idea of thanking God for food. Everyone has a favourite food and will be happy to talk about their preferences. Icing biscuits and prayers that involve eating will be popular. From 50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Easy-to-run all-age outlines for us…
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Water - from sea to sip
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - Water - from sea to sip
by BRF - Rona Orme
Amazingly, 70 per cent of the earth's surface is covered by water and around 60 per cent of the human body consists of water. God has provided plenty of water but many of us use far more than our share. Washing machines use much water in action, but also require a lot of water fo…
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - The wonders of God's world
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - The wonders of God's world
by BRF - Rona Orme
The popularity of nature programmes on television indicates how people are fascinated by the wonder and intricacy of the natural world. This is nothing new. The Psalms, written 3000 years ago, are full of amazement at the richness of God's world. From 50 Praise, Pray and Play Ses…
50 Praise, Pray and Play Sessions - In the beginning