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Around Easter there are many images, some gruesome, of the Lord dying on the Cross, shedding His blood. The New Church, with good reason, does not emphasize these images. But why then did the Lord talk in terms of giving His flesh and blood? This imagery was not made up from nothing, but from the Lord’s own words. We need to listen to what the Lord taught about spilling His own blood for us; but we have to understand these word spiritually. When we do, our minds can rise above the gruesome imagery, and see the beautiful reality of the Lord giving of His own life, through the truths of Word, to ..read more

Palm Sunday represents a crucial turning point in the Lord’s ministry: it was the point at which He went from preaching in the outskirts of the countryside to directly challenging those at the heart of religious life. It also led to His death and eventual resurrection. There is also a turning point for us when we submit to the Lord as King: as He enters we find new challenges, unseen evils, and deep spiritual struggle. Yet ultimately it is all for the good: just as Palm Sunday points through the Crucifixion to Easter Sunday, the Lord’s presence with us cuts through temptations and brings us to ..read more

When Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday the people cheered and cried out for Him to save them. They were hoping that a king of the natural world was riding into town to throw off their Roman oppressors. That wasn’t what the Lord was there to do but He was there to save them. If a powerful person could ride into your life and change things drastically, what would you want them to do? Maybe the Lord won’t do that, but what sort of spiritual salvation could He give you? This year we will have two identical services, both in the nave (there will be no Young Children’s or Informal Fami ..read more

As we turn our thoughts towards Easter, we can see in “The Lord’s Last Words” on the cross there is infinite divine love offering forgiveness, compassion and hope as the culmination of everything that the Lord said and did, and as an inspiration for how we can care for each other (Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19 ..read more

As we turn our thoughts towards Easter, we can see in “The Lord’s Last Words” on the cross there is infinite divine love offering forgiveness, compassion and hope as the culmination of everything that the Lord said and did, and as an inspiration for how we can care for each other (Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23, John 19 ..read more

One of the themes of the Easter story is people seeing the Lord, or not seeing the Lord. These stories can stimulate some interesting questions for us to think about: Have you ever seen the Lord? Do you think you would recognize the Lord if He was in this sanctuary? Can you picture Him in your mind? If you saw Him would you believe it or would you doubt? We will look at what positive things we can do to help us see the Lord so that we can learn to love Him and follow Him wherever He leads ..read more

No one likes to fail. We actively try to avoid failure (as we should!). But failure is also unavoidable: it is part and parcel of trying to live a better life. Our own failures are reflected in the Lord's apparent failure. On the first Easter morning, before anyone knew He had risen, it seemed obvious that Jesus had failed. And yet through that apparent failure the Lord had the opportunity to overcome death, and hell, and sin, and so achieve true and lasting success. The path through failure leads to a better future ..read more

Before the events of Easter, the Lord called His disciples together to have one final meal with them. Present at this meal were not just the good: also present was Judas, the betrayer. Jesus calls all of us, regardless of our state, to come to Him, and through repentance to be reborn. He gives us all that we need in order for this spiritual change to take place, through the Love and Wisdom He constantly offers us ..read more

Bryn Athyn Cathedral ..read more