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Mini-reflections from the Curate

9/24/2026

Luke 9:3- Jesus said to them, ‘Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money—not even an extra tunic.’
In Wednesday’s Gospel reading, we heard as Jesus sent out the 12 disciples, telling them to take nothing for their journey. Having just returned from a short holiday, in which I took at least 3 pairs of socks for each day, this struck me as even more dramatic than I had ever appreciated!
I don’t think Jesus is necessarily calling us to give up all we have tomorrow and venture to scary far-away lands, like Lancashire… But I do think we see in this a radical call to reconsider what we value. While they might not be taking possessions, the disciples do carry the most precious thing possible: the good news of the kingdom of God. No money, no bread, not even an extra tunic. But the fundamental truth that nothing can separate us from the love of God. There is nothing wrong with liking our possessions, but we must never forget that there is something so much more precious. We can become so focused on our church buildings, on our material goods, that we forget that the mission of the Church is to reach far beyond our own walls. So maybe we won’t pack less socks for our holidays. But maybe, when packing those socks, we will once again remember that precious, good news: that God is love. – Revd Niall.

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Coming this Sunday...

9/9/2026

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Forgiveness is often easier said than done, and I suspect it is one of the things that many of us struggle with the most! On Sunday, we will hear in our reading from Genesis 50 about Joseph forgiving his brothers, repaying their betrayal with love and forgiveness. In our Gospel reading, we will hear Jesus capture the importance of forgiveness in telling Peter to forgive ‘not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times’. What do we actually mean by forgiveness? How do we wrestle with the call to forgive but the very real hurt or pain we might still feel? Ultimately, how might we try to follow Christ’s example, learning to live a life of forgiveness? Join us on Sunday as I attempt to wrestle with these questions, helped by the wisdom of Desmond and Mpho Tuto and their ‘Book of Forgiving’ - Revd Niall.

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