![]() ![]() ![]() After all, jealousy has nibbled away at our fraternal relationships, no matter what their social nature, since the beginning of time. It's a biblical verse that's easy to understand. This week, why not listen to the masters voice, and if you hear even the faintest whisper of a call to join in with God’s work in this place, then do get in touch with me, Steve or Dave.Thus says the passage from the Acts of the Apostles we hear in today's first reading. What might God be calling you to in this season of your life and the life of our team? Do you have a passion for helping people explore faith? Do you have a passion for being alongside people in the key events in their lives: baptism, wedding, funeral? Do you want to see young people and families connect with church (which probably won’t be on a Sunday!)? Or maybe you could offer to underpin our vision by praying for specific needs and activities that group leaders identify? Of may be you have gift for administration and communication so that people are inspired by what God is up to in our team? Within these broad areas each of us will have a specific call to live out our vocation as a follower of Jesus Christ. To connect with those who don’t as yet belong to our churches, to care for our communities through acts of service, speaking out against injustice, and supporting the vulnerable, and to celebrate the love of God through our worship, life events such as baptisms and weddings, and the way we live our lives. We believe we are collectively called to connect, care, and celebrate with the communities in which we are set. Here in the Stroudwater Team we have been discerning where God wants us to go over the next five years. It is an ongoing process but what is he now calling us to be and do? Where might he be calling us to go? But calling isn’t a ‘one off’ nor is it the preserve of ordained ministry ! I’d like to suggest that you are here reading this because Christ has already called you. It is appropriate to consider today when listening to our master’s voice, Christ’s call to each one of us. From the latin word meaning ‘call’ or ‘summons’. We can hear Jesus through scripture, through imagining ourselves in particular scenes in the bible stories, through parables, through the way Jesus tells us to live out our lives. The suggestion of a friend about something. A series of ‘niggles’ or nagging over time. For others its much more subtle and gentle. I’m often asked, how do we hear God’s call? Well for some people it’s a mind blowing, life changing experience – like St Paul on the road to Damascus which you can find in the book of Acts. The reading from John’s gospel is about sheep listening and responding to the shepherds voice. This Sunday is sometimes called Good Shepherd Sunday. I remember the image well, from old 78’s of my dads (I’m not that old!) The rest is history and the picture that Francis Barraud painted was about listening to his master’s voice. In 1899 the picture was acquired by a newly formed gramophone company HMV. ![]() Francis an artist decided to paint the scene on canvas. When Francis played the recordings, Nipper sat close to the phonograph listening to his master’s voice. In the box was a cylinder phonograph and recordings of Mark’s voice. Mark’s brother Francis adopted Nipper together with a box of his brother’s belongings. The dog was a loyal servant of his master, whose name was Mark. ![]() This week I learned something new - of the story of a small dog called Nipper. ![]()
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