Jesus doesn’t make it easy to follow him. One over enthusiastic scribe offers to go anywhere, any time, but instead of saying ‘Great!’ Jesus says that it’s not that simple, that there is a restlessness about his journey that will stretch the most committed follower. And then when someone else wants to wait before actually […]
URC Daily Devotion 12th May 2019
1 Sing to the LORD, sing praise in a new song;Sing to him all who to the earth belong!2 Sing to the LORD and praise his holy name;From day to day his saving work proclaim.3 His glory to the nations now declare;His mighty deeds to people everywhere. 4 Great is the LORD, most worthy of […]
URC Daily Devotion 11th May 2019
Then certain individuals came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.’ And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to […]
URC Daily Devotion 10th May 2019
The saying is sure: whoever aspires to the office of bishop desires a noble task. Now a bishop must be above reproach, married only once, temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money. He must manage his own household well, keeping […]
URC Daily Devotion 9th May 2019
Supporting the local church ‘Some are called to the Ministry of Word and Sacraments’ and some to ‘the ministry of church related community work’. So says the URC’s Basis of Union (paras 21 and 22). The first of those roles helps the local church to shape its worship, its pastoral life and its outreach. The […]
URC Daily Devotion 8th May 2019
In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. […]
URC Daily Devotion 7th May 2019
It’s odd, isn’t it? The Lord didn’t appoint seventy rabbis and send them to synagogues. No, he appointed ‘others’ and sent them to every town and place where he himself intended to go. It’s almost as though he knew that there were people living their lives, getting on with day-to-day things, that needed ministering to. […]
URC Daily Devotion 6th May 2019 Vocations 1
Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all […]
Vocations
Dear <<First Name>> In the URC we observe Vocations Sunday on the 4th Sunday of Easter – this year that falls on next Sunday, 12th May. In order to help us reflect on this we have prepared 7 devotions on the broad theme of vocations – recognising we are all called. One of our new writers, […]
URC Daily Devotion 4th May 2019
They asked him, ‘Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign that this is about to take place?’ And he said, ‘Beware that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name and say, “I am he!” and, “The time is near!” Do not go after them. ‘When you […]