Daily Devotions

 Glory to you, O Christ:

by your death you have destroyed death

and by your resurrection you have brought life and immortality to light

Jesus appears to James, his brother 

The one who witnessed with his death

Risen Lord, though we are surrounded by testimonies to your love both in life and in death - help us when it is hard to witness within our families and when it is difficult to speak about you in our communities.

Alleluia. Christ is risen 

He is risen indeed. Alleluia

How do you think you can testify about the Resurrected Christ? How has the Resurrected Christ been a part of your life?

A brother’s love, a kinship shared.

From childhood into older years

Leaves its own mark upon the heart

Surpassing trivial frets the fears.

Such tenderness and kindness trace

A deeper sense of lasting grace.

And so to sibling James appears

His brother Christ, so loved, so dear.

And from that moment here we find

Servant of Christ, of selfless kind.

Daily Devotions

 

Glory to you, O Christ:

by your death you have destroyed death

and by your resurrection you have brought life and immortality to light

Jesus appears to the Five Hundred 

The ones who all saw the Risen Lord at once

1 Corinthians 15:6 says, "After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died".

Five hundred more received the sight

Of Christ, the Risen Lord of light.

The one who taught and healed and blessed

When in their pain they ‘came distressed.

They’d travelled far, they’d heard his claim

Saw miracles they couldn’t explain.

Heard Kingdom come, saw bread of heav’n

 Life eternal, sins forgiven

And so these followers of the way

Have witnessed to this new life day

And in the presence of the king

Their Hallelujahs gladly sing.

Daily Devotions

Glory to you, O Christ:

by your death you have destroyed death

and by your resurrection you have brought life and immortality to light.

Jesus appears to the Seven by the Lake 

The ones who had caught nothing 

Risen Lord, though we long to be labourers in your harvest and partners in your mission - reveal to us the strategies of your kingdom and the accents of your love.

Alleluia. Christ is risen 

He is risen indeed. Alleluia

You might imagine yourself walking on a beach towards a group around a fire. The smell of breakfast is in the air. You realise that it is Jesus and his group of followers. He has been raised from death. As you come near the group, you notice Jesus turns towards you and you hear his invitation, 'Come and have breakfast'. Let that picture guide your prayer today.

 

1 We fished all night, and nothing caught;

Relentless toil, with nothing brought

Into our boat upon the sea

Not one mere morsel, payment, fee.

2 Then on the distant shore we saw

A mystery, a shape, a lure

Of one who called for us to cast

Our nets and pull to shore and moor.

3 Our rope did strain, our nets did bulge

With gunnels topped we gapped amazed.

Then Peter, with a shout did yell,

It is the Lord, praise him he’s raised.

4 So shoreward bound we made our way

And found a charcoal fire ablaze.

There with the master we  partook

And ate a heart felt meal with praise.

5 Lord, at each meal each table spread

May I your living presence know; 

And in the joy of being fed

See love and mercy over flow.

 

Daly Devotions

 

Liturgy Rev’d Norman Wallwork

Artwork and Verse Rev’d Paul Collings

 Glory to you, O Christ:

by your death you have destroyed death

and by your resurrection you have brought life and immortality to light

Jesus appears to the Two on the Road to Emmaus 

 The ones whose eyes were opened 

 

Risen Lord, though we have listened to the stories of your resurrection many times - walk with us on our journey and reveal yourself afresh in the fellowship of word and table.

Alleluia. Christ is risen 

He is risen indeed. Alleluia

This story of shattered hopes and loss of dreams is familiar to us. Jesus’ gentle accompaniment and listening presence enables two downcast disciples to express their story. Only then does he offer them a more life-giving interpretation of recent events. As recognition dawns, their hearts are ablaze.

1 The Highway of heartbreak 

The dirt track of doubt

The weight of each foot step

What is this about?

2 We’d followed the master

Hung on each sweet word

And now its disaster,

“Yet haven’t you heard?”

3 We’re joined by a stranger

Who seemed not to know

Of all that had happened

How we’d been brought low.

4 With wisdom relating

The stranger foretold

Of scriptures revealing

Of truths deep rich gold.

5 Our journey now over

Had come to an end.

The stranger made ready

His own way to wend.

6 We pressed him to join us

Our table to share

A morsel of comfort

Some modest affair.

7 He took bread in blessing

Our hearts then did stir.

It’s him, our dear Master

Our eyes now unblurred.

8 With that he now left us

Our joy now complete

We couldn’t run faster

Disciples to greet.

Daily Devotions

Liturgy by Rev’d Norman Wallwork

Verse and Artwork by 

Rev’d Paul Collings

Glory to you, O Christ:
by your death you have destroyed death

and by your resurrection you have brought life and immortality to light

Jesus appears to Thomas the Twin a week later 

The one who needed proof

Risen Lord, though you reveal yourself in the lives others, we long for you to reveal yourself just as truly to us, that we too may share the good news of your living presence.

Alleluia. Christ is risen 

He is risen indeed. Alleluia

We see that Thomas lacked faith in his brothers and sisters. His independent mindedness refused to accept their word, wanting to reach his own conclusions for himself. If I am to be a Christian I am called to belong to others - to grow in trust of them if I am to grow in faith in God.

1 I am he, I’m the doubter, 

the one wanting proof

Of what they had told me

I need truth, foolproof.

2 I can not believe it,

I cannot conceive,

How Jesus of Nazareth

Dead! Oh how I grieve.

3 Until I see clearly 

The marks in his side

Where cruel armed soldiers

Made sure he had died.

4 Unless I can touch him

The scared wounds to press

With my hands; what anger

I feel, nothing less. 

5 “Oh Thomas my peace know,

Come, here is my side

Reach out, come and touch me

Don’t doubt nor truth hide.

6 Believe now through seeing

Bless those who abide

Who haven’t yet seen me

Without sight to guide.”

7 “My Lord and my Master,

My God” I replied

His peace fills my being

All doubts thrown aside.”

Daily Devotion

 

Liturgy by Rev’d Norman Wallwork

Verse and Artwork by 

Rev’d Paul Collings

Jesus appears to Simon Peter – The one who needed to be forgiven

Risen Lord, though we have denied you, you know that we love you. 

Show us how to feed the needy ones of your flock.

Alleluia. Christ is risen

He is risen indeed. Alleluia

Jesus asked Peter the question three times. Perhaps it was not that he wanted the answer, but he wanted Peter to hear himself profess his love. As we engage in conversation with Jesus in our prayers, he hears us. As we listen to ourselves, we notice what is deep in our hearts.

Do you love me, more than these?

Do you love me, more than these?

Will you love me, when your heart is low,

When you do not know what’s ahead?

Will you love me, when your life seems slow

Though the future now you may dread?

Lord, you must know that I love you,

Yes, you must know I love you.

Though I left your side and your love denied

Though I said that I never knew!

Knew that you alone could change my poor heart

By the love of God found in you.

Feed my sheep friend with my bread,

Feed my lambs friend, in my stead.

Through my love in you, share my word that’s true

For this word I give now to you.

Through my love in you, share my word that’s true

Share this Bread of Life, I give you.

These words come from a musical setting I wrote for the Charisma Youth Choir of St Thomas Methodist Church in 1991, entitled “Bread”. It depicts Jesus meeting Peter after the Resurrection.

Daily Devotions

 

Liturgy by Rev’d Norman Wallwork

Art and verse by Rev’d Paul Collings

Glory to you, O Christ:
by your death you have destroyed death

and by your resurrection you have brought life and immortality to light

Jesus appears to the Ten in the Upper Room – The ones locked away in fear  

Risen Lord, though we are afraid and our fears are real, speak peace to our hearts and breathe upon us the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

Alleluia. Christ is risen 

He is risen indeed. Alleluia

Jesus speaks of peace but shows his hand and his feet: he reminds us that there is a cost to being a presence of peace in the world. We listen to Jesus speaking to us, 'Peace be with you.' May we bring before him those aspects of our lives that are most in need of peace and hear him say again, 'Peace be with you.'

1  Upper room, the table bare

No bread, no wine now here to share.

We’ve heard the news, yet still we fear

No peace of mind, to dry our tears.

2 Then in an instance, light appeared.

Is it a trick that now has neared.

What ghost, what spectre see we now

Disturbing heart and mind, but how?

3 “What is your trouble, doubting minds

Look at my hands, my feet, here find

Reach out and touch, for it is I

No apparition here, no lie.”

4 His hands, his feet his broken side

We saw yet in our hearts denied,

How could the Lord from death be risen

“What food have you, no bread of heav’n?”

5 We gave, he ate and once again

He shared the word and made it plain.

All we had heard, seemed new to tell

How all things preached were planned as well.

6 “The suffering, the third day rise

Repentance sure, forgiveness wise

Were written for the world to know

And  you my witnesses will go.

7 Jerusalem’s where you will start

And then from there you will embark

As witnesses to human kind

Across the world to seek and find.

8 I now must to my Father go

That you a comforter may know,

One to strengthen to make things plain.

So wait just now and here remain.