It was a pleasure, recently, to support 4 people from this Parish, as they were confirmed by Bishop Lynne Cullens, the Bishop of Barking, at St Giles and All Saints Church on Sunday 23rd July. Katie, Kelly, Lorraine and Taylor made their profession of faith along with 15 others from Thurrock Deanery.
It is always a privilege, as a Christian minister, to see people grow in their faith. and help them on that journey.
You may not be aware that we have Action Groups in our Parish, each with a different focus. One of these groups thinks about Mission, Evangelism and Nurture. It was this group that organised the Alpha Course that we did last year. One of the things that we discussed recently was how to encourage people to engage with God in their daily lives. We are all different. Some of us like to read; others of us prefer to use technology; some of us like to be moving or doing something physical as we learn.
We are fortunate that there are now many ways through which we can connect with the Bible and engage with God and I thought it might be helpful to share some which have been recommended by various people in the Parish.
For those who like to read, the following Bible Guides give daily Bible passages to read with a short commentary: (click the underlined titles to go to each website)
Guidelines gives 4 months of daily Bible Readings with a short commentary about each passage.
Daily Bread is another booklet with 4 months of daily Bible Readings.
Every Day with Jesus. This is free and can be accessed on paper or electronically.
If you want to try to read the Bible in a Year, it is a good idea to choose a version which breaks it down into chunks with a commentary. A good one is,
For those who like technology, one of the following apps may be useful:
Pray as you go. This is an app which offers a daily meditation with music and a Bible passage from the Jesuit tradition. Each day’s meditation and reading lasts approximately 15 minutes with the opportunity for more in depth reflection if you would like. This app is free.
Lectio 365 is another app which offers Bible study based around:
P:ause to be still.
R:ejoice with a Psalm and R:eflect on Scripture.
A:sk for God’s help
Y:ield to His will in your life.
Youversion is another similar Bible app.
You may need to try a few to find out what works best for you. If anyone uses something different which you think others might find helpful. Please do let me know.
Take care and God bless,
Sue