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Holy Trinity Discussion with Gazing Prayer Cards
The Holy Trinity Gazing Prayers are a set of 10 postcards, each showing a different image of the Holy Trinity in art. These can be used in any number of ways for prayer, discussion or as a basis for a reflection of led meditation. The file below (in both word and PDF formats) contains a…
Face to Face with Jesus Resurrected
Face to Face with Jesus is a pack of 40 postcards, portraying images of Jesus Christ from through the ages and around the world. The pack includes 6 images of the resurrected Christ, before his Ascension. These could be used in a number of ways during Easter Season, for prayer, discussion or as a basis…
Face to Face with Jesus in Holy Week
Face to Face with Jesus is a pack of 40 postcards, portraying images of Jesus Christ from through the ages and around the world. The pack includes 10 images of Christ’s Passion. These could be used in a number of ways during Holy Week, for prayer, discussion or as a basis for a reflection or…
Making Meaning Together
A friend recently came and joined us for worship at St Clare’s, and was intrigued by the ‘shared sermon’, created together by all the community. She had some questions for us, so Naomi and I sat down and had a conversation about how we make meaning together at St Clare’s. This is (roughly) a transcript…
Scratch Away Prayers
If you need a really simple and effective prayer idea that people of all ages will be able to engage with, then this is it. What you need: A pack of rainbow scratch art sheets, with enough for everyone to have one. We used A5 sheets from Amazon, but they come in all sorts of…
Lent, Day 40 (Holy Saturday)
The Descent into Sheol, Ethiopian Orthodox, c 1800 Christ’s descent into sheol is referred to in the Apostles’ Creed (he descended to the dead). 1 Peter 4:6 states: “good tidings were proclaimed to the dead”. Traditionally this descent is commemorated on Holy Saturday. Here we see Jesus rescusing Adam and Eve from the world of…
Lent, Day 39 (Good Friday)
Jesus Christ, Joseph Paelinck, 1781-1839 In this image of Jesus on the cross, there is nothing but him. No cross of nails, no clothes, no other people, barely the outline of the cross itself. Just Jesus, giving of himself for the world he created and loved. Just Jesus, refusing to the last to respond to…
Lent, Day 38 (Maundy Thursday)
Last Supper, Christ and St John, Chinese School, 18th Century When we think of the disciples sleeping on Maundy Thursday, its in the garden of Gethsemane, unable to stay awake, as Jesus prays. But here we see John asleep at the table, exhausted no doubt from a long week, and a long evening of food,…
Lent, Day 37 (Wednesday of Holy Week)
Searching for the Historical Christ, photorealistic illustration generated using AI by Joshua. What are the words that come to mind when you look at this image of Jesus? Strength? Calm? Centredness? Determination? Something else? As we prepare again to hear the story of Christ’s passion, of the injustice, the betrayal, and the suffering that he…
Lent, Day 36 (Tuesday of Holy Week)
Jesus by Eileen DiGiacomo (USA) It took me a while to notice that in this image Jesus bears the crown of thorns and blood drips down his forehead. Unsurprising then that he looks so sorrowful. But notice also the background. Are these the words of the law and the prophets? The words that he has…
Lent, Day 35 (Monday of Holy Week)
The Sermon on the Mount This image of Jesus delivering the sermon on the mount is full of life and energy and movement. It reminds us that Christ’s teaching isn’t something static, an unchanging set of rules to be slavishly followed. No, Christ calls us to life, and life in all its fullness. He calls…
Lent, Day 34 (Saturday)
Risen Christ, Olugbemi Moronfolu, 2023 This gorgeous, almost ethereal image of the resurrected Jesus, was created by a member of St Clare’s in one sitting. She was determined not to overthink it, and that gives it a sense of lightness and movement which I love. It makes me think of the final verse of the…
Lent, Day 33 (Friday)
Cristo Negro (Black Christ) Ruizanglada, 2014 Black lives matter. This picture of Jesus, beaten and broken, his head bowed, speaks to me of the intolerable injustice that people of colour continue to endure. Today we pray for all those who suffer from discrimination, prejudice, oppression, poverty, ill health or any kind of harm, simply because…
Lent, Day 32 (Thursday)
Christ’s embrace A very sensible friend, not given to flights of fancy told me how once, when she was having a really difficult time, she arrived at church, and just sat and bowed her head and cried. As she sat there, someone came up behind her and wrapped their arms around her. She didn’t need…
Lent, Day 31 (Wednesday)
Jesus by Jo Justino (Brazil) Images of Jesus so often portray him looking serious, thoughtful, or in pain. Images of him smiling, or looking at ease with the world are harder to find. In this image Jesus looks directly at us, with a gentle smile on his face. Know that this is how Jesus looks…
Lent, Day 30 (Tuesday)
Christ, the Good Shepherd Spring is in the air! As we move through Lent, the closer we come to Easter, the more the world around us (well, those of us in the northern hemisphere) is transformed. Spring flowers emerge, the birds are singing, the trees are covered in blossom, lambs frolic in the fields. Jesus…
Lent, Day 29 (Monday)
Madonna and Christ, Wassily Kandinsky, 1917 This exquisite image of Mary and the Christ Child is one of Kandinsky’s glass paintings. It is small, just 21 cm high and very fragile. You can clearly see where the glass has cracked. The crack runs through the face of Jesus. It seems to me to add to…
Lent, Day 28 (Saturday)
Lord, stay with us, Rufus46, 2011 As you come to the end of the 5th week of Lent journey, you may be weary. The Lenten disciplines that you set yourself may feel hard to sustain, or you may not have managed to keep them going. This image of the two disciples walking with Jesus on…
Lent, Day 27 (Friday)
Crucified Christ, Wassily Kandinsky, 1911 This painting by Kandinsky, inspired by Bavarian Folk Art is a riot of colour and movement. There’s a pink sun and blue mountains. St George, dressed in bright yellow, is seen riding across the scene at the foot of the cross. Beams of light shoot out from the head of…
Lent, Day 26 (Thursday)
Jesus Like Me, by Hannah-Rebecca Eldritch, 2023 Black women are some of the most oppressed and marginalised people in our society and our world. And so it seems right that we should see the face of Christ in their image, and their image in the face of Christ. This painting by a member of the…
Lent, Day 25 (Wednesday)
Face of Christ, After a woodcut by Hans Sebald Beham This image is nothing more than black lines on a white background. And yet there is nothing ‘black and white’ about it. This picture, and Jesus’ eyes in particular, convey so much emotion. As you look at Jesus as he is portrayed here, what emotions…
Lent, Day 24 (Tuesday)
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, AI by Visionarily The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.He makes me lie down in green pastures;he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.He leads me in right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil;for you are…
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