I hope you are well, this week we are meeting at the Cullercoats Crescent Club, upstairs in the front lounge from 8.00pm, If you are able to join us you would be very welcome!
This week we are thinking about Anna, you can read about her in Luke 2: 36-38 She was no spring chicken, but she prayed and she fasted, and she recognised Jesus as soon as she saw him, the Greek word used by Luke suggests recognition, intuition. She ‘sees’ what others cannot. This is really interesting as it begs all kinds of questions…
What strikes you about this reading?
How do you feel about praying and fasting?
In what ways do you have a strong sense of intuition, or not!?
If you were looking for Jesus in others, what would you be looking for?
Where have you seen Jesus in the people you have met this week?
Rob Wylie is the founder of BeachcomberFX and guides its leadership team. He has worked in the North East for over 20 years and has vast experience from various roles he has held. He has a passion for Fresh Expressions of Church and Pioneer Ministry as well as beer, beaches and Miniature Schnauzers.
Hi folks, i hope you are doing ok, and that the Christmas season isn’t keeping you from some space for reflection and peace. This week we are meeting at the Kittiwake from 8.00pm if you are free and want to join us.
I’ve been in Newcastle a fair bit over the last few weeks, and it’s been interesting to note a few things… The Christmas markets are up and people are swarming around them, most people are just browsing, but some folks are buying bits and pieces. Interspersed with this is the families that are waiting in line to see Fenwicks’ window, then you have other shops with their Christmas display windows and the numerous folks scurrying around… it’s getting busier by the day!
And then if you look beyond the busyness and the lights and hustle and bustle scattered around the streets of the city and almost out of sight are the Big Issue sellers and those who have all kinds of mental health problems and various addictions blending into the paths and walls.
I am also aware of people who are waiting for scans and test results, and those who have lost loved ones this year, or those whoes loss was some time ago, but yet remains raw. I’m also reminded that the social pressure to ‘have fun’ impacts on many people who face mental health problems each day of the week, all year round and at this time of year, it can ramp up these anxieties tenfold!
This year we are thinking in some of the work I do about ‘Blue Christmas’ – this reminds us that for some Christmas is a dark and difficult time. I write this post not to be a downer on Christmas, but to point to the reality of our world and to encourage us to be kind to one another… we don’t really know what people are really feeling.
I’m reminded of the Christian message of Christmas, that God is with us… in it all… even when we don’t feel it or know it… ‘Immanuel God with us’… let us try to recognise ‘God with us’ as we go about our planning, and as we meet the stranger and the friend.
Some questions to think about –
Favourite Christmas film?
What does Christmas feel like for you?
If you could dream a new dream for Christmas what would it look like?
How can you recognise that ‘God is with you’ as you go about your preparations?
Rob Wylie is the founder of BeachcomberFX and guides its leadership team. He has worked in the North East for over 20 years and has vast experience from various roles he has held. He has a passion for Fresh Expressions of Church and Pioneer Ministry as well as beer, beaches and Miniature Schnauzers.
Hi folks, this week we are meeting at the Kittiwake, if you are free it would be great to see you!
As someone who struggles with anxiety and depression I am grateful to those around me who encourage me to keep going when I feel overwhelmed. Those who remind me of my worth and that I am loved. I started listening to the bible app PAYG (pray as you go) on my phone again this week and felt encouraged to hear that I am chosen by God, called and have a purpose. That I am cared about in such a way that even the hairs on my head are counted. I’ve been listening to it while walking our dog, Ruby, in the mornings and have enjoyed noticing the changing autumn colours around me. This photo I took recently reminds me to look up when I feel I’m walking in the darkness. Day follows night, difficult times don’t last forever. The light is coming and will highlight the beauty and colour around me soon. I’ve spent a couple of times counting my blessings too, reminding myself that I am blessed to have a loving husband, a roof over my head, a new day to live, health, friends….it’s helped put me in a more positive mind.
To ponder….add to the comments at bottom of this blog and or bring with you:
1 A film that you go to when you feel down and how it helps. 2 A piece of music or a song that is significant or helpful to you at these times? 3 A verse in the bible, or elsewhere, that you find comforting / uplifting that you could share with the group? On Sunday night:
Discuss the 3 suggestions above. Then, in small groups write down a list of things we can be thankful for. (Someone will add our list after the session on Sunday night)
Angela is born and bred in the North East she loves working alongside and supporting vulnerable young adults. She also has a love of motorbikes, walking Ruby (that’s her dog) at the coast and eating cake.
Hi folks, I hope you are all ok, this week we are meeting in two places! For those of us going in to Newcastle to see Harry and Chris we will meet somewhere afterwards to chat, but there will also be a group meeting at Cullercoats Crescent Club at 8.00pm, in the upstairs front lounge.
Last week I was on a coaching course and we watched this video about awareness, this got me thinking about how aware I am of those around me and the situation and places that I inhabit, do I spot the verbal and visual signs when people are struggling? Do I notice the subtle changes in society or in our churches, am I aware of God at work in the world…
Have a watch of the video and see if you can spot the differences in it…
How many did you spot?
How aware are you?
What subtle changes have you noticed in society?
Where have you seen God at work this week in unexpected ways?
Rob Wylie is the founder of BeachcomberFX and guides its leadership team. He has worked in the North East for over 20 years and has vast experience from various roles he has held. He has a passion for Fresh Expressions of Church and Pioneer Ministry as well as beer, beaches and Miniature Schnauzers.
Hi folks, This week we are meeting at 8.00pm in the Kittiwake in Whitley Bay, if you are able to join us.
Remembrance Sunday
WARNING! – this post discusses death.
At this time, when nations are remembering those who died during the wars, I have been thinking about how we deal with death. I freely admit that death is something I struggle to deal with myself. I avoid funerals if I can and have often cried over the death of people I don’t know very well. I feel a deep sense of loss with death, even as a Christian and having been brought up with the belief in heaven and an afterlife.
Please watch this 2 minute animation.
So what does the clip say to you?
I accept this is meant for young children, however, does it say anything more than a nice animation about a cute rabbit? Does it tell the whole story? Where are the soldiers? If this is meant to explain the reason behind the poppies and remembrance Sunday, has it been sterilisedtoo much? Are we shielding the next generation too much? Do we risk repeating the mistakes of previous generations by hiding them?
Death was always a close neighbour during previous generations. Illness, poor sanitation, early childhood diseases, poor working conditions…the list goes on of reasons behind the prevalence of death in communities. I am sure, like me, you have watched documentaries about how other communities deal with death. Some making a huge celebration of the life lived; some hold on to the body far longer than we are used to (up to a whole year in one community I watched!); some seemingly dealing with it and moving on very quickly. Last Sunday in the group I was part of, we talked about some of our own communities who still have the dead person in an open coffin at home before the funeral, for family to see and say goodbye to.
Perhaps it is because of how many families were touched by death in the world wars and how horrific it must have been to live through those times, that generations following have been shielded, or shielded their own children, from the full reality of death. Think of the words that we use – “passed away”, “gone home”, “lost”…….. to a young child these words do not really speak of the reality of what has happened and can leave some doubt or misunderstanding, particularly if they never see the dead body. Having pets and the inevitability of their demise after a relatively short time, can help with an understanding of what it is to “loose” someone close.
And then what? After we die what is there to look forward to, or is that it? Does or should, your belief of what happens next, shape the way you live your life?
Now please watch this trailer. It really comes alive with the addition of colour don’t you think?
I hope some of my rambling has been helpful or just encourages you to have a conversation about death.
Angela is born and bred in the North East she loves working alongside and supporting vulnerable young adults. She also has a love of motorbikes, walking Ruby (that’s her dog) at the coast and eating cake.
Hi folks, I hope you folks are doing ok, and that you are coping with one less hour of daylight! This week we are meeting at the Crescent Club at 8.00pm if you are around and want to join us, we meet upstairs in the front room overlooking the harbour. This weeks guest blog is from Karen Morley.
I’d like to have a (friendly?!) debate about Halloween.
It’s something I struggle with more and more as the years go by. Initially we didn’t engage with it at all. Christians don’t celebrate Halloween. The last three years or so we’ve carved a pumpkin with a heart and given out sweeties to callers. Sometimes I’ve thought we should perhaps add a message (I know Eva does, and it was well received).
Last night I happened to be out at the same time as the Trick or Treaters. This is what I saw:
A father and young daughter skipping hand in hand in costume having a special time together.
People standing on their doorsteps and engaging with their community.
Mum’s hovering in the background making sure everyone was safe.
People having fun.
People, who at least to the outward appearance, “living life in all it’s fullness”. Hang on! Isn’t that our job?
Meanwhile, while everyone was out celebrating, my children stayed home. Because, someone has to be in to bless those who visit us, right?
Some questions.
What is your experience of halloween?
What REALLY is Halloween celebrating?
What do you know about the festival of Samhain?
What do you think the church should do with halloween?
This post is written by one of our many friends. At BeachcomberFX we love to hear what others have to say and are always on the lookout for people who want to share their thoughts or stories with us.
Hi folks, I hope you are doing ok? This week we are meeting at the Kittiwake at 8.00pm, it would be lovely to see you if you are able.
This week I want to talk about the trees! Psalm 1 talks about the trees like this, it says that we are ‘like trees planted by a stream of water that bears fruit in season’. At our last walking pilgrimage we had the opportunity to walk through the trees along the side of the river, it was beautiful. The leaves, changing colour as the autumn season starts to take hold, the water running by, and along the way we saw a tree which had fallen showing us some of its root and another tree that had come down that we had to go under… so nature and the trees move to their season of dormancy while the constant flow of water runs past, that in due time will bring forth life again. Here we have a scene of life and death in contrast with each other.
This passage also reminds us that we walk in this sense of life and death, the challenge for us is to be people that bring forth life and hope. It seems to me that there is a sense of stewardship in this passage, yes of course to the created order and how we look after the planet, but also wider than that, does it not challenge us to think about the way we relate to each other and even to ourselves. So some questions to ponder…
Have you ever hugged a tree?
How do you feel about autumn?
What words or phrases connect with you in this Psalm?
How does this sense of stewardship challenge you to relate to nature, others and yourself?
Rob Wylie is the founder of BeachcomberFX and guides its leadership team. He has worked in the North East for over 20 years and has vast experience from various roles he has held. He has a passion for Fresh Expressions of Church and Pioneer Ministry as well as beer, beaches and Miniature Schnauzers.
In the past I have led lots of weekends away for young people. They were always memorable times of building faith and encouraging friendships, as well as being loads of fun!
I have just come back from a rather different weekend away with a great bunch of folk who are part of several groups of people with whom my wife and I connect, the main group being Sunday@thepub.
It feels like we have been building up to this weekend for a while now and it just felt that now was the right time. I have been wanting to explore a deeper sense of community than we can find when we meet on a Sunday night in the local pubs that have become our ‘church buildings’. These are great spaces to create community, but we have limited time to develop them.
Because of the diversity of the group and the fact that not everyone comes on a Sunday night it was important to allow people the chance to feel part of the group but to keep some of the elements of what we are about on a Sunday night and to explore some elements of corporate worship and discussion.
There were many highlights about the weekend, opportunities to share in small groups, to walk together, to have space to be alone and relax together. We allowed space for worship encounters through liturgy from various sources, as well as through creating stations for people to wander around, a community space for discussion and dialogue about ‘rules of life’ and the things that we do that we consider to be ritualistic.
A table of hospitality
The main highlights for me were eating together around a huge table… it brought to mind the last supper as we sat around the table, eating, drinking, laughing, sharing conversation. There was something Holy about those moments. As I have thought about it I have imagined Jesus doing the same kind of thing with his friends, I have imagined him eating and drinking with all kinds of people some of which were the wrong people in the eyes of the religious leaders.
New Testament scholar Robert Karris says this ‘In Luke’s Gospel Jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming from a meal’. I love this idea, meals are about welcome, they speak of friendship, generosity, and dependance on others who have prepared the food and they embody God’s grace and enact mission by their very nature.
Compassion created from stones
Another highlight was our walks, we would stop and pause along the way at various times for a reflection, we would choose to sometimes walk with others and sometimes to walk alone, we had the opportunity to play on the beach and to drink in the surroundings. All of these experiences are about connection, connection with others, with ourselves, with nature and of course with God. There is also a rhythm to walking which can help in understanding these connections in a deeper way, each step an opportunity, a reminder of the simple things that God can so often speak into.
This was our first weekend away, but I doubt it will be our last!
Rob Wylie is the founder of BeachcomberFX and guides its leadership team. He has worked in the North East for over 20 years and has vast experience from various roles he has held. He has a passion for Fresh Expressions of Church and Pioneer Ministry as well as beer, beaches and Miniature Schnauzers.
As I look out of the window of my office this morning, once again its another foggy day in the North East, in the midst of the fog of changing times when faith communities are grappling with issues of human sexuality, poverty and a whole host of other issues, many churches are asking the question… what are we about… I think that many followers of Jesus are asking similar questions, with these thoughts comes a question… what is it to be a faith community in this world? and what is it to be a follower of Jesus? Check out this video of a new church in the states that have developed something a little different… How is the faith community being developed here? What lessons can we learn?
This weeks sunday@thepub will be meeting in Ye Old Ship Inn, Monkseaton at 8.30pm, it would be great to see you if you are able. Also please note the change to our regular date for our next quiz night is next Sunday 13th… meeting at the Crescent Club Cullercoats. Tomorrow morning (3rd April) we have next lent wanderer pilgrimage meeting at 9.00 in the Methodist Church car park at Seaton Sluice and walking to North Shields.
Also, the 13th is our final lent pilgrimage from North Shields fish quay car park to Seaton Sluice, meeting at 2.00pm.
Rob Wylie is the founder of BeachcomberFX and guides its leadership team. He has worked in the North East for over 20 years and has vast experience from various roles he has held. He has a passion for Fresh Expressions of Church and Pioneer Ministry as well as beer, beaches and Miniature Schnauzers.
This weeks Sunday@thePub is all about curry! We are meeting earlier at 7.30 at Shikara to eat together… If you would like to join us then why not message me? It would be great to have you with us…
Our next wanderer pilgrimage is on Sunday 30th March meeting at 2.00pm at North Shields Fish Quay car park by the large blue buoys.
This weeks reflection comes from scripture, check out Psalm 23 it’s a classic Psalm and I suppose over the years you may have read it many times. But today as we journey through Lent, I wonder what phrases and themes challenge you? As I read this Psalm I’m reminded to think about the pain and suffering of the loved ones left behind in the shadow of Malaysia flight MH370 or the anxious thoughts of those in the Crimea. You can probably bring your own concerns to mind. It is tough to get your head around how ‘God is with us’ when faced with such tragedy and pain… I wonder what your experience tells you?
I pray that as we continue our lent journey that we may see the signs that God is with us and even when we don’t see or experience it, let us lean on the ones who may be able to see and experience it for us so they can comfort us, may they be the hands of God to us in times of loss and hardship.
Rob Wylie is the founder of BeachcomberFX and guides its leadership team. He has worked in the North East for over 20 years and has vast experience from various roles he has held. He has a passion for Fresh Expressions of Church and Pioneer Ministry as well as beer, beaches and Miniature Schnauzers.
