Letters from Revd Stephen Buckman
Dear Friends in Christ, In the next week I will be leading seven carol services across our benefice. I will be helping our schools understand the meaning of Christmas and the importance of gathering in church to hear the story and to sing the carols. I will be joining with four of the communities we…Continue readingLetter to parishioners, 10 December 2022
Dear Friends in Christ, This Sunday we will hear the great proclamation of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-10). We will hear of the long foretold voice of one crying out in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.’ The herald of Jesus will step forth with a baptism of water, a message of repentance…Continue readingLetter to parishioners, 3 December 2022
Dear Friends in Christ, A Happy New Year to you all! No, I have not become confused, and neither have I forgotten that the 1st January 2023 is still thirty- five days away. Sunday, 27th November is the First Sunday of Advent, and it is the beginning of the new liturgical year. So, I say again, a…Continue readingLetter to parishioners, 27 November 2022
Dear Friends in Christ, This Sunday is the Festival of Christ the King, the last Sunday in the Church’s year. Next week our journey from the proclamation of John the Baptist through to the Crucifixion, the Resurrection and the Ascension of Jesus will begin once again. But, this week we are invited to pause and…Continue readingLetter to parishioners, 18 November 2022
Dear Friends in Christ, This is a weekend of remembrance. Yesterday morning people across the country paused for two minutes of silence as those who have died in the service of this country were honoured. In both of our schools I have led times of reflection on the theme of remembrance and, yesterday, they came…Continue readingLetter to parishioners, 12 November 2022
Dear Friends in Christ, In Sunday’s reading from Luke’s gospel we will hear Jesus’ words: … he is God not of the dead, but of the living. The Church is now journeying through the Kingdom season, the time which takes us from our celebration of All Saints, through the Commemoration of the Faithful Departed and Remembrance Sunday, up…Continue readingLetter to parishioners, 4 November 2022
Dear Friends in Christ, This week’s gospel reading recounts the Parable of the Unjust Judge (Luke 18:1-8). In this short parable Jesus speaks of a widow who was seeking justice from a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. Too often, when reflecting upon this passage we focus on the actions of the judge. Otherwise…Continue readingLetter to parishioners, 15 October 2022
Friday, 7 October 2022 Dear Friends in Christ, In our readings this Sunday we are being invited to reflect upon the ways in which we receive the generosity of others, and how our gratitude reflects the sincerity of our faith in God. In our reading from the Old Testament (2 Kings 5.1-3, 7-15) we hear of Naaman,…Continue readingLetter to parishioners, 7 October 2022
Dear Friends in Christ, This week we are continuing our celebrations of Harvest. By the end of Sunday there will have been four such times of celebration and thanksgiving, times in which everyone in our rural communities will have been able to gather and give thanks for God’s generosity and love for us all. However,…Continue readingLetter to parishioners, 1 October 2022
Saturday, 24 September 2022 Dear Friends in Christ, As is so often the case following some momentous moment that causes us to change our normal daily routines, Tuesday, 20th September saw us shaking off the mantle of national mourning and going back to the busyness with which we occupy our daily lives. Shops reopened, politicians returned…Continue readingLetter to parishioners, 24 September 2022
A reflection on the life and service of our late Queen Elizabeth II, and the source of her inspiration, consolation and strengthContinue readingLetter to parishioners, 16 September 2022
Listen to a reflection for DEL Week 14: Wednesday, 6 July 2022, on Matthew 10.1-7Continue readingReflection on Matthew 10.1-7 (Week 14: Wednesday)
Read a letter to parishioners from Revd Stephen reflecting on the gospel readings for Sunday 3 July 2022Continue readingLetter to parishioners, 2 July 2022
Saturday, 25 June 2022 Dear Friends in Christ, Last week we heard of the people of the Gerasenes asking Jesus to leave them alone. This week we will hear of a village of the Samaritans refusing to welcome him. Both of these readings from the gospel narrative remind us of the role we are called…Continue readingLetter to parishioners, 25 June 2022