A royal anointing
On Saturday, King Charles III will be anointed. In the UK, anointing monarchs with oil probably began with King Edgar’s coronation in 973. But much earlier than that, the Old Testament describes the royal anointing of Saul, David, Solomon and Jehu. So what might this ancient sacrament mean?
First, it indicates that King Charles is being set apart for a particular purpose and, like Jesus himself, whose very title ‘Messiah/Christ’ means ‘anointed one’, that he’ll be set apart not to be served but to serve. As Archbishop Justin makes the sign of the cross in oil on the new king’s hands, chest and head, the sacredness of this calling will be underlined. But in this intimate moment we find too a promise of divine nurture. As the Holy Spirit is invited, the soothing balm on his skin will also reassure him that, though human and fragile, he is not alone but held close by God for the task ahead.
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Pilgrim
At a time when there is an almost constant swirl of competing voices and opinions around us, we are required to do the hard work of discerning which of these voices should be listened to.
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A godmother’s nurture
Ruth Vaughan, church warden at Christ Church, Eaton, has four god-children. It’s a while since their baptisms and they’re now young adults but, as well as praying for them, she still does her best to be a nurturing Christian presence in their lives.
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Christian Aid Week
Christian Aid exists to create a world where everyone can live a full life, free from poverty. Sometimes, overseas projects and appeals may seem too far away or even difficult to relate to. But we are called to nurture our neighbours overseas, to care for and protect them as part of a global family, loved by God and made in his image.
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Being part of something beautiful
How do you make the most of the opportunities around preparing for marriage, both in practical aspects and in exploring the self-giving and on-going love of the Lord Jesus Christ?
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Encouraged to step out in prayer
“When I was asked to lead the prayers, I was horrified” says Eddie, member of St Helen’s, Costessey. “Was I afraid of getting it wrong? Was I too comfortable with reduced responsibility? Hearing that it was to help more men be involved in prayer challenged me.
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Eco Church journey
“Starting the journey may seem daunting,” says John Greenaway, Earlham parish’s Eco Church co-ordinator, “but the secret is to take things step by step.
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Faith in the family
Supporting the faith of children in the home can be challenging. The Revd Tony Heywood shares what he does with his family: -
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Take my yoke upon you…
People face many challenges as they adjust to a terminal illness. Chaplains work within the team of hospice specialists who assist people to live as well as they can by managing symptoms, offering spiritual and emotional support and promoting the best possible quality of life.
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Nurturing the whole person
WarmSpaces are sadly now commonplace and when All Saints’ Mundesley set up theirs, the focus was initially on providing food and warmth with a free hot two-course meal, aimed particularly at families.
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A nurturing environment for growth
“I wanted to offer something last year to mark the ‘Prayerful’ focus of the Diocesan Vision,” writes Eleanor Langan, Rector of St Helen’s, Norwich and Chaplain of The Great Hospital, “so I invited Susanna Gunner to lead her “Pondering Prayer” morning here.
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