From Revd John Davies, vicar of Clapham with Keasden and Austwick with Eldroth in the Diocese of Leeds. Prayers and reflections from the Churches Weekly Newsletter in a time of the coronavirus: 23 May 2021, Pentecost.

Featuring Morning has broken, Eleanor Farjeon, 1931, Performed by Aled Jones from One Voice: Believe, 2017; O Spirit of the Living God, Henry Hallam Tweedy, 1935, Performed by Audrey Assad from Fortunate Fall, 2013; and O for a thousand tongues to sing, Charles Wesley, 1739, Performed by The St. Michael's Singers from The Best Hymns Album In the World…Ever!, 2007.

Including my reflection for the day 'Speaking in other tongues: a way to right wrongs', also available with all my talks at bit.ly/johndavies-talks.

From Revd John Davies, vicar of Clapham with Keasden and Austwick with Eldroth in the Diocese of Leeds. Prayers and reflections from the Churches Weekly Newsletter in a time of the coronavirus: 16 May 2021, The Seventh Sunday of Easter, the Sunday after Ascension.

Featuring 'At the Name of Jesus', Caroline Noel, 1870, Performed by Swansea Gospel Male Voice Choir from Various Artists: Hymn Makers Gold, 2019; 'Christ, Whose Glory Fills the Skies', Charles Wesley, 1740, Performed by The Choral Arts Society of Washington, J. Reilly Lewis & Scott Tucker from Lift Up Your Voice: Hymns of Charles Wesley, 2015, and 'Clap your hands all you nations', Psalm 47 arranged by John L. Bell, 1993, Performed by The Iona Community from Psalms Of Patience, Protest, and Praise, 1993.

Including my reflection for the day 'We are One? The call to be strong and benign', also available with all my talks at bit.ly/johndavies-talks.

A year ago there was a firm feeling that “We are One”, as we stood together outside on a Thursday applauding our NHS ‘heroes’ at the height of that period in time when we were truly dedicated to keeping to the Covid rules and protecting each other for each other’s sake. But as we’ve since found, unity of that sort is hard to sustain. Self-interest, self-assertion is back: being our brother’s keeper went out of fashion sometime well before last Christmas.

How can we work towards unity despite all our differences? An important question for a church whose debates on issues such as same-sex marriage might sadly still be accurately described in the century-old words of WB Yeats: ‘The best lack all conviction, while the worst Are full of passionate intensity.’ Is it possible to be strong in our convictions whilst benevolent in our attitude towards those with whom we differ?

A talk for The Seventh Sunday of Easter, 16 May 2021. 

Find the text to this and all my talks at bit.ly/johndavies-talks.

Leaving a loved one at the new school gates; the butterfly's lament; and other scenarios each leading to the refrain:

There's joy, and a promise of new life from God

That comes after saying 'goodbye'.

The full text of this poem in the context of my Ascension Day talk for 2021, can be found on my website here.

A talk from Christian Aid's 2021 climate justice campaign focussing on the story of Rose, a villager in Kitui county, eastern Kenya, where 8 out of 10 people depend on water to grow crops, for food and to earn a living, but many are without a reliable water source.

A talk for The Sixth Sunday of Easter, 2 May 2021, the start of Christian Aid Week.

Find the text to this and all my talks at bit.ly/johndavies-talks.

From Revd John Davies, vicar of Clapham with Keasden and Austwick with Eldroth in the Diocese of Leeds. Prayers and reflections from the Churches Weekly Newsletter in a time of the coronavirus: 9 May 2021, The Sixth Sunday of Easter and the start of Christian Aid Week

Featuring 'For the beauty of the earth' by Folliott Sandford Pierpoint (1864), performed by Joslin Grove Choral Society from 100 Best Loved Hymns, 2004; 'If the fields are parched', Written and performed by Chris Juby from Resound Worship: Doxecology, 2020; and 'You shall top out with joy', N.T. Wright, performed by Sound of Worship from Top 20 Children's Hymns and Songs (Sing-Along), 2014.

Including my reflection for the day “How can we withhold the water?”, a talk from Christian Aid's 2021 climate justice campaign, also available with all my talks at bit.ly/johndavies-talks.

“How can I understand, unless someone guides me?”

The words of the Ethiopian eunuch on the road to Gaza: making connections between Isaiah's 'suffering servant' and himself. This exchange between Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch, so many years ago, feels contemporary in the way it speaks of justice, renewal and redemption to people in our society whose life experience is one of humiliation and injustice, those who get treated as outsiders and are searching for affirmation and hope.

A talk for The Fifth Sunday of Easter, 2 May 2021. Featuring Nina Simone performing 'Take me to the water' from High Priestess Of Soul, 1967

Find the text to this and all my talks at bit.ly/johndavies-talks.

From Revd John Davies, vicar of Clapham with Keasden and Austwick with Eldroth in the Diocese of Leeds. Prayers and reflections from the Churches Weekly Newsletter in a time of the coronavirus: 2 May 2021, The Fifth Sunday of Easter.

Featuring 'All creatures of our God and King', St. Francis of Assisi (paraphraser: William H. Draper), performed by Keith & Kristyn Getty from Getty Kids Hymnal: Family Hymn Sing, 2018; 'Take me to the water', Traditional African-American spiritual performed by Nina Simone from High Priestess Of Soul, 1967; and 'Christ, Be Our Light, Bernadette Farrell, performed by Bernadette Farrell, Frank Brownstead & Frank Brownstead Choir from Christ Be Our Light, 1994.

Including my reflection for the day “How can I understand, unless someone guides me?”, also available with all my talks at bit.ly/johndavies-talks.

From Revd John Davies, vicar of Clapham with Keasden and Austwick with Eldroth in the Diocese of Leeds. Prayers and reflections from the Churches Weekly Newsletter in a time of the coronavirus: 25 April 2021, The Fourth Sunday of Easter.

Featuring 'O praise ye the Lord!' (Charles Hubert Hastings Parry, Henry Williams Baker) performed by Christopher Stokes, Huddersfield Choral Society & Gregory Batsleer from the collection ‘The Hymns Album, Vol. 2’, 2019; 'The Lord Is My Shepherd - Psalm 23' (Setting: Howard Goodall) performed by Howard Goodall, Enchanted Voices & Tippett Quartet from the collection ‘Pelican in the Wilderness (Songs from the Psalms)’, 2010; 'The King of love my Shepherd is' (Henry Williams Baker, 1868) performed by Utah State University Chorale, Cory Evans, Ellie Evans, Amelia Merkley & Jeremy Adriano. Single: 2019.

Including my reflection for the day 'The sheep of every fold', also available with all my talks at bit.ly/johndavies-talks.

What makes a good shepherd? When I asked a local farmer that question he replied, “A well serviced quad bike and a really good faithful collie.” There's also the gifts of character and dedication which the farmer brings to their task. Jesus's take on shepherding is characteristically surprising, reversing the normal practice by saying that "the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep", and saying that “I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice.” What does that mean and how does that impact on us in our globalised but tribal world?

A talk for The Fourth Sunday of Easter, 25 April 2021.

Find the text to this and all my talks at bit.ly/johndavies-talks.