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.

Nancy Eiesland was born with a congenital bone defect in her hips. By the time she was 13 years old, she had had eleven operations, and realised that pain was always going to be with her. She was a Christian; and as she matured she developed a remarkable ‘take’ on her faith and destiny. She said that she hoped that when she went to heaven she would still be disabled. Her conception of the risen, wounded Jesus as being 'The Disabled God' opens up new opportunities for our understanding of the divine, and our own human condition.

A talk for The Third Sunday of Easter, 18 April 2021.

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: 18 April 2021, The Third Sunday of Easter.

Featuring 'My song is love unknown' (Samuel Crossman, 1664), performed by the Easter Hymns Band from ‘20 Favourite Easter Hymns’ (2005), and 'The Servant King' (Graham Kendrick, 1983), performed by The London Fox Choir from ‘Mother's 50 Favourite Hymns’ (2016).

Including my reflection for the day 'The disabled God, living into the resurrection', also available with all my talks at bit.ly/johndavies-talks.

Today let us give thanks for those who ask questions. For those whose curiosity is unbounded by decorum; who follow hunches to reveal wonders; who dare to bridge the gap between their doubts and a truth they are keen to uncover. 

A talk dedicated to the late John Polkinghorne, 'one of the most influential figures in the field of science and religion' who recently died, to the young woman whose question to the Archbishop of York in a station coffee queue inspired Stephen Cottrell's book 'Dear England', and informed by Caravaggio's 'The Incredulity of Saint Thomas'.

A talk for The Second Sunday of Easter, 11 April 2021.

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: 11 April 2021, The Second Sunday of Easter.

Featuring 'Morning has broken' (Eleanor Farjeon) performed by Aled Jones from ‘One Voice: Believe’ (2017) and 'Blessed Thomas, doubt no longer' (G.B. Timms) performed by York Minster Choir from ‘Complete New English Hymnal Vol. 1’ (2001).

Including my reflection for the day 'A day to give thanks for the questioners', also available with all my talks at bit.ly/johndavies-talks.