Showing Tag: "reflection" (Show all posts)

Picture This Thought - Statue of Liberty [Freedom]

Posted by Anne Witton on Sunday, July 5, 2020, In : Video

What does it mean to be free? What does true freedom look like?

We talk about political freedom, freedom of religion, freedom of movement and free speech, but how free are we really?

This is a short exploration of the ways in which our freedom is restricted and how Jesus brings true liberation.

“If the Son [Jesus] sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8: 36

The power of the Spirit - Pentecost reflection

Posted by Anne Witton on Monday, May 25, 2020, In : Video

A short reflection on the power of the Spirit that came down at Pentecost and enables believers to love, hope, share the good news of Jesus and become more like him.

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Picture This Thought - Microphone [Spreading news - Easter special]

Posted by Anne Witton on Monday, April 20, 2020, In : Video

A reflection on how the good news of Jesus’ ministry, death and resurrection spread in the early church and how we can take up the challenge of Jesus’ Great Commission to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.

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Picture This Thought - Derelict church [Christendom]

Posted by Anne Witton on Sunday, December 8, 2019, In : Video

Why the crumbing of Christendom is a good thing. Christianity was never meant to be a state religion, forced on people by powerful authorities. The Kingdom of God is much more subversive. Jesus showed the greater power of foot-washing and self-sacrifice.

For more reflections about Christendom see Why I agree with the atheists: 9 reasons I’m pleased that Christendom is crumbling.

Picture This Thought - Poppy [Remembrance]

Posted by Anne Witton on Sunday, November 10, 2019, In : Video

A reflection on the importance of remembrance and the significance of the Lord’s Supper in reminding us of the ultimate sacrifice to bring us life, freedom from oppression and liberty from evil.

Psalm 77: 11 - 12

I will remember the deeds of the Lord;

yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.

I will consider all your works

and meditate on all your mighty deeds.’

Luke 22: 19

And [Jesus] took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for y...

Picture This Thought - Metro train [Busyness]

Posted by Anne Witton on Thursday, June 6, 2019, In : Video

A 3-min reflection on the fast pace of modern life, our idolatry of productivity and where our sense of worth comes from.

You can read more in my post Life in the Fast Lane.
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Picture This Thought - All sorts [The body of Christ]

Posted by Anne Witton on Tuesday, June 4, 2019, In : Video

A 3-minute reflection on the community of the church as the Body of Christ, valuing everyone and loving our enemies.

You may also enjoy my blog post - The Strange Little Band of the Gospel.

For more about the politics of enemy love, I recommend 'Sympathy For Jonah' by David Benjamin Blower.

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Picture This Thought - Meal [Food]

Posted by Anne Witton on Wednesday, April 17, 2019, In : Video

We live in a world of fast food, drive throughs, TV dinners, working lunches and meals in a shake. But what if eating is meant to be a much more spiritual experience?

In this short reflection, I consider the importance of mealtimes in the early church, in Jewish history and in our own lives as we build community. We can learn some profound truths about God through our relationship with food if we're willing to stop and think.

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Picture This Thought

Posted by Anne Witton on Friday, August 3, 2018, In : Video

I'm exploring different ways to do discipleship and outreach, especially over the summer as it's harder to see people in person. I think that digital media can be a helpful tool to engage people with faith and help them to think about Jesus.

I have just started recording a short video reflection each day based on a photo I've taken. The aim is to think about what the picture might tell us about God and his world and my prayer is that it will spark offline conversations with students and others...

Hiraeth - Biblical reflection video

Posted by Anne Witton on Sunday, December 31, 2017, In : Video

Over Christmas, I did some reflecting on the concept of 'home'. I came across the word 'Hiraeth' in a book I was reading and it got me thinking. ‘Hiraeth’ is a Welsh word that has no direct English translation. It is a "strange, conflicted feeling of incompleteness, the boundless longing for a home from which we feel we have been exiled." [Glynn Harrison, A Better Story P. 149]

The best of this world and the worst of this world inspires my longing for home, so I made a short video to try a...

Sticks and Stones - James 3: 1 - 12

Posted by Anne Witton on Tuesday, April 5, 2016, In : Video

I have just returned from the Agapé Easter Bible Conference and it was a great week of spending time with friends, digging into God's word and being challenged to apply it to our lives.

As part of the course, we had to choose a passage of Scripture to explore during the week. Our written assignment was to do a textural and theological analysis of our chosen passage and then look at how we would convey the message to our chosen audience. On the final day, we all had to give a presentation to t...
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Enjoy the silence

Posted by Anne Witton on Monday, November 24, 2014, In : Reflections

"Be still and know that I am God"
Psalm 46: 10

Our world is full of noise. Everywhere we go there’s background music, ‘special offer’ announcements on the tannoy, big screen sports and stuff clamouring for our attention. I was waiting for Abby at the doctors the other day and the TV was on showing Jeremy Kyle with people shouting at each other. What an unrelaxing environment to sit in when you’re already feeling ill! In the summer, they even put huge screens up in public spaces outside ...

Before the throne of God Above

Posted by Anne Witton on Tuesday, September 16, 2014, In : Worship

It's easy to sing familiar songs in church and not really think about the words, so I sometimes find it helpful to take a song or hymn with particularly rich words and spend a few moments reflecting on it. One of my all-time favourites is 'Before the throne of God Above'. It was originally written by Charitie Lees Bancroft (1841-1892), but the modern music was written by Vikki Cook.

It gives such hope as it reminds us of the eternal truth that, as Christians, our life is 'hid with Christ on hi...
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Reflections on a broken window

Posted by Anne Witton on Tuesday, July 1, 2014, In : Reflections

Yesterday I got home from a great team prayer meeting to find that the lounge window had been smashed. It looked very much as though someone had shot it so my first thought was "I wish I had one of those laser things they have in CSI so I can trace the trajectory of the bullet." Then I realised that I live in Gateshead and not Las Vegas, so I carefully examined the crime scene for forensic evidence of avian damage but could find no blood or bird carcass.