The Rev Mitchell Bunting, minister of the United Reformed Churches in Helensburgh and Dumbarton, prepared this for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity later in January. We’ll use it then, but it seemed very apposite for today, so with his permission, here it is:   I am writing this short reflection on Epiphany – […]

6              Epiphany On you the Lord shines and over you his glory will appear; nations will journey to your light and kings to your radiance. Isaiah 60: 2a-3   Lord, grant us clear vision and courage, that in the light of your light, we may devote our power and potential to your service, even when

5 January Is it Twelfth Night, or is that tomorrow? Different people have different views on the topic. Whichever, the Christmas season is drawing to an end, and decorations either are down, or will be soon. For some it was mainly about eating, drinking, watching television, and presents – and a series of parties and

4 January For some today is a holiday, for some it’s the first day back at work. For some there is no work, for some nothing to make one day any different from another. Some will have plenty to do in January, some may be looking for something on which to hang their days. Some

2 January God who is everywhere present on earth, no one can picture completely; yet to the eye of the faithful he comes and shows himself always uniquely.   Can we be certain of how the Lord looks, deep though our faith and conviction, when in the face of the Saviour we see the smile

1 January               New Year’s Day In times past God spoke through the prophets; but in this the final age he has spoken to us in his Son.   Hebrews 1: 1-2   Lord, your everlasting mercy rises new in the morning of another year. Give us grace to arise with Christ, our morning light. In this

31 December       Hogmanay As we say ‘Goodbye’ to 2020 what will we remember? Covid-19? Brexit? The weather? Donald Trump? Something about Dumbarton? Something more personal? Something good, or something bad? What about  2021? Are we looking forward with expectation? Or with fear, loneliness, worry?   Lord, For all that has been: we give thanks for

30 December [Herod] gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its neighbourhood who were two years old and younger. Matthew 2: 16b   Lord, Herod the king tried to destroy the Christ-child, as he destroyed so many other lives. We pray for the leaders of the world, that they will follow the