Methodist Bishop

Genesis 11.1-9 Acts 2.1-8 and 13-21 Antes de que todo comenzara ❘ ya existía ❘ aquel que es la Palabra (Spanish) In principio erat Verbum (Latin) Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος (NT Greek) Au commencement était la Parole (French) Da time everyting had start, had one Guy. “Godʼs Talk,” dass who him (Pidgin) Na początku było Słowo (Polish) I te timatanga ❘ te Kupu (Maori) Im Anfang war das Wort (German) All of these phrases, whether taken from the original Greek written by St John, or from translations of his words, are about communication. First, they’re about communicating the message to one another in the different languages spoken all around the world, but then second - because they are all versions of John’s Gospel chapter 1, verse 1, they’re about communication with God through Jesus, his living Word. It’s particularly poignant for me at the moment because my own father is in Pinderfields Hospital following a stroke which has progressively robbed him of the power of commu...

John 20.1-18 Mary Magdalene was one of a group of women who were followers of Jesus  and who'd dedicated themselves to serving him. As someone said on Radio 4’s In Our Time programme recently, that doesn't mean they made his packed lunch or washed his socks. Jesus himself is the servant of those who serve, and his followers are called to be like him, to serve not only him but their neighbours, all who need our help. Being his servants means, then, that the women helped him with his mission. So Jesus had a core group of male disciples in leadership roles but also a group of determined women on his team as well, who were ready to go to his Cross and his tomb. And this prominent role for women was replicated in the early church, where women are often identified by Paul as leaders and team members. Mary seems to have been particularly close to Jesus. She's the only person he ever speaks to in the Gospels just by saying her name. It happens in the garden on the firs...