Andrew Bryan Norman

‘…we also bless thy holy Name for all thy servants departed this life in thy faith and fear; beseeching thee to give us grace so to follow their good examples, that with them we may be partakers of thy heavenly kingdom’

“I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the Lord.”
(Psalm 118.17)

Now the queen of sea­sons, bright
with the day of sple­ndour,
with the roy­al feast of feasts,
comes its joy to ren­der…

‘We don't hope for survival but for re-creation - because God is who he is, who he has shown himself to be in Jesus Christ.’ (Rowan Williams)

Alleluia!

Alleluia!

The Easter dawn from Arnside Knott.

‘There is no room for Death,
Nor atom that his might could render void
Thou, thou are Being and Breath,
And what Thou art may never be destroyed’

(‘Last Lines’ by Emily Brontë)

#EasterDay

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Easter triumph, Easter joy!

‘This is it...The end has begun. The kingdom has come. Jesus has advanced out of mere history into God’s future.’ (Rowan Williams)

#EasterVigil
#Easter
#Alleluia

“When we have done our worst, God remains God - and remains committed to being our God.”

(Rowan Williams)

#HolySaturday

‘…thou didst empty thyself,
that thou mightest fill all things;
thou wert made a curse,
to bless all creation.’

(‘Contra Mundum Pro Mundo’ by Eric Milner-White)

#GoodFriday

‘O Lord, who, not as the world giveth,
hast given and givest to us
the ark and stronghold of peace,
learn me the true repose.’

(‘Requies’ by Eric Milner-White)

#MaundyThursday

The crocuses blooming in the churchyard of St Andrew’s Penrith this Lenten morning en route to chair the meeting of the Diocesan Advisory Committee.

Amongst other things, we talked - for nearly four hours - about lifts, pews, heaters and hatchments.

@churchofengland.org

“…but thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail.” (Psalm 102.27)

#HappyNewYear

‘Perhaps our minds can begin to open up to the deepest secret of all – the trust that the entire universe is held together by the quiet, unfailing generosity of God.’

(Rowan Williams)

‘The first #Christmas was a gift from God which has changed human life and history, inserting into the heart of our affairs the love that gives them meaning.’

(‘The Coming of God’ by Maria Boulding)

O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord.

#Alleluia

Joy and gladness in Beetham and Arnside this #ChristmasEve.

‘Shepherds, kings, and angel throngs,
teach us where our joy belongs:
souls restored and sins forgiven,
Christ on earth, the hope of heaven -
down the years rejoice in them,
come away to Bethlehem.’

#MyChurchOfEngland

Bethlehem comes to Beetham.

Lovely to complete the trinity of my school nativities today with ‘Whoops-a-Daisy Angel’ in St Michael and All Angels.

@carlisledbe.bsky.social
@churchofengland.org

A lovely Key Stage One Nativity from Arnside National @churchofengland.org Primary School in St James’ this evening.

‘For a boy was born, King of all the world…’

@carlisledbe.bsky.social

Lovely to light up the churchyard of St Michael and All Angels Beetham this evening as we continue our journey through these Advent days.

'Thy cradle here shall glitter bright,
and darkness glow with new-born light,
no more shall night extinguish day,
where love's bright beams their power display.'

Happy #Advent.

‘See her friend from heaven descending,
adorned with truth and grace unending!’

The Church of England’s @churchofengland.org other Andrew Norman…

A crisp and bright morning here in Cumbria as we journey through the final days of the church year and prepare for Advent once more. Lo, he comes…

‘O ye frost and cold, bless ye the Lord:
praise him, and magnify him for ever.’

The first day of the national Church of England Diocesan Advisory Committee conference included visits to some lovely London churches.

Excellent to spend time in both St George’s Bloomsbury and St Giles-in-the-Fields.

It is always good to visit Durham Cathedral, praying at the shrine of Saint Cuthbert always feeling like an extraordinary privilege.

‘Where’er we seek thee thou art found,
and ev­ery place is hal­lowed ground.’

Ave!

An inaugural message with some photographs from today’s visit to St Laurence’s, Ludlow.

Lovely stuff.

‘How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts!’ (Psalm 84.1)