Exploring faith & beliefs ... promoting spiritual development
Have your say
All quotations are on my blog at http://boltonuniversitychaplain.blogspot.com| where you can make your comment. If you have a favourite quotation about living well, share it by sending it to me at chaplain@bolton.ac.uk| and I may use it for a 'Thought for the Week'.
If you would like the Thought for the Week delivered to your Inbox, email me at chaplain@bolton.ac.uk|
20 - 27 December 2009
We often say that Christmas is for children, but perhaps this Christmas we can all find again that sense of wonder which we admire in children but which we can easily loose as adults:
"Christmas renews our youth by stirring our wonder. The capacity for wonder has been called our most pregnant human faculty, for in it are born our art, our science, our religion."
Ralph W Sockman (1889-1970; US theologian and pastor; from 'Now to Live!', Kessinger Publishing).
What does Christmas mean to you? You can read some responses given at the Carol Service|
Let us know what Christmas means to you at http://boltonuniversitychaplain.blogspot.com| or by emailing me at chaplain@bolton.ac.uk|
13 - 20 December 2009
At our Christmas Carol Service on 9 December, I asked three people 'What are you looking forward to at Christmas?' and 'What does Christmas mean to you?' This is one reply:
"Christmas is a time of celebration and optimism. The Christmas messages reinforce ... the notion of 'goodwill to all people'. It is a time for reflection – happy memories of a child's view of Christmas in the past.... But I am acutely aware that for my best friend from school, Christmas is not going to be a happy time as the anniversary approaches of his eldest son's death... All I can offer is some sense of understanding their grief... Christmas ought to ... emphasise the sense of being together in a deeply spiritual sense."
Nick Tyldesley (Chaplaincy Pastoral Assistant; Quaker; Consultant for Teaching and Learning, Bolton Metro Children's Services).
6 December - 13 December 2009
Another quotation about the environment The parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change meet during the next two weeks to negotiate a framework for a new agreement to replace the Kyoto Protocol. I am not sure of the original source of this quotation as it has probably been said by many people:
"Care for our world; it is the only one we have."
Desmond Tutu (born 1931; Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town, South Africa, awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984).
You can respond to the quotation via email at chaplain@bolton.ac.uk| or on my Blog at http://boltonuniversitychaplain.blogspot.com|
End Notes
Quotations Welcome
If you come across any quotations (religious, philosophical or general) which are challenging, thought-provoking, helpful to living well… send them to me, Phil Edwards, on chaplain@bolton.ac.uk|.
Previous Quotations
You can brows previous quotations:
Final Note
The Thought for the Week is offered for reflection and does not represent the views or policy of the Chaplaincy or The University of Bolton. Quotations are taken from a wide range of sources and are for anyone who wants to be challenged or given something new to think about.
Exploring faith & beliefs ... promoting spiritual development