Chantry Methodist Church

06/09/2026

Today’s thought for the day is brought to us by Rev Viv Smith

Happy New Year everybody! September 2026!

I know! We haven’t even had Christmas yet and here I am wishing you a very happy new year! Joking aside I’m sure many of you are aware that the Methodist new year always starts on September the first. Why is that? Good question.

I don’t know if you are aware but every year I (and every other minister in the country!) receive an official letter from the secretary of the Methodist Conference, Jonathan Hustler. This year was no exception. The letter arrived, as expected, after conference had met in Birmingham. It started that I was to be stationed in the Ipswich Circuit from September the 1st for twelve months. The conference has decreed it! Starting from September the 1st I am to serve here in the Ipswich Circuit. And when the time comes for me to move to a new appointment, the too will start on September the 1st.

So, in short, in answer the question, why does the Methodist new year start on September the 1st? The main reason is because historically that is when ministerial appointments start. For many ministers it’s the time for new beginnings, a fresh start and renewal. It’s a time to reflect on the past whilst looking to the future. It’s a time to say goodbye to dear friends, whilst hoping for new friendships to be made. There are those who leave battered and busied hoping that those awaiting their arrival, in their new appointments, might be a little kinder.

For all it’s a time for prayer and commitment. A time to dedicate oneself to serving Christ and His people, and I invite you to do the same now as you pray the prayer below.

Lord Jesus Christ,

I give myself afresh to you
at the beginning of this new Methodist year.

Take my life, my gifts, my time and my experience,
and use them for your glory.

Help me to serve you faithfully,
to love your Church,
to care for your people,
and to share your love with those I meet.

When I am weary, give me strength.
When I am uncertain, give me wisdom.
When I am challenged, give me courage.
And when I am successful, keep me humble.

May my words, my actions and all that I do
always point people towards you.

Lord, I am yours.
Guide me, equip me and send me
wherever you need me.

I dedicate this new year of service to you.

In the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen.



If you have any contributions for thought of the day, please send them to: [email protected]

05/09/2026

05/09/2026

Today’s thought for the day is brought to us by Rev Derek Grimshaw

Solar Eclipse

The last time we experienced a solar eclipse was back in 1999 and when Karen (my wife) mentioned that to one of her carers the young carer replied “I hadn’t even been born in 1999” - talk about making you feel your age! I remember well that day 27 years ago, Karen was a Registered childminder at the time and we thought that this would be a wonderful experience for the children in her care at the time. Being adults responsible for somebody else's children we had to ensure that our young guests and our own children should experience this in the safest way possible.

I read somewhere that a safe way to view the eclipse was to fill a bowl of water and look at the reflection of the sun, so on the day, I filled a bucket, let the water settle and then we gathered around the bucket and waited for the action to begin. The midday sky started to darken as the moon started to pass in front of the Sun. The children knelt looking into the water. A lady walking her labrador dog stopped to see what we were doing and right at the critical point, the dog seized the opportunity to have a free drink courtesy of our bucket and the the still water in the bucket became turbulent and we never saw the moment!

Marred by the experience all these years later, and busy with something else at the critical time, I left the task of Solar eclipse gazing to somebody else this time. With the wonder of modern technology I have seen some wonderful pictures of the Eclipse on the news, but with hindsight, it doesn’t feel quite the same of experiencing it in person and if the next time this happens will be another 27 years - I will be either in my nineties or will no longer be around to witness it for myself.

Maybe I need to think about my priorities?


If you have any contributions for thought of the day, please send them to: [email protected]

04/09/2026

Every week, we publish a 10 minute service to help you relax, refresh and renew. Make yourself a drink and join us at a time to suit you by clicking the following link : https://bit.ly/3rKggKa

04/09/2026

Today’s thought for the day is brought to us by Christine O’Neill

Blue is the colour

As I write this, I am in the middle of preparing a service to celebrate the start of Ipswich Town’s new premiership season. I was reminded of the Chelsea song ‘Blue is the colour’. That led me to think about blue in nature – and there isn’t much - a few flowers - no fruit are truly blue. Even those called blue e.g. blueberries are more purple than blue.

The world of natural food is dominated by reds, greens, and yellows, whereas blue, barely exists in nature. This is because the pigment responsible for nearly all blue, purple, and red hues in plants is called anthocyanin which exhibits a dramatic colour shift based on the acidity or alkalinity of their environment – red in acid, purple in neutral pH and only blue in alkaline situations – less common in plant biology. This inevitably leads to few blue foods.

Since many of the most effective seed dispersers and pollinators are more strongly attracted to the highly contrasting colours of red and yellow against a green background blue plants have had less selective advantage. The blue colour wavelength also carries the highest energy, and chlorophyll, the primary photosynthetic pigment, absorbs blue light most effectively, meaning a blue surface would reflect this high-energy light rather than utilize it.

However, the word ‘blue’ appears 50 times in the Old Testament- most in the book of Exodus (34), followed by Numbers (6) and three times in 2 Chronicles, Esther and Ezekiel. According to this research, the colour blue isn’t mentioned at all in the New Testament. The Hebrew word used is tekeleth used in reference to the rare cerulean mussel, from the Mediterranean Sea, from which the dye was obtained. It may be that a blue dye could be extracted from the rind of pomegranates or from stones and minerals such as azurite, ultramarine, smalt, indigo and lapis lazuli.

The Law demanded that blue be used for Tabernacle hangings, prayer shawls and other articles of Priests’ clothing and later it was adopted along with white for the star of David and vertical stripes on the national flag.

Why was blue so important and the most prominent colour in Judaism – even though it was rare in the natural world and difficult to obtain? It is often associated with divinity and spirituality, symbolizing a connection with God through the sky and heavens.

I’m not convinced that ITFC’s choice of a blue and white kit was for the same symbolic reasons! Apparently, the home kit colours have represented the club’s identity since it was established in 1878. It reflects the town’s past and a tribute to the town’s rural landscape where agriculture plays a significant role in the local economy (the need for blue skies and water).

Hopefully, as we chant “Come on, you blues!” this season, we will be reminded to also spend some time connecting with God.



If you have any contributions for thought of the day, please send them to: [email protected]

03/09/2026

Today’s thought for the day is brought to us by William Glasse

New every morning

Read Lamentations 3:22-23

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

Think
Last week, we thought about the beginning of the Methodist connexional year and the wider question of how the Church marks time through the year. This week, many young people will have returned to school or will be anticipating their return very soon. It is also only a few weeks before students make their way back to college, university and other forms of further education.

The beginning of September also marks the start of Creationtide, a season in which the Church reflects on the gifts of God in everything around us in the natural world. It comes at a time when the old and new agricultural seasons overlap, as the harvest of one year gives way to the sowing of seeds for the next. In truth, that overlap continues throughout the calendar year, because not all seasons have their changeover in the autumn.

At the beginning of 1978, I joined the Church as a member. It so happened that 1 January 1978 was a Sunday. On that occasion, my mother gave me a book of prayers and liturgy called New Every Morning. It had been published by the BBC some years earlier and reprinted several times because of its popularity. I still refer to that book sometimes, and I have used much of its content in services I have conducted over many years.

John Keble, who lived at the turn of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, published The Christian Year in 1827. The words “His compassions fail not; they are new every morning” echo the passage from Lamentations and have stayed with the verses now sung in many hymn books as “New every morning is the love our awakening and uprising prove.” The hymn reflects the newness of God’s care and concern for us day by day.

Whether we are experiencing routine daily renewal or making bigger changes in our lives, God is still with us. His mercies continue to underpin all that we do. It is good for us to bear that in mind as we resume so many autumn activities from which we have had a break during the summer.

Pray
God, we thank you that you refresh your love for us every day, and that none of the events of yesterday can cloud the potential of the present or the future.

The miracle of the newness of your love, proved by the very fact of our waking to a new day, brings us to our knees in thanksgiving, and we rejoice.

Accept our thankfulness and praise; for Jesus’ sake. Amen

If you have any contributions for thought of the day, please send them to: [email protected]

02/09/2026

Today’s thought for the day is brought to us by Judy Steward

Last week I wrote about the National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast and the encouragement it is to know that, through that event, Christian influence is expressed to those in positions of leadership in our land, affirming MPs and members of the House of Lords in their work and Christian faith.

The theme of the main talk this year was

"Hope for.the Future" and our new Prime minister, Andy Burnham, has presented "Bringing Hope back to our Nation" as his stated aim. Many new ventures have been promised but we would be naive to ignore the challenges of implementing some of these policies. Our new Prime Minister, his cabinet and other ministers need our prayers for wisdom, discernment and resilience.

In praying for our country I have found the worship song written in 2021, by Noel Robinson and Andy Flanagan, to be very meaningful. It is sung to the tune of "Abide with me" and has been sung at previous prayer breakfasts in Westminster Hall.


We seek your kingdom throughout every sphere,

We long for Heaven's demonstration here

Jesus your light shine bright for all to see

Transform, revive and heal society.


Before all things, in him were all things made

Inspiring culture, media and trade

May all our work serve your economy

Transform, revive and heal society.


Peace, truth and justice reigning everywhere

With us be present in our public square

Fill all who lead with your integrity

Transform, revive and heal society.


Forgive us Lord, when we have not engaged

Failing to scribe your heart on history's page

Make us again what we were meant to be

Transform, revive and heal society.

Faithful to govern ever may we be

Selfless in service, loving constantly

In everything may your authority

Transform, revive, and heal society.

To this call to action, and prayer that each of us can join in God's kingdom work right where we are, I can only add
" Amen!"


If you have any contributions for thought of the day, please send them to: [email protected]

01/09/2026

Happy New Year everybody! September 2026!

I know! We haven’t even had Christmas yet and here I am wishing you a very happy new year! Joking aside I’m sure many of you are aware that the Methodist new year always starts on September the first. Why is that? Good question.

I don’t know if you are aware but every year I (and every other minister in the country!) receive an official letter from the secretary of the Methodist Conference, Jonathan Hustler. This year was no exception. The letter arrived, as expected, after conference had met in Birmingham. It started that I was to be stationed in the Ipswich Circuit from September the 1st for twelve months. The conference has decreed it! Starting from September the 1st I am to serve here in the Ipswich Circuit. And when the time comes for me to move to a new appointment, that too will start on September the 1st.

So, in short, in answer to the question, why does the Methodist new year start on September the 1st? The main reason is because historically that is when ministerial appointments start. For many ministers it’s the time for new beginnings, a fresh start and renewal. It’s a time to reflect on the past whilst looking to the future. It’s a time to say goodbye to dear friends, whilst hoping for new friendships to be made. There are those who leave battered and bruised hoping that those awaiting their arrival, in their new appointments, might be a little kinder.

For all, it’s a time for prayer and commitment. A time to dedicate oneself to serving Christ and His people, and I invite you to do the same now as you pray the prayer below.

Lord Jesus Christ,
I give myself afresh to you
at the beginning of this new Methodist year.
Take my life, my gifts, my time and my experience,
and use them for your glory.
Help me to serve you faithfully,
to love your Church,
to care for your people,
and to share your love with those I meet.
When I am weary, give me strength.
When I am uncertain, give me wisdom.
When I am challenged, give me courage.
And when I am successful, keep me humble.
May my words, my actions and all that I do
always point people towards you.
Lord, I am yours.
Guide me, equip me and send me
wherever you need me.
I dedicate this new year of service to you.

In the name of Jesus Christ,
Amen.

God bless, Viv

01/09/2026

Today’s thought for the day is brought to us by David Stone

NEEDED?

Returning home from a holiday with relatives, some years ago, we had agreed that the leading car’s occupants would decide where to stop for a rest break. As we walked from our cars, we were approached by a representative of a motoring organisation to solicit membership. As I was already a member, my colleague was asked if he was a member. His response was, “When I needed you, I couldn’t afford you, and now I can afford you, I don’t need you!” I am sure readers will see a problem with that response, but it occasionally challenges my attitude.

There must be many people who, during a crisis, will cry out, “God help me”. Some may add, “If you get me out of this, I will be yours forever” or words to that effect. I suspect Christians may, like me, have been in situations that have resulted in cries for divine help and even made promises in an attempt to encourage God to do what we want.

Reflecting on my colleague's comment, what challenges me most is that I should never be in a situation where I feel or say, “I don’t need you” to God.

PRAYER: In the words of the hymn-writer, I need Thee every hour, most gracious Lord. May I never forget that. AMEN.



If you have any contributions for thought of the day, please send them to: [email protected]