St Nicholas Church Sandhurst, Kent

07/06/2026

Scripture & Reflection: Sunday 7th June - The First Sunday after Trinity - and for the week ahead:

Scripture

'For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.' (Romans 4. 13-14)

Reflection

Romans 4:13–14 reminds me that my relationship with God isn’t based on being perfect or always doing the right thing. Instead, it’s built on faith in God’s grace. Paul explains that if God’s promises depended on our ability to follow every rule, then faith wouldn’t really matter—because nobody can live up to God’s standard perfectly.

This passage challenges the idea that we have to earn God’s love or approval through our own efforts. God’s promises are a gift, not a reward for good behaviour. Knowing that brings peace because it takes away the pressure of trying to be “good enough” on our own.

When I rely only on myself, I often end up feeling stressed, discouraged, or exhausted. But faith reminds me to trust in what God has already done for me and in the promises He has made. Instead of constantly trying to prove myself, I can rest in His grace and depend on His strength.

Lyn Hayes ALM

06/06/2026

31/05/2026

Collect & Reflection: Sunday 31st May & for the week ahead:

Collect:

Holy God,
faithful and unchanging:
enlarge our minds with the knowledge of your truth,
and draw us more deeply into the mystery of your love,
that we may truly worship you,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Reflection:

The subject of the Trinity is an essential but often confusing one. We hear and speak about the Father, Son and Holy Spirit but it can be a challenge to untangle them, while realising that they are the same. I learned that it was like saying someone is a mother, a daughter, and a cousin. You are the same person but you have different roles to play depending on who you are with and your relationship to them. For some people the idea of a loving father may sadly be a distant one. Others may struggle to imagine Jesus as a human with divine powers. And as for the Holy Spirit, or sometimes, Holy Ghost, that may be the hardest to relate to, especially for those fearful of the paranormal. If you know which you struggle with, ask someone to help to explain it to you. Dig into the Bible and see what inspiration you can find. Or spend time in prayer, asking this wonderful Trinity to show themselves to you, in a way that you will truly understand.

Victoria Bray

30/05/2026

Scripture & Reflection: Sunday 24th May - Pentecost - and for the week ahead:

Scripture:

'When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ '(John 20.19)
Reflection:

The story of Pentecost – what happened to change the world 50 days after Easter – is a story of a few bereaved friends/disciples of Jesus experiencing a rush of wind and ‘tongues of fire’, and as a result being fired up to spread what they called the Good News. That good news was that in the midst of a world of personal and global turmoil, the Spirit of Peace is, like the wind, invisibly breathing, even blowing, all around and in us. Just as by drawing breath we live physically, so we do actually have access to inner spiritual life. Peace be with you.

David Harmsworth

17/05/2026

Scripture & Reflection: Sunday 17th May - The Seventh Sunday of Easter - and for the week ahead:

Scripture:

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ 7 He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.’ 9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up towards heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11 They said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up towards heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.’ (Book of Acts 1.6-11)

Reflection

Christians the world over have just celebrated Ascension Day. This is the day when we remember Jesus’ last moments on Earth and the way He left his followers; not dying as all ordinary folk do, but being lifted up and disappearing beyond a cloud.

Does this sound like a crazy tale, maybe a case of wishful thinking or hallucination? It is so long ago, we cannot verify exactly what the disciples saw, or experienced. But one thing is sure, their experiences transformed them. They were no longer frightened or bewildered, but became confident and brave, daring to stand up and tell people about Jesus.

That confidence, to stand up for what we be believe is right and true, even in the face of opposition, is one of the many gifts that the Holy Spirit brings at Pentecost, which we will celebrate on Sunday (24th of May). Please come and join us!

Revd Ylva

17/05/2026

Teas in the Churchyard at St Nicholas Church Sandhurst, Kent - Sunday 7th June from 2 to 5 pm 🌱🦋☕️🌸🍰🌱🌼 All welcome!