St Mary’s Attenborough Church

Practising the Way: Service (Hiddenness)

Chris Doig continues our series Practicing the Way, looking at Luke 13:1–17. He reflects on Jesus’ call to hidden servanthood as Jesus journeys toward Jerusalem for Passover. In a quiet, unseen moment, Jesus takes the lowest role, revealing that true discipleship is found in humble service. We’re challenged to consider how we serve in ordinary, everyday ways - at home, at work, and in church - without complaining, insisting on our own way, or seeking recognition, trusting that God sees every act of service. Chris reminds us that hidden service is not a burden, but an act of worship and a joyful response to God’s deep love for us.

Practising the Way: Service (Love)

Our vicar, Toby Artis, starts our series on Practising the Way. He challenges us to reflect on how our goals, resolutions, and plans for the new year align with our growth as disciples of Jesus. He urges us to consider how we are really doing in our faith, and if we can see the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. We often speak eloquently about our faith, but Toby reminds us that it's not just about what we say - it's about the state of our hearts and whether we're living out what we profess. The fruit of the Spirit is often quiet and unnoticed; it's not about saying the right Christian things, but about cultivating a healthy inner life. Toby reminds us that every tree that doesn't bear fruit is ultimately thrown into the fire, urging us to choose wisely between life and death in our spiritual choices. A key sign of spiritual maturity is how we serve others, loving both God and those around us. He challenges us with the thought that discipleship is about giving up our own rights to help others succeed, and urges us to consider if we are becoming more like Jesus, loving others for their flourishing, and doing so without complaining. 

Who is Jesus?

Toby Artis takes us through Matthew 11:1-15 as we continue our advent series. Toby invites us to reconsider the question, “Who is Jesus?” through the experience of John the Baptist, who moves from confidently proclaiming Jesus to doubting him while isolated in prison. Like John, many of us know moments of deep closeness to God as well as seasons of confusion and abandonment, and Advent becomes a space to ask those questions honestly again. Jesus responds to John not with rebuke, but by pointing to the signs of God’s restoring work promised in Isaiah: the sick are healed, the poor are lifted up, and sinners are welcomed. In doing so, Jesus confounds expectations of judgement and instead reveals a kingdom shaped by mercy and grace, challenging us to value all human life equally and to recognise our shared need for God. Jesus affirms John’s faithfulness while redirecting him to see God at work in unexpected places, asking us whether we are looking in the right ways too. Christmas, then, is not just a comforting story but an apocalyptic inbreaking of God’s kingdom - more than a sign, it is an invitation to encounter the Jesus who has come for us and is always at work.

The Coming of Jesus

Oliver Towlson starts the advent season off by looking at Matthew 24:36-44. He puts forward the case to interpret this passage, and the language surrounding "the Son of Man", as one which links the destruction of Jerusalem to Jesus' own suffering and vindication, which will occur within the original audience's lifetime. He emphasizes the need for preparation, while also accepting that some events are beyond our control. Although it is easy to get distracted by daily life, Oliver shows us that Jesus offers hope through the incarnation: his birth, life, death and resurrection; that despite life's worst challenges, we can endure anything as we are united with Jesus, who as God become flesh, has shared our suffering ahead of time and has overcome it with his divine life and love.

Confident in Witness

Our Vicar, Toby, completes our series going through 1 Peter, looking at verses 3: 13-18 and 4:1-6. He discusses how Christian witness involves both how we act and what we say. Toby highlights how suffering is part of following Christ, yet even this suffering is a blessing and nothing compared to the glory Jesus offers. We are called not to house glory ourselves, but to reflect Christ's; living with integrity and devotion to Him as the core of our witness. Faith is often hard and requires disciplined habits that shape our desires. We are invited to share the gospel authentically - not just through intellectual arguments, but by speaking from the heart, explaining the difference Jesus makes in our lives. As we do this with gentleness and respect, we may still face rejection, yet a clear conscience before Christ gives deep peace and enables us to reflect Christ's light to the world. 

Confidence in Relationships and Understanding the Bible

Guest preacher, Ian Paul, leads us through 1 Peter 3:1-12, continuing our series on the theme Confident in Relationships. He discusses how we can approach difficult passages of the Bible, highlighting how God never asks for unthinking obedience. Ian Paul shows us four key principles for engaging with the text: Kind (genre), context, canon, and content, demonstrating how each of these components can help to demystify some of the more challenging parts of the passage.

Confident in Identity

Toby Artis continues our Confidence in a Complex World series, taking a look at Confident in Identity. He discusses how our identity doesn't lie in our name, occupation, ethnicity, gender, or family, but rather in who God has chosen us to be. Our identity is found not within ourselves, but within community. It is on an unshakable foundation which runs deeper than our greatest achievements, failures or suffering. Toby shows us how our identities lead us to fulfil our purpose as part of the Royal Priesthood, extending God's presence to others.

Confident in the Gospel

Liam O'Boyle launches our series on Confidence in a Complex World, which goes through the book of 1 Peter.  In our first week, we look at being Confident in the Gospel, looking specifically at 1 Peter: 1:1-12. 

Humility

Ali Langton talks us through the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector found in Luke 18:9-14. He urges us to consider how we all might have previously acted like the Pharisee, acting performance based, as opposed to God's choice, which is for the excluded and rejected one, and highlights how the Pharisee and Tax Collector relate differently to God, with the former preferring to monologue, and the latter conversing in a dialogue. Ali explains to us the Cycle of Works - how achievement leads to significance, which leads to sustenance then acceptance. This is contrasted with the Cycle of Grace, whereby acceptance comes first, then sustenance, followed by significance, then achievement.

Generosity

Toby Artis discusses how God's generosity is evident throughout scripture, and how we should allow it to shape our lives. We can be cautious about giving due to our fears around not having enough. However, Toby invites us to consider how more stuff will only lead to anxiety, rather than happiness. Our culture tells us to hold onto what we do have, especially given the cost of living crisis, whereas we are called to store up treasurers in heaven and adopt an abundance mindset. In so doing, we will become people who give not because we have enough to give, but because it's our nature. God has already given us everything in giving his own self, so we can be confident that he will give us what we need when we give away what we have.