Thursday 3th November - Paul and John's writings

 Ephesus Videos from The Bible Society - set 2 video 5

And here's the link to the video and the commentary that follows.

Music... two rather solemn items to start

Men's choir version of 'Abide with me' - lovely harmonies - click on 'show more' for the words

St Patrick's Breastplate, set by Arvo Part (again, click on 'show more' for words)

and something different...

He's got the whole work in his hands - Duncanville High School Choir

Saturday 29th October - Miletus - Paul's tearful farewell

 

Here is the Link to this week's video and commentary.

Paul meets up with all the elders at Miletus before leaving - forever.

(If you want to recap on any of the videos in Part 2, here's the link to the complete set) 

Music;

Forth in thy Name O Lord I go (one of my favourites!)

 Gloria Gloria, Taize

Thursday 13th October - The Fish - Ancient Christian Symbols

 

And the link to the video and commentary on the Bible Society Website  

We are all very familiar with the fish symbol below in all its many forms. But this shape is NOT the one in the video!

This site has more to say about the symbol that is scratched into the stones at Ephesus. There is a story that the shape scratched into the stones was used to play a game called tabla. What a wonderful way to spread the story of Jesus throughout the Roman Empire - if the story were true...

Jesu, joy of my desiring (Voces 8)

Alleluia alleluia for the Lord God Almighty reigns

Psalm 23 - You restore my soul

Thursday 6th October - The Shopping Mall

This is the link to video and commentary.

I was struck by the way the ruins in Ephesus remind me of the ruins of so many cities and towns in Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon, Afghanistan.... the list won't be comprehensive.

I haven't been inside a shopping mall for years (think Covid!). My appetite for 'materialistic culture' has been partially satisfied by on-line shopping. However there is nothing to beat going round the shops, touching the real good rather than relying on pictures and description.

Music;

Locus iste a Deo factus est, inaestimabile sacramentum irreprehensibilis est. This place is made by God, inestimably sacred, irreprehensible.

When the music fades - Matt Redman

The Lord's Prayer in Swahili

Another version with words in Swahili and English

 

Saturday October 1st - The Second Set of Bible Trek Videos on Ephesus

 Last week we watched the final video from the first set of Ephesus videos, so here's the link to the second set.

First up is The Riot!

This is video with accompanying commentary - click on the link above and scroll down until you find the video with this picture. 

Acts 19 gives the full story.

As for music - here we go...

From the Iona album 'Beyond These Shores' - This song is called Edge of the World - click on 'read more' for the lyrics which are so beautiful 

I'm Gonna Trust in God - 1999 Stoneleigh Band

 

Paul's Missionary Journeys

 This is the site where I found this map.

It is worth following the link to read the text on the page as well.

The other pages on the website have photographs of various places associated with St Paul's life.