Rev Shirley Murphy
The thoughts, reflections, faith stories and meanderings of an 
Anglican Priest

Ordinary people, extraordinary stories. The story of my journey from India to Pembrokeshire and my life at the heart of the community....

"You are just slaves. So go back to where you came from..." is what I was told by an elderly British lady when I was working in a travel...

Today is Pentecost Sunday. Pentecost marks the definitive end of the Easter Season. It occupies a very important position in the Church’s life and liturgical calendar. This is because, it marks the beginning of the church’s missionary endeavour. Pentecost day is a day of renewal and empowerment. From the first reading of this Sunday, we see the reward of obedience and steadfastness in prayer. Therefore, today we celebrate a great feast, when Christ fulfilled his promise to us

Today, forty days after Easter, is the Feast of the Ascension. As they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven?” (Acts 1:9-11). Once more the liturgy reminds us of the final moment in Jesus' life among men, his ascension into heaven. Many things have happened since our L