As far as word association goes, ‘future’ is to ‘dream’ as ‘past’ is to ‘memory’. Dreaming is superfluous, maybe indulgent. In any case, it’s uncomfortable. In another episode of word association, ‘illusory’ is to ‘dream’ as ‘reality’ is to ‘act’. Dreaming is pretence, maybe unhinged. In any case, it’s irrelevant. And yet, I am coming… Read More the things dreams are
Perhaps the thing I’ve missed most of all in lockdown is church in person. I deeply miss the physicality of being with others to worship, and have struggled with the distance which makes me feel as if I am watching church rather than truly participating. This morning I listened to Rev’d Richard Springer preach. You… Read More The bread is enough.
Lord, We are afraid to admit culpability because we are worried we will be held accountable. We are afraid to repent because we are worried we will have to change. When we read scripture, we read ourselves into the narrative as the oppressed not the oppressor. We are unwilling to contemplate our complicity in death,… Read More we are the perpetrators
At the grave of Lazarus, Jesus wept. Even for one who would be raised again. Lament means grieving death in all its forms. It’s an expression of faith – holding pain before God; confessing loss and belief part of the same reality. It is all too easy for our dealings with pain to become escapist.… Read More Lament
Endings are a part of living. They mark out chapters of change, create divides, place fractures between a now and a then. There are so many endings in our lives. And so many fractures. Bits of loss, bits of thought, corners of ourselves we don’t find out about until someone we meet uncovers them. Endings… Read More endings are part of living
Once upon a time, a people lived in fear.In all the world they lived in, they sought for Love drawn near.They knew that Love was full and true, was certain and was deep;They knew it was dependable, something you could keep.They knew it should be given free, not measured out in kind;This sort of love… Read More the Guarantor
In the past two days, 800+ people have died in the UK from Covid19. Their funerals will be attended only by immediate family members. Many more deaths are expected. In the midst of such loss, it is easy to get absorbed in the activity of meaning-making. Easy to seek refuge in diverting our attention elsewhere.… Read More good friday
It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.The Kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,it is even beyond our vision. We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction of themagnificent enterprise that is God’s work. Nothing we do is complete,which is another way of saying that the Kingdom always… Read More Prophets of a future not our own
Reimagining. … Read More Lent and re-imagining
I am still finding myself caught up in a moment from a couple of weeks ago, when we were asked by Revd Sam Corley to turn to John 22. He waited for us to return our gaze, after finding the inevitable, “There are missing chapters in these scriptures because people close doors.” He said. At… Read More John 22
Small metaphorical alarm bells sound in my head on Wednesday evening as I find myself at community group struggling to keep focused. If there is such a thing as ‘present without leave’ then I am it. Despite living in the same house, Anna and I hadn’t properly caught up in about a week. Sat on… Read More I am making choices
In 2017, I took my last flight. I knew before I went to Vienna with my friend Amy that it was going to be my last flight. I had already reached the point of active discomfort about flying, and I knew that, holding the values I do, I couldn’t continue. What follows is simply an… Read More Why I stopped flying.
