Funeral and Thanksgiving service for Margot Williams (Mum)

Here’s the links for my mum’s funeral. I’ve included a YouTube and a facebook option, then a direct link for those unable to access either. https://www.facebook.com/beaconcommunitychurchbradford/videos/654316606491950 One of the challenges with recording live from Zoom is getting the sound quality for songs and hymns. Below are some links to versions of the hymns we sung.… Continue reading Funeral and Thanksgiving service for Margot Williams (Mum)

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints

Today we lay to rest my mother’s body. It’s part of the process of saying goodbye.  We as a family had the opportunity to say our goodbyes to mum in those last few days and hours.  Mum is already present with Jesus, which means in the words of Scripture that she is “absent from the… Continue reading Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints

Walking with God

Genesis 5 opens with the second occurrence of the statement “These are the generations…”  We are now opening up a new section, act 2 if you like, in Genesis.  We begin to trace “what became of Adam and his family?” Notice that, Cain’s line has been dealt with separately in the previous chapter. So, Adam’s… Continue reading Walking with God

Millenium?

There are three main views about how things will unfold towards the end of time. Pre-millennialism This is the belief that Christ will return and reign on earth for a thousand years prior to the final battle against evil and judgement day.  There are a few variations on the theme. First, we might distinguish historic-pre-millennialism,… Continue reading Millenium?

“I’m saying this in love”

It’s the phrase that I suspect most Christians dread to hear but it’s one that I suspect is most used among believers too.  Tim Wilson recently asked on twitter which particular Christian cliches irritate us the most and the phrase “I’m saying this in love”   and presumably variants on that theme came up. Why does… Continue reading “I’m saying this in love”

Grace

Despite the judgement on Cain, once again, God is not done with mankind.  Cain and his wife have children and they in turn have children. Read Genesis 4:17-26 Common Grace First, we see through Cain’s line how God blesses humanity as promised, enabling and equipping them to carry out the work of filling and subduing. … Continue reading Grace

On Jews counting -another look at the problem of antisemitism in British politics

I wanted to revisit the issue of antisemitism here in the UK. I wrote a little bit more about this recently in the light of the Stephen Sizer case and this article builds a little on this one which looked at how someone who would not consider themselves, nor be considered by others as hating… Continue reading On Jews counting -another look at the problem of antisemitism in British politics

Stephen Sizer and when church discipline doesn’t seem possible

The Stephen Sizer tribunal reached its verdict a few weeks back and concluded that he had engaged in antisemitic behaviour on at least one occasion whilst also causing offense to Jewish people and that “the Respondent’s conduct was unbecoming or inappropriate to the office and work of a clerk in Holy Orders”[1] The Bishop of… Continue reading Stephen Sizer and when church discipline doesn’t seem possible

Bloodshed

How do you respond when others seem to be favoured over and above you?  Are you happy for them? Does it spur you on to do better or does it cause resentment and jealousy? God has accepted Abel’s sacrifice, the younger brother preferred to the older being a theme that will develop throughout the Old… Continue reading Bloodshed