Usually at this time of year, there would be a number of Christian festivals and holiday conventions happening. All have had to be cancelled. It looks like this will apply to summer conventions too. Personally I’m a little disappointed, we were looking forward to joining the Keswick Convention having had a few years away. We… Continue reading Festival of the Local Church
Category: Opinion
Learning the wrong lessons (2) The Sweden factor and panic time
“It’s all too complicated, it’s going to go massively wrong, we’ll lose money, jobs will go, national security could be put at risk. Others are handling this differently. We need to change course.” That was the gist of the conversation I had a few time with my bosses. It was back in 1999 and we… Continue reading Learning the wrong lessons (2) The Sweden factor and panic time
A strange Easter?
Easter Sunday is going to be weird this year. We are used to celebrating in style. For Bearwood Chapel, Easter means a week long festival including gatherings, a breakfast and communion on Good Friday, children’s clubs and usually some special events such as Arts Days and café nights. Then on Easter Sunday we all gather… Continue reading A strange Easter?
Learning the wrong lessons from a crisis
Don’t you long for the days of good old political knock about and debate? December, the General Election and Jeremy Corbyn’s resignation as Labour leader seems so far away now. For us political anoraks, this week should have been a big occasion. We would be looking forward to the special conference revealing a new leader… Continue reading Learning the wrong lessons from a crisis
The ugliness of death
Yesterday, Steve Kneale reported on new restrictions concerning burials and funerals that are being imposed in West Yorkshire. Grave-side mourners will be limited to 10 maximum (nb it is 6 here in Sandwell) but now, no mourners will be allowed at the Crematorium. Instead the Council will offer “direct cremations” with no mourners present and… Continue reading The ugliness of death
Absence makes the heart grow fonder
We are now entering another week of lockdown. We are under strict instruction not to leave our homes unless we are key workers except for daily exercise, essential shopping and medical needs. Hitting the Easter holidays will make that sense of what we are missing out on all the more painful for many of us.… Continue reading Absence makes the heart grow fonder
It doesn’t apply to me
Quick get up, get out” “Who do you think you are coming telling me what to do?” “No, you need to, you are in danger” “Why” “The house is on fire” “Are you telling my sister to get out too” “Yes – but you need to come quickly “ “Oh I think I am able… Continue reading It doesn’t apply to me
Are we being punished?
Is Coronavirus a punishment sent from God to bring justice to the wealthy, secular west for its rejection of him and its failure to love the poor? Is it discipline for the church, a response to the way in which we have become individualistic? If meeting together doesn’t bother us that much then should we… Continue reading Are we being punished?
Body and Spirit
One of the things that happens when we go through unusual times like we are doing at the moment is that it gets us thinking about things we normally take for granted. We are used to meeting together every week. We are used to sharing communion What happens now that we cannot? First of all… Continue reading Body and Spirit
There is more than one way to die
One of the oldest military tricks in the book is to give the appearance that the attacking army is concentrated in one place. Whilst those defending focus all their attention on where the attack is coming from, the enemy sneaks round the back. There is more than one way to die. Coronavirus has sadly led… Continue reading There is more than one way to die
Faithroots 