A lot of people find January hard, especially those struggling with emotional health. There’s the additional challenge at this time of SAD, dark mornings and evenings, cold weather, the return to work from holiday, high numbers on the weighing scales and the Christmas decorations coming down. This post isn’t intended to be particularly profound, just… Continue reading Surviving January
Posts
Be careful who you give platforms to
Although Donald Trump had already amassed his billions and was famous when it happened, his celebrity status took off when he became the star of The Apprentice. This gave him an incredible media platform. Were we uncomfortable with his brashness, his crudeness and aggression? Yes we were. Did a number of other businessmen and women… Continue reading Be careful who you give platforms to
A walk in the park and a lockdown controversy
The lockdown horror stories are beginning again. Just as with the last lockdown we are now getting the stories of people innocently going out t exercise and being hit with heflt fines by jobs-worth police. Here’s the latest example. Covid: Women on exercise trip ‘surrounded by police’ – BBC News Now I’m probably a bit… Continue reading A walk in the park and a lockdown controversy
I could be in Boris Johnson or Keir’s shoes right now – I’m glad I’m not!
It’s 1995 and I’m in a room with half a dozen other people. We all have one thing in common. One day we would like to be Prime Minister and with the arrogance of youth we each believer that we uniquely have the ability to make that dream come true. Move forward to 2021 and… Continue reading I could be in Boris Johnson or Keir’s shoes right now – I’m glad I’m not!
Reflections on Grief
“Blessed are those who mourn for they shall see God” These reflections arose from a sermon preached some time back on 2 Samuel 1. Mourning the death of a faithful servant of God This year we have stopped to mourn on a couple of occasions. As a church, we said goodbye to one of our… Continue reading Reflections on Grief
Is it always wrong to run?
It’s a classic sermon challenge “What are you running away from?” It’s a good challenge. Often people are on the run. Shame, guilt and fear are the primary causes of running. We are afraid that our shame and guilt will be exposed, we are afraid of enemies, of mocking, of abuse. But, I remember being… Continue reading Is it always wrong to run?
The Rule of Law
What makes a democracy? Is it simply that people get to vote for their political leaders and their policies? Well, not quite. Even dictators are fond of plebiscites (the traditional reason given by older politicians against the use of referenda) and some of the most brutal and corrupt regimes officially have elections. Those tend to… Continue reading The Rule of Law
Zoom communion revisited
Back when we first went into lockdown, our church decided to use zoom and Facebook to enable us to continue gathering. We recognised that these means were not perfect but we felt that the Scriptural injunction to gather was so important that we should try by every means possible to do so. As a church… Continue reading Zoom communion revisited
Was Jesus a refugee?
We are around about the stage of Christmas when people focus in on the visit of the magi and Joseph fleeing Herod with his young family to Egypt. Over the years, people have frequently drawn comparisons with the early life of Jesus and the experience of refugees forced to flee their own countries and seek… Continue reading Was Jesus a refugee?
Cancelling exams will not level up
One of my big questions about the new lockdown concerned the thinking of the Government in cancelling exams this summer. Last May/June, it was obvious why exams were cancelled, we were in the middle of lockdown and so it was theoretically unsafe to run the exams. I say “theoretically” because there were people who argued… Continue reading Cancelling exams will not level up
