A few years ago, one of our young mums had sad news, her sister back in her home country had died. Due to her immigration circumstances, she could not return for the funeral. So, we offered the opportunity for a memorial service here. It hopefully eased the pain but clearly was not the same as… Continue reading The absence of mourning?
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When friends turn – the enemy within
Friendly Fire: a phrase that puts together two words that should not go together. The phrase came into common parlance during the 1991 Gulf War to liberate Kuwait. Sadly a lot of soldiers were killed by their own side, the result of the challenges of bringing different armed forces together with different cultures and communication… Continue reading When friends turn – the enemy within
Food from around the World Wide Web
Friday 10th April 2020 Qualified well wishes aren’t well wishes and in this case aren’t human … what do you do if someone you disagree with politically falls ill? You just wish them well. Stephen Kneale argues that if you need to explain your political disagreement whilst wishing them well then you are falling into… Continue reading Food from around the World Wide Web
Abuse and The Church: Changing the Culture
Always Reforming I’ve shared a few articles recently reflecting on the less pleasant side of church life. It should sadden us that the church (locally, nationally and internationally) often seems to fall short of what it should be as a haven of hope and safety. However, at the same time it should not surprise us. … Continue reading Abuse and The Church: Changing the Culture
Avoiding False Assurance
This is the next bit of our mini-series “A last Conversation with Jesus. Read John 13:18-30. Judas is present at the Last Supper but Jesus says that his words do not apply to him. Judas may be tempted to find assurance in his active participation in the Lord’s Supper or his role as treasurer but… Continue reading Avoiding False Assurance
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
Apologetics during a Pandemic
Yesterday at Afternoon Tea, we talked about how we share our faith at a time like this and particularly about apologetics. Apologetics is about being able to articulate reasons for what you believe. It is about being able to answer difficult questions, defend your position and also challenge the beliefs and presuppositions of others. As… Continue reading Apologetics during a Pandemic
Assurance in God’s Word
1 Peter 1:12-21 In the face of false teachers and facing his own imminent death, Peter wants to ensure that the churches are fully prepared for the road ahead. In so doing, a major priority of his is assurance. So, first of all we see assurance demonstrated by spiritual growth. Now, we also see that… Continue reading Assurance in God’s Word
Following the Example of Jesus
In our mini-series on John 13 “A last Conversation with Jesus” today we look at John 13:12-17. Jesus tells his disciples that he has provided an example for them. We follow that example by Showing true humility Loving each other and caring practically for one another Sharing the Gospel Encouraging believers to grow in holiness.… Continue reading Following the Example of Jesus
Anxiety in a Time of Coronavirus
For those struggling with anxiety, the lockdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic will be a particularly challenging time. Here, we wanted to share some thoughts and advice that we hope you will find helpful. First of all, just as if you were suffering from physical symptoms of illness, we would encourage you to seek appropriate… Continue reading Anxiety in a Time of Coronavirus
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