All Our Sickness … All our Sorrow

All our sickness, all our sorrowsJesus carried up the hill.He has walked this path before us,He is walking with us still;Turning tragedy to triumph,Turning agony to praise,There is blessing in the battleSo take heart and stand amazed.[1] But he was pierced for our transgressions;  he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement… Continue reading All Our Sickness … All our Sorrow

Isolation and Communion (conclusion)

Applying to today – can we share communion during the pandemic? So, this is the bit that you’ve been waiting for. What do I think about sharing communion during the Coronavirus Pandemic?  Is it okay to do it? Whilst the conclusion is specific to this situation, there may be further implications particularly as we care… Continue reading Isolation and Communion (conclusion)

Isolation and Communion (Part 4)

The Truth and Lies issues (Systematic Theology) We have seen that making wise, godly decisions depends on knowing the truth about God, Creation, Humanity and New Creation. This means rejecting lies about all four areas of doctrine. In this post we will look at some of the doctrinal (Systematic Theology) issues at stake in our… Continue reading Isolation and Communion (Part 4)

Isolation and Communion (Part 3)

The Big Picture – Biblical Theology If we are to make wise, Biblical decisions about communion, then we need the big picture. There are two perspectives on this. Biblical Theology which we will look at in this post is all about seeing how the Biblical story of redemption unfolds and different themes develop within it.… Continue reading Isolation and Communion (Part 3)

A different kind of leader

Isaiah 42:1-4 What makes a good leader? Perhaps we think in terms of charisma, competence, strength, a compelling vision. Think about these people: Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn, Nicol Sturgeon, Robert Mugabe, Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin. What makes people look to them as leaders. What about leaders more locally, church, home, school, work. What authority do… Continue reading A different kind of leader

Bullying, abuse and the problem of co-dependency

I’ve been writing a few articles in response to #MeToo #ChurchToo and recent high profile cases of abusive church leadership. Here I want to write a little more about abusive relationships and how they form. First of all, two quotes from Hannah, or communities and families worker from our twitter account. “Abusers are difficult to… Continue reading Bullying, abuse and the problem of co-dependency