How might we talk to our children about Ukraine?

How should parents and Sunday School teachers talk to worried and anxious children about what is going on in the World around us It is many years since we’ve seen such horrific genocidal conflict so close to home and with a level of danger from nuclear conflict hanging oh too realistically in the air.  If… Continue reading How might we talk to our children about Ukraine?

Laying down your life for your friends in a pandemic

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Throughout the pandemic, pastors have found themselves under fire from two sides. For some, every decision to conform with guidelines, providing online services, introducing social distancing, asking people to wear masks has been seen as an act of compromise with the state driven by fear of death. Thy are told that they should not fear… Continue reading Laying down your life for your friends in a pandemic

Is fear a sin?

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Sometimes we say that we should only fear God and that we shouldn’t fear other people. I have often talked about how the things we fear are the things that become our idols.  Jesus tells us: “do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy… Continue reading Is fear a sin?

What are we afraid of?

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Throughout COVID I’ve seen a particular line of argument from some of my fellow Christians to the effect that the response to the pandemic marks out a society that is afraid of death.  Apart from the feeling that this comes combined with suspicion of interventions to mitigate against the virus and a little bit of… Continue reading What are we afraid of?

COVID and Omicron – what’s the mood?

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Yesterday I ran one of my little surveys via twitter. Remember, these are not intended to give is a scientific analysis of the exact proportions of people that hold specific positions. Rather, they operate like a kind of focus group or dip check. That’s not a high number of votes and I expect proportions would… Continue reading COVID and Omicron – what’s the mood?

Avoiding scaremongering

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I want to share with you two examples of how the media’s handling of COVID-19 has been extremely unhelpful.  The public have a significant part to play in response to the pandemic and therefore needs accurate information in order to make informed decisions. The first example was published in the Independent.  You can read the… Continue reading Avoiding scaremongering

Don’t be afraid – the first message of Easter

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It’s Sunday morning. On the Friday, the Mary’s had watched to see where Jesus was buried. They then couldn’t do anything further on the Sabbath but on the Sunday, they make their way early to the tomb. We know that the aim of the women was to take spices to anoint the body. But something… Continue reading Don’t be afraid – the first message of Easter

Through the Fire

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Today’s #DailyDose from Isaiah 43:1-13 points to God as the Lord and Saviour who created, redeemed and calls us. We discover doctrinal truth -that Christ is fully God and pastoral hope that no-one can snatch us from His hand.

The fear factor

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One of the issues that emerged from the Jonathan Fletcher review was the prevalence of fear amongst those affected by the case.  The review comments: A further factor which is of great importance is fear. As has been explained, the level of fear some participants held was palpable in interviews and email correspondence. Repeated reassurances… Continue reading The fear factor

One thing I ask (Psalm 27)

I love these words from Psalm 27 “One thing have I asked of the Lord,    that will I seek after:that I may dwell in the house of the Lord    all the days of my life,to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord    and to inquire[c] in his temple.”[1] They stick in my head but it is important to not miss the context.  David is… Continue reading One thing I ask (Psalm 27)