And, all of a sudden, it is 2019! Although it’s still ‘technically’ Christmas until Epiphany, it is time to shift gear for all that this New Year will bring. I remember back in the mid 1990s The Salvation Army brought out a 2020 Vision scheme – everyone was invited to imagine how different their own … More Welcome 2019

It is quite easy to do stuff for Jesus.  You know, you pick your favourite cause, a little bit of what makes you tick, and you apply yourself.  Whether it’s working with young people, old people, homeless people, poor people, debt-tangled people, church people, [insert your own], it is relatively easy to do something in … More Attending to the Presence

Not so long ago, a singer/song-writer by the name of Ralph McTell played in the Hertford Theatre, just round the road from our church here.  McTell is most famous for his song ‘Streets of London’ written in 1969.  In it, he reflects on the challenges faced by the mass of humanity that can be witnessed … More Streets of London

There has been a recurrent theme in my conversations over the last few weeks.  People seem to be constanly beginning emails or conversations with ‘I know you’re busy …’ This is some sort of kindness, of course.  People are aware of not wanting to over burden me, and they are mindful that my colleague pastor … More Space//not too busy

Here’s the thing: in the throws and passions of every day life it is easy to think that your life is fundamentally vital, significant and necessary.  We are all, to a greater or lesser extent, the centre of our own lives.  Certainly, as humans we have value – I’m not seeking to undermine that intrinsic … More Momento Mori

So, Pastor Eugene Peterson died. He’s more famous for his bible paraphrase, The Message. I’ve never been too much of a fan of The Message, although there are some beautiful gems in that work which have been so helpful. No, I’ve come to appreciate Eugene much more recently as a reflective writer on ministry as … More Long Obedience

The blog title is a line from a song in the American Shapenote tradition. The song is a message to the human heart, an invitation to exploration, and an invitation to share. I have to say I’ve been feeling ‘grieved’ for a little while. I’ve been feeling it lately, but it’s not a new feeling. … More ‘What is this that grieves thee?’

Francis Chan’s most recent book, ‘Letters to the Church’, was nothing new.  I don’t say that to dismiss the book at all.  Over the years I’ve read a fair bit of Chan and other authors like Frank Viola, Neil Cole, Alan Hirsch, Michael Frost, Matt Smay, Hugh Halter, et al who all write similarly and … More Chan’s Letters to the Church

Maybe, like me, you’ve heard of Sabbath as a rigid day of ‘thou shalt nots’ at some point in your path and everything free in you rises up to meet it face on. Maybe, like me, you’ve wondered how a whole day of non-stop church activity can possibly constitute any notion of rest, too? Maybe, … More Sabbath

If you listen closely enough across the Christian traditions, every one of them have a language for that ‘slowing down to be with God’ necessity.  This is the phrase Peter Scezzaro uses in his book ‘Health Emotional Leadership’ that I’m currently working through. The new charismatic Christian terminology is ‘soaking.’  A good evangelical or reformed … More Abiding