I’ve been journeying now with the Northumbria Community for many years. It is a dispersed new monastic community, which has a ‘mother house’ here in Northumberland, but the majority of the community live in their own settings in different countries of the world. We live by a rule of Availability and Vulnerability (full rhythm of … More Availability and Vulnerability
In some of my more reflective moments over the last few weeks, especially when thinking of my re-entry into the world of work and ‘normal’, the poetic words of a friend, Peter Neary Chaplin, have spoken powerfully and challengingly to me. The poem, ‘The Understudy’ is a story where the ‘main actor’ gets sick and … More The Understudy
I’ve been laying relatively low of late, certainly on the blogging front, for no other reason than general busyness, taking a break, and all that jazz. I’ve also being doing a lot of background stuff to prepare a bit for our life from Aug next year, when I finish at Trinity. Lots to share on … More Still here…
Stuart Murray Williams is a writer and speaker about our current cultural climate and how it effects the church. I’ve been so encouraged and helped by him personally in recent years, and others like him. I think his 7 ‘transitions’ are really helpful in light of the discussion on yesterday’s post ‘Why Us Millennials Are … More Shift
The evangelical and charismatic branches of the church are the ones that have nurtured me all along the way. They have shaped the Christian I became and yet, swallowing the teaching of them whole for several years also began to give me indigestion! I look at my faith as a 20 year old and I … More Marginal
There are things that are right and true. There are things that are wrong and false. And then there are opinions which skirt about both of those. These are the places where it is easy to become partisan and entrenched when the true path to truth lies within a mixture of both. I believe that … More True Paths
I recently had the opportunity to revisit, for a few brief moments, a place that has become special to me. It is almost a year since I was baptised in the River Almond in Perthshire, by the same stretch of glen that I spent a contemplative day outdoors considering some big messages on a ‘retreat’ … More Dead or Alive?
Gaza. Israel. Ukraine. Russia. Syria. Air catastrophes. Serial sexual abuse. Kidnapped Girls. Poverty. Injustice. Ineffectual governments…plus any number of personal/community/family challenges…. How do you pray with all that? How do you cope with the heartache and despair that these things bring? How do you bring these things to God? How do you feel about the … More Praying Amidst the Chaos
I’m captivated, most of all, with the actions of Jesus as we see him walk through the pages of the gospels. His engagement with all sorts of people is so powerful. We should never underestimate the problems Jesus had with the establishment as he mixed with, ate with, had compassion on, and made friends with … More Jesus, Friend of Sinners
Ok, so I can hear the questions. I’ve raised my head above a couple of parapets in the last few weeks on a few issues and, as I said in a previous post, there will be many praying for my soul. Again, all I can say is thank you! I have links with a wide … More Evangelical?
Andrew S M Clark 