My Silence Adds Weight
I feel outrage at the death of George Floyd, and saddened at the way those protesting for justice have been treated. But I know I don’t fully understand the horror of the situation that others feel so acutely.
Wisdom
Peace Pagoda
Recently I’ve been challenged about the use of an inappropriate image for a Christian project. What follows are my reflections on whether or not using the image was wise or appropriate.When setting up a new project recently (Hope MK) and putting together the website, I selected a number of images which unmistakeably represented Milton Keynes. These each featured iconic scenes…
Disappointing Grades
Today is a big day – a day which fills young people across the country with fear and dread. It is GCSE results day. Today, especially, I’m reminded that I got poor GCSE results – the worst in my family: C – Maths Level II C – Environmental Science C – Physical Science D – Design D – English E…
11 year old atheists
The following is a reflection by Sam Donahue, Children’s Ministry Adviser for Diocese of London (and co-Editor of the soon-to-be-released ChildrensWork Magazine) reproduced from their latest Children’s Ministry Newsletter with permission (full credit below): I was reading a book by James Fowler on how faith develops in children and within it he comments on the something they noticed during their research…
Holiness
Holiness is consecrated closeness to God. Holiness is in essence obeying God, living to God and for God, imitating God, keeping His law, taking His side against sin, doing righteousness, performing good works, following Christ’s teaching and example, worshipping God in the Spirit, loving and serving God and men out of reverence for Christ. In relation to God, holiness takes the form of a single-minded passion to please by love and loyalty, devotion and praise. In relation to sin, it takes the form of a resistance movement, a discipline of not gratifying the desires of the flesh, but of putting to death the deeds of the body. Holiness is, in a word, God-taught, Spirit-wrought Christ-likeness, the sum and substance of committed discipleship, the demonstration of faith working by love, the responsive outflow in righteousness of supernatural life from the hearts of those who are born again.
In All Comes From Here*
Last Saturday the second Youthwork Summit took place in Manchester. I attended along with about about 750 other youth workers/ministers, paid & volunteer, full & part time, along with 20+ speakers, the Rend Collective Experiment, Mark Yaconelli, and the amazing team who put the event together and served us on the day. It will take a while to properly reflect…
Ten Commandments Rewritten
Just seen this version of the 10 Commandments, rewritten for kids: Put God First: God is number one, everything else comes second. Nothing else is more important than God Don’t say ‘God’ when you don’t mean it Have a restful day – chillaxing every week Respect. Treat adults how you would like to be treated. Don’t hurt anybody Stick together/look…
Second Glance
“perhaps true beauty is something that draws our attention at second glance, once the judgement of a first glance has realised it’s mistake”
Retreat Day
Last week as part of my end of term activities I took part in a retreat day at the Carmelite Priory at Boars Hill in Oxfordshire. The day was led by Ian Adams, one of the CYM Chaplains, who used the story of Elizabeth, Zechariah and Mary to introduce us to some meditative practices. I arrived early to avoid the…
Wednesday Wisdom #31
Continuing the series: I’ve learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. – Maya Angelou
Wednesday Wisdom #30
Continuing the series: Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend. – Martin Luther King