leadership in ministry
This Sunday is the 4th in Advent. We’re almost there. The waiting is almost over… And yet the lectionary has us at Gabriel telling Mary she’s going to have a child. It’s as though they don’t want us to get to the birth. Perhaps all this waiting is important. Perhaps we’re meant to hang around Read More …
This week’s sermon almost didn’t happen. I was really busy and thinking about simply rehashing last week’s offering. But as I started to rework it I deleted it and started again. And I’m glad I did. As usual your comments, reactions and thoughts are most welcome. This sermon was preached on 14 December, the 3rd Read More …
A sneaky peek at Sunday’s sermon… Because of the way we arrange the Christmas story we sometimes forget that John and Jesus are the same age. Remember John is Jesus’ cousin. His mother is Elizabeth who was pregnant around the same time as Mary. When John talks about scanning the crowds he’s looking for a Read More …
‘Emerging’ Church The first thing to say is that McLaren doesn’t like the term Emerging for all kinds of reasons. But with no other word to replace it I’ll use it as a catch all definition of new developments on the fringe of church. He spent some time unpacking where we are and where we Read More …
Last night I went to hear author and pastor Brian McLaren speak at Vertigo in Strathclyde Uni’s Student Union. These are my notes and some attempt to make some sense of them. Jesus didn’t come to start a religion. He came to start something else which he called the ‘Kingdom of God’. But would Jesus Read More …
I’m becoming a bit of a regular on the Something Beautiful Podcast, maybe because I’ll do pretty much anything for a latte and a cake. Check out this week’s discussion where Thomas and I have a chat about Advent, hope, expectation, disappointment and recontextualisation (Thomas’ favourite word this week), all with the wonderful noises of Read More …
Christmas is coming The waiting begins It should be a time of joy and anticipation and yet the lectionary gives us Isaiah 64:1-9. 7 No-one calls on your name or strives to lay hold of you; for you have hidden your face from us and made us waste away because of our sins. God is Read More …