Thinking about the Algorithm Some strange things have been happening to my Facebook feed recently. A friend was over and was talking about his recent switch to an electric car. He was getting used to charging up at night on the economy rate and describing how he managed on longer journeys. He spoke of putting […]
A Sad Week in the Family It has been a sad week in the life of our church family. Over the past 10 days 4 of our parishioners have died. St. Paul referred to the church as being the body of Christ and, when one part suffers, the rest of the body suffers with it. […]
Quieter Stories We live in a noisy world. People are always interested in controversies and arguments. It’s the headlines that sell newspapers and no one is particularly interested if things are ticking along nicely. There are voices that tend to have an opinion and want everyone to know what that opinion is and why we […]
Loving Our Neighbour One of the tough things about writing a weekly blog about faith and daily life is that you sometimes have to tackle subjects you know are very emotive and difficult. After the events of the past few days in Northern Ireland where I live and work, it’s hard to avoid the topic […]
A Couple of Beautiful Books Sometimes, books touch our soul in a way that few things can. One of the great gifts my parents gave me was to instil a love of reading, and books have always filled the homes I have lived in. I love bookshops, browsing and picking them up. I love to […]
Feeling the Presence There are days in my job that are filled with conversations, and there are other days that are very solitary. Sometimes, there are many functions and gatherings to be part of, and other days you are holed up in your study reading, praying and studying as you prepare a talk or do […]
The Power of Invitation One of the things I have been thinking about recently is the power of invitation. Invitations can lead us in both positive and negative directions. During my second curacy, where I served as an assistant in a busy parish in Dublin, my boss used to impress upon us the importance of […]
Making New Starts It’s the time of year when social media feeds are full of photos of children heading back to school. Some are starting for the first time and are there smiling nervously while their older seasoned siblings seem to be taking it all in their stride. People are making preparations, too, for heading […]
Making the most of who we are, where we are Over the summer months I have had the privilege of worshipping in a few different places while on holiday, and certain things have struck me very powerfully. Those who have been leading worship have prepared thoughtfully and conscientiously to make it a positive and inspiring […]
An Inspiring Meeting on the Glider Belfast was buzzing last week as it hosted the biggest celebration of Irish music and culture, the Fleadh from 2-9 August. It is estimated that 1.65 million visitors came to the city to sample the atmosphere and take part in the multiplicity of concerts and events around this special […]