Some Signs of Engagement I recently heard an interesting discussion on a podcast I listen to about leadership in the church. It was asking an interesting question, “Would you prefer to see larger numbers coming to church, or would you prefer to see smaller numbers, but a depth of engagement with what’s going on?” Which […]

Signs of New Life One of the lovely things about this time of year is the signs of new life. Yesterday, I cut the grass for the first time in the new season and, while it took a while as I was too late getting to it, there is that lovely smell of freshly mown […]

Doing ordinary things very well I always enjoy the celebrations for St. Patrick’s Day in Downpatrick. The little church of Saul is believed to be the first Christian site established by St. Patrick around 432 AD. Each year, there is a morning of spiritual events and a pilgrimage and a festival service in the cathedral. […]

Laying Your Soul Bare As regular readers of the blog will know, I love a good read. I try to intersperse my reading between fiction and non-fiction, and it has been my privilege over the years to get to know some wonderful writers, both in person and through speaking to them on the podcast. Lent […]

Lent, A Hard Sell So, another Lent is about to begin, and I don’t know many Christians who look forward to it. All this talk about journeying with Jesus towards the cross, self-denial and spiritual discipline, doesn’t have many rubbing their hands with glee. The end of the week treats, the glass of wine and […]

Transforming a Culture How do you transform a culture? That’s a question that has challenged everyone, from the managers of football teams, to government leaders and school principals over the years. It’s a question that should be on the table in the life of the church also. I recently attended an online webinar about evangelism, […]

A Good Word for the Church Sometimes we come across words that have their words in another language, and it can be hard to find a good translation in English. The sense, however, behind the word, is a beautiful sentiment and, so, I wanted to think about such a word this week. We often record […]

Inclusive or Exclusive Conversations? Last weekend saw the opening of the Guinness Six Nations Rugby championship. Over the next couple of months Ireland will pit their skills against England, Scotland, Wales, France and Italy. For rugby fans, it’s a part of the year that is eagerly anticipated. Last Sunday evening, I spoke with a passionate […]

In Times of Sadness There are seasons in life in which people go through sadness and disappointment. Churches and church people are not exempt from these times and, recently in our church, we have seen many families experience the pain of losing a loved one. As this blog invites people to see inside the church […]

If only I’d known I think it was the mid 1990’s that a friend invited me to come with him to see Nanci Griffith and the Blue Moon Orchestra play at the then Point Depot in Dublin. I didn’t know much of her music then and, as she walked out on the stage, she was […]