Dear Friends, If you happen to have grown up in the church there are certain recurring patterns as we observe the seasons of the church’s year. Many speak to me of how they love the major festivals like Christmas and Easter. There is music and liturgies that we associate with those times and even though […]
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 […]
Dear Friends, September marks the beginning of a new season of church life and activities. It’s delightful to be beginning the month with a service of Holy Baptism as we welcome Louis Porter into the family of the church. This means that our usual Connect Service will not be happening in the church hall in […]
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 […]