“You must be born again.” John 3:7 (NIV) I think it was the preacher George Whitefield who was once asked why he kept preaching that people must be born again. And he replied, “Because you must be born again.” It was a good answer! And with that answer he was doing no more than echoing
Read moreMake every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:3 (NIV) I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. Jude v3 (NIV) Are you more of a unity person, or more of a
Read moreDear brothers and sisters, Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits… Psalm 103:1-2 (NIV) How’s your prayer life? That’s always an uncomfortable question to be asked! Who is content with their prayer life? I’m not! And I don’t
Read more150 Years.mov from St Stephen’s & St Wulstan’s on Vimeo. 20 August 2021 This week we celebrated 150 years since St Stephen’s Church was opened. We enjoyed a barbecue, we sang ‘Happy Birthday’ and we shared a birthday cake which featured a model of the church. And we sang the hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness,
Read moreProud and Ashamed.mov from St Stephen’s & St Wulstan’s on Vimeo. 16 July 2021 Many England football fans have had reason this week to feel both proud and ashamed, and I count myself among them. We are proud of the team: for getting to the final of Euro 2020, for playing such attractive football, for
Read moreThe Beauty of Unity.mov from St Stephen’s & St Wulstan’s on Vimeo. 9 July 2021 “For the first and only time in my presidency, we didn’t need to sell what we’d done.” Those rueful words belong to Barack Obama, reflecting on the CIA-led operation in 2011, in which the terrorist leader Osama bin Laden was
Read moreIt’s Coming Home.mov from St Stephen’s & St Wulstan’s on Vimeo. 2 July 2021 I was in London on Tuesday night when England beat Germany, although sadly not at the match. I was walking with friends when suddenly a woman appeared right in front of us. I don’t know where she came from. She had
Read moreThe Appeal of Conspiracy Theories.mov from St Stephen’s & St Wulstan’s on Vimeo. 25 June 2021 Many conspiracy theories are relatively harmless, such as the belief that NASA faked the Moon landing (although people who accept one conspiracy theory are more prone to accept others). But some have more serious consequences...
Read moreSomebody to Love.mov from St Stephen’s & St Wulstan’s on Vimeo. 18 June 2021 Perhaps a song by the rock group Queen is not the most likely source of spiritual inspiration. Especially as lead singer Freddie Mercury openly expresses the struggles and longings of his bisexuality, perhaps against the background of his...
Read moreA Perfect Day.mov from St Stephen’s & St Wulstan’s on Vimeo. 11 June 2021 It was a near-perfect day. It was the first day of the cricket test match between England and New Zealand in Birmingham this week. And I was there. Okay, I know some of you will be struggling to put the words
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