Thought for the Week

For or Against?

Dear Friends, Many are commenting how public debate is becoming increasingly polarised. Whether it’s Democrat versus Republican in the US, Leave versus Remain in the UK or just about any discussion on social media, you are either FOR or AGAINST in a very loud voice, with virtually no middle-ground allowed, where your side is entirely

Read more

“I wanted my wedding dress to show my scar”

Dear Friends, That is what Princess Eugenie said of the dress she wore for her wedding on Friday when she married Jack Brooksbank. It was a remarkable statement. Most brides would try to hide their scars and other blemishes, but she chose to put hers on display by wearing a dress with a low back.

Read more

How can a loving God send people to hell?

Dear Friends, That is the next of our occasional ‘Big Questions’ topics on Sunday 28th October. The idea behind dealing with these topics is three-fold: • To be able to invite people to come and hear the topic explored. • To equip ourselves better for handling such questions. • To give us the opportunity to

Read more

It takes a village

Dear Friends, There is an African proverb that says “It takes a village to raise a child.” The meaning is clear. It takes a whole community of different people over many years and in a variety of situations to bring a child to maturity. Something similar could be said of raising Christians: “It takes a

Read more

Don’t be a Drifter

Dear Friends, It is difficult to think of being a ‘drifter’ in a positive way (with the possible exception of the Drifter chocolate bar which I remember being delicious). My dictionary tells me that ‘to drift’ is “to be carried; (to) move passively, casually or aimlessly” and that a ‘drifter’ is an “aimless person”. It

Read more

Me Too

Dear Friends, “I’m hungry and anxious and controlling and ashamed and angry and sad. I’m sinful.” So writes Emma Scrivener in her new book A New Day. It is a searingly honest account of her struggles, and yet a supremely hopeful one as she demonstrates how to bring each of these things to Christ –

Read more

Truth with Tears

Dear Friends, How do we respond when faced with death and dying? Many of us will freeze and do nothing, afraid that we will get it wrong. I was reminded this week of how difficult it is to get it right, with the news that Rachael Bland has died. She was a newsreader and presenter

Read more

The Arrogance of Unbelief

Dear Friends, “I don’t understand how you can think you have a monopoly on the truth. How dare you claim that? It’s sheer arrogance!” Have you heard something like that? Maybe you’ve been accused in similar terms? The thought is that it is arrogant to be sure of what we believe, and even more arrogant

Read more

The corridors of power

Evil in the corridors of power is nothing new. Wherever people exercise power over others you will find corruption, violence, greed. This week Donald Trump’s campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, was convicted on a number of charges in a US court. Who knows what the enquiry into Russian meddling in the campaign will reveal! Men and

Read more

Where wrath and mercy meet

Dear Friends, “We worship at your feet, where wrath and mercy meet”. Have you ever puzzled over these words from Graham Kendrick’s song Come and See? How is that possible, for wrath and mercy to meet? Aren’t they opposed to each other? Won’t one overcome the other, so that we are left with only wrath

Read more