Category: grace

  • The useful Romany

    Whilst walking quietly along to an internment (observing not doing) I was accosted by a delightful lady who wanted to know where the friary was – well, I told her, but of course she saw the collar – oh reverend, would you just… …half an hour of life story, of trials and tribulations, you would…

  • In the Middle

    I was duly given the stern advice that one should get one’s priorities right – especially in ministry. God first, then the church, all else follows. My immediate response was of God third at least!! A much better response however was given by means of a meditation in chapel yesterday. God in the middle. Strangely,…

  • still struggling

    The Anglican Primates announced yesterday that there should be no more ordinations of gay Bishops and that the blessing of same sex relationships should not happen. How are we to proceed in honesty and integrity with such a pronouncement. The decision buys the Anglican communion time together to discern a way forward. Yet how are…

  • Cantemus

    Cantemus is a chamber choir, they are based in Wales and sang in the college chapel at the end of term. The music they produced was fantastic, it really touched the soul. Something about unaccompanied voices is so enchanting it grips the imagination and forces you out of yourself. This was especially evident in one…

  • Eucharist

    I was at St Luke’s yesterday morning. It is quite an Anglo-catholic church and so I was part of the altar party being a sub-deacon or something wearing more robes than I ever thought possible! Anyway, that is not the important part. At the distribution of the elements, I was to give out the bread…

  • Beauty in simplicity

    It would be so easy to reflect on the difficulties this week, so I won’t! I remember a poem, It is called, If I had my life over. Although I don’t remember all of it, it speaks of taking more risks, going bare foot earlier, having more actual problems, but less imaginary ones! and picking…

  • Art & Sandwiches

    Firstly Sandwiches, not that the food theme is anything surprising for me, but I had a distinct thought for sandwiches during tonights service… Secondly, Art. In two parts, the first is about a Welsh Sculptor, John Meirion Morris www.johnmeirionmorris.org/ His art is inspirational, and I wrote a reflection on this a few years ago during…

  • Peace

    These things never come out as well as they did when they were first articulated. During a session on worship we were discussing ritual action. I remember once being confronted by the thought that if I could not face, let alone share the peace with one of the other congregants, then as the biblical passage…

  • Mole and Rat

    The wind in the willows. This mornings reflection was a reading from wind in the willows and it captured in me a little something. I’m not even sure what the little something was, but I do not want that feeling to die. It was present in a cool, fresh air that was in the chapel.…

  • Anointing

    The most useful and most meaningful experiences come from the most surprising of places. The partnership of a devout Catholic and a fundamentalist evangelical spells trouble in most peoples books, yet a simple and deeply spiritual time of prayer for healing and anointing with chrism was the result. The surprising place is where God is!!