The Ponderings of a Meandering Minister…
One of the biggest changes in the way Methodist congregations (or in Church-speak, “societies”) work has been taking place in the last few years. Gone are ‘Leaders’ Meetings’, here now are ‘Church Councils’. Except that in many places, the name has changed but the thinking has not. Methodist Church Councils in Ireland are not (maybe … Read moreWhat is a Church Council?
Ah, the joys of Lent! If you’re anything like me, the willpower is starting to wane, and the things I’m fasting are proving very attractive! I read this in UCB’s Word for Today the other day: If you’re serious about building strong character, set higher standards for yourself and refuse to lower them. Need a … Read moreDenying myself
I was reminded of the verses from Philippians 4 again this morning – Rejoice in the Lord (which was pretty much my life motto when I was in school) and a few verses later, the promise of the Peace of God that passes all understanding. Seems to me like we all need a bit of … Read moreThe Peace of God
One of the hardest days of the Carbon Fast is upon us – Don’t Use the Dishwasher Day! The purchase of our dishwasher was one of the best decisions we ever made for our sanity, work-life balance, back aches and general peace in the house. But it is indeed a huge user of electricity: combined … Read moreDishwasher Day
I just read about a 15-year-old girl who’s going to go to jail for recording an attack on a man on her mobile phone. The man later died from his injuries. “The message is this: if you stand by and watch your friends committing brutal crimes and video their acts for yours or for others’ … Read moreHappy Slapper?
Good evening and welcome to Pancake Tuesday! Or Shrove Tuesday. Or, if you’re in America, Super-Duper Tuesday. Mardi Gras is the day before Ash Wednesday, when the Church enters a period of self-discipline called Lent. A time for prayer and fasting, for solemn reflection on the state of our community and soul. This year, in … Read morePancakes
Having been prodded by Tina to blog more, I thought I’d share another two movies with you that I’ve seen in the last couple of weeks… First, Enchanted – the return of the traditional Disney family film, I thought it was brilliant! Done really well as it moves from old-style cartoon to real-life New York … Read moreThe Lost Return
The Golden Compass has just been released, a movie version of the first of Philip Pullman’s ‘His Dark Materials’ trilogy. There’s a helpful article here on how Christians should respond to a children’s fairy tale with atheist undercurrents… But my main reason for blogging is August Rush – which is simply brilliant! It moved me … Read moreTwo Movies
I thought I’d let you know that the Aldersgate Prayer Room is open 24-7 for two weeks (Mon-Fri) starting today. You can sign up for an hour or more at www.irishmethodist.org/fromourknees The theme is ‘Follow the Star’, a exploration of the nativity story. Make some time for your soul this Advent!
Back from another fantastic Autumn Soul! Young people encountering God, encouraged to pray, to serve, to love. All good. The speaker, Paul Flavel, was listening to God. He hit a lot of targets, real things that real teenagers are going through. One of his comments caught my attention – about going back to school and … Read moreProud to be a Jesus-loving loser-head