Responsive prayers for a Christmas carol service, rooted in Scripture and centred on the ancient Christian prayer Maranatha – holding together Christ’s coming at Christmas and the hope of his coming again.
Category: Kindness
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2025/12/26/light-in-the-darkness-prayers-for-a-christmas-carol-service/
Dec 09
Gifts that change us: An Advent reflection
6th December is the feast of St Nicholas, patron saint of children. In the Middle Ages, there was a tradition of electing a Boy Bishop – a reminder to hear the wisdom of the young.
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2025/12/09/gifts-that-change-us-an-advent-reflection/
Nov 01
Faithful and humble: Living the Gospel when no-one’s watching
Every church has them – the quiet heroes. The ones who turn up early, serve faithfully, and never seek attention. In a world that prizes recognition, Paul’s letter to Timothy and Jesus’ parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector remind us of something different: that God values faithfulness and humility, even – and especially – when no one’s watching.
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2025/11/01/faithful-and-humble-living-the-gospel-when-no-ones-watching/
Sep 21
Make time for peace: A call to action
SEPTEMBER 21st is the United Nations International Day of Peace, created in 1981 as an opportunity for ‘commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples.’ Two decades later, in 2001, the UN General Assembly designated the day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire. The World Council of Churches …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2025/09/21/make-time-for-peace-a-call-to-action/
Aug 04
Encouraging words build community spirit
LAST MONTH, as part of my training as a Methodist minister, I shared this reflection about the inmportance of sharing encouragement when we can, not waiting until someone leaves or has died to say how we really feel.
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2025/08/04/encouraging-words-build-community-spirit/
Jul 05
Joy, freedom, kindness: A spiritual exercise
LAST SUNDAY, as part of my training as a Methodist minister, I shared this reflection during an all-age service. The service included children and adults with learning difficulties. The readings for the day were Psalm 16:1-2,5-11 and Galatians 5:1,13-25. I began with an extract from a poem: joy is supposed to slither throughthe cracks of …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2025/07/05/joy-freedom-kindness-a-spiritual-exercise/
Aug 20
Surprising outcasts – Joseph and the Canaanite woman
IN 2021, a Black woman became the President of the Methodist Church In Britain for the first time. In her presidential address at Conference, Revd Sonia Hicks told the story of her Aunt Lize, a life-long Methodist who came from Jamaica to the UK. On her first Sunday in this country, Lize attended the local Methodist church but, although she brought her membership ticket, the minister turned her away.
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2023/08/20/surprising-outcasts-joseph-and-the-canaanite-woman/
Mar 24
A prayer of shelter and shadow – A #CandleOfHope on #NationalDayOfPrayer for #CoronaVirus crisis
Tens of thousands of Christians lit candles in their homes and prayed on Sunday 22nd March in response to a call to prayer initiated by the Presidents of Churches Together in England (CTE). So many participants shared photos of their candles on social media that CTE reports the hashtag #candleofhope became Twitter’s second most trending hashtag in the UK …
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/03/24/a-prayer-of-shelter-and-shadow-a-candleofhope-on-nationaldayofprayer-for-coronavirus-crisis/
Apr 18
Would you sit next to #HomelessJesus?
AT the close of a conference on homelessness earlier this month, I had the privilege of supporting three members of the YMCA community to reveal a moving tribute to those who sleep rough in our city.
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/04/18/would-you-sit-next-to-homelessjesus/
Feb 07
Every day can be #TimeToTalk Day
ON THE FIRST Thursday in February each year, the UK charity Time to Change helps to challenge the stigma around mental distress and promote mental well-being by encouraging everyone to take ‘Time To Talk’ about mental health.
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/02/07/every-day-can-be-timetotalk-day/
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