Category: Open Table

‘A little tiny bit of what the world should be like’ – Open Table Network on BBC Radio 4 Sunday Worship

THIS MORNING, one of the new Patrons of the Open Table Network, Rachel Mann, led BBC Radio 4’s Sunday Worship on the theme of ‘Urban Harvest’, and invited me as the Network Co-ordinator to share a short reflection. Traditionally harvest is a time to celebrate and offer thanksgiving for God’s bounty in nature. Rachel reflected on …

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/09/27/a-little-tiny-bit-of-what-the-world-should-be-like-open-table-network-on-bbc-radio-4-sunday-worship/

‘Keep me out of Your way’ – Fr Mychal Judge, chaplain & casualty of 9/11

Father Mychal Judge was a little-known Franciscan friar ministering humbly to the disenfranchised and unloved on the streets of New York City… until September 11, 2001, when he suddenly became a global figure. As chaplain to the city’s Fire Department, he rushed to help first responders at the World Trade Center but was killed by …

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/09/11/keep-me-out-of-your-way-fr-mychal-judge-chaplain-casualty-of-9-11/

The opposite of shame – A reflection for Pride in Liverpool 2020

Pride in Liverpool is ten years old this year. It was formed as a response to the murder of 18-year-old Michael Causer, who died 12 years ago today. It’s also twelve years since the launch of the first Open Table community at St Bride’s Liverpool, and five years since the beginning of the Open Table …

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/08/02/the-opposite-of-shame-a-reflection-for-pride-in-liverpool-2020/

So what’s the story? Thank you for asking!

TODAY is the day that the person who inspired me to begin sharing my story steps down as the President of the Methodist Conference, the governing body of the Methodist Church of Great Britain. Barbara Glasson was the Methodist Minister for Liverpool City Centre from 1999-2009. During this time I encountered the community she led, …

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/06/27/so-whats-the-story-thank-you-for-asking/

Radical Welcome: What does it mean to be an inclusive church?

LAST MONTH, in my role as Open Table Network Coordinator, I was interviewed by Revd Phillip Johnson, vicar of the Parish of Malvern Link With Cowleigh, which is discerning whether to host an Open Table community. Phillip and I met in 2019 while taking part in the Journey of Hope pilgrimage exploring Christian reconciliation in …

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/06/11/radical-welcome-what-does-it-mean-to-be-an-inclusive-church/

What binds us together – The sixth step on my #JourneyOfHope

IT’S BEEN a year since the sixth step on the Journey of Hope pilgrimage of training in ‘Christian peace-building and reconciliation… to inspire and equip Christian leaders to become skilled practitioners of reconciliation in their churches and communities.’ reconcilerstogether.co.uk The pilgrimage journey included five residential modules from January to June 2019 – I wrote my reflections on …

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/06/07/what-binds-us-together-the-sixth-step-on-my-journeyofhope/

The possibility of life – A reflection for International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia & Transphobia #IDAHOBIT 2020 – #BreakingTheSilence

This is a reflection on two Bible texts: Isaiah 43:1,4 and Mark 5:1-20, created for an online gathering of LGBTI+ Christian groups on Friday 22nd May 2020

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/05/23/the-possibility-of-life-a-reflection-for-international-day-against-homophobia-biphobia-intersexphobia-transphobia-idahobit-2020-breakingthesilence/

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 …

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/03/24/a-prayer-of-shelter-and-shadow-a-candleofhope-on-nationaldayofprayer-for-coronavirus-crisis/

US evangelist Franklin Graham claims ‘persecution’ as UK venues cancel preaching tour bookings

IN 1984, charismatic preacher Billy Graham came to Liverpool at the invitation of local churches as part of a six-date tour called Mission England. This June, his son Franklin intends to come to the city, though the venue has withdrawn the booking, as have all seven of the other UK venues on his planned tour. So what’s going on?

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2020/03/01/us-evangelist-franklin-graham-claims-persecution-as-uk-venues-cancel-bookings/

A prayer for Christmas morning

AT A carol service this month, hosted by the Open Table inclusive Christian community in Liverpool, I read one of the prayers, which I found moving, inspiring and too good not to share. It’s a prayer for Christmas morning produced by enfleshed.com, a website which provides resources ‘that matter most. that addresses honestly, tenderly, and directly, the …

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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/12/24/a-prayer-for-christmas-morning/

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