OPEN TABLE, the monthly service for Liverpool’s lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans* (LGBT) community at St Bride’s Liverpool, held its first Retreat Day last weekend. Twelve regular participants in the Open Table service came together at the Cenacle Convent in Liverpool for a time of reflection on where we have come from as individuals and what …
Surprised by grace: Discovering hidden treasures in Methodist vocation
TWO YEARS AGO this week, I found myself in a place I never imagined, at a Discerning Ordained Vocations [DOV] conference of the Methodist Church in Great Britain. It was part of a careful, prayerful process of listening for God’s call – a call that had already surprised me more than once.
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- 1st February 2026
- Christianity, Methodist, Spirituality
- abravefaith
From resolution to relationship – Renewing the Methodist Covenant Prayer
THIS REFLECTION began as a sermon preached at a Methodist Covenant Service. I’ve adapted it here for anyone who has ever struggled with resolutions, commitments, or prayers that ask more of us than we feel able to give. At its heart is a simple conviction: covenant begins with God, not with us.
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- 18th January 2026
- Christianity, marriage, Methodist, Spirituality
- abravefaith
Light in the darkness: Prayers for a Christmas carol service
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.
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- 26th December 2025
- Christianity, Christmas, Kindness, Spirituality
- abravefaith
Listening to the music of the soul: The grandest and rawest outcry
‘LISTENING to the Music of the Soul’ by Guli Francis-Dehqani is divided into 8 chapters inspired by 8 pieces of music. The author invites us to ‘have a go at creating your own Desert Island Discs… to help you better understand yourself and the things that are important to you’. Here’s my eighth and final musical moment.
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- 24th December 2025
- Appreciation, Christianity, Coming Out, Hate Crime, Homophobia, identity, Liverpool, Meaning of Life, Mental Health, Methodist, Open Table, relationships, sexuality, Spirituality, Transphobia
- abravefaith
Listening to the music of the soul: I wanna see you be brave
‘LISTENING to the Music of the Soul’ by Guli Francis-Dehqani is divided into 8 chapters inspired by 8 pieces of music. The author invites us to ‘have a go at creating your own Desert Island Discs… to help you better understand yourself and the things that are important to you’. Here’s my seventh.
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- 23rd December 2025
- Appreciation, Bullying, Coming Out, Homophobia, Human Rights, IDAHOT, identity, LGBT rights, Mental Health, Open Table, Pride, relationships, sexuality, Spirituality, Transphobia
- abravefaith
Listening to the music of the soul: Wisdom in secret things
‘LISTENING to the Music of the Soul’ by Guli Francis-Dehqani is divided into 8 chapters inspired by 8 pieces of music. The author invites us to ‘have a go at creating your own Desert Island Discs… to help you better understand yourself and the things that are important to you’. Here’s my sixth.
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- 22nd December 2025
- Appreciation, Christianity, Coming Out, Gratitude, identity, Meaning of Life, sexuality, Spirituality
- abravefaith
Listening to the music of the soul: Standing at the crossroads
‘LISTENING to the Music of the Soul’ by Guli Francis-Dehqani is divided into 8 chapters inspired by 8 pieces of music. The author invites us to ‘have a go at creating your own Desert Island Discs… to help you better understand yourself and the things that are important to you’. Here’s my fifth.
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- 21st December 2025
- Appreciation, Christianity, Gratitude, identity, Meaning of Life, Methodist, sexuality, Spirituality
- abravefaith
Listening to the music of the soul: True Colors
‘LISTENING to the Music of the Soul’ by Guli Francis-Dehqani is divided into 8 chaptersinspired by 8 pieces of music. The author invites us to ‘have a go at creating your own Desert Island Discs… to help you better understand yourself and the things that are important to you’. Here’s my fourth.
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- 20th December 2025
- Christianity, Civil Partnership, Coming Out, Homophobia, identity, LGBT rights, Liverpool, marriage, Marriage Equality, Michael Causer, Open Table, relationships, sexuality, Spirituality
- abravefaith
Listening to the music of the soul: Canon in D
INSPIRED by 8 pieces of music, Listening to the Music of the Soul by Guli Francis-Dehqani is divided into 8 chapters. The author invites us to ‘have a go at creating your own Desert Island Discs… to help you better understand yourself and the things that are important to you’. Here’s my third.
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- 19th December 2025
- Christianity, Civil Partnership, Liverpool, marriage, relationships, sexuality, Spirituality
- abravefaith
Listening to the music of the soul: Don’t give up
‘LISTENING to the Music of the Soul’ by Guli Francis-Dehqani is divided into 8 chapters inspired by 8 pieces of music. The author invites us to ‘have a go at creating your own Desert Island Discs… to help you better understand yourself and the things that are important to you’. Here’s my second.
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- 18th December 2025
- Coming Out, identity, Mental Health, relationships, sexuality, Spirituality
- abravefaith
Listening to the music of the soul: Walk among them, I’ll go with you
Inspired by eight pieces of music, Listening to the Music of the Soul by Guli Francis-Dehqani is divided into eight chapters. The author also invites us to ‘have a go at creating your own Desert Island Discs… to help you better understand yourself and the things that are important to you’. Here’s my first.
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- 17th December 2025
- Christianity, Christmas, identity, Open Table, sexuality, Spirituality
- abravefaith
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.
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- 9th December 2025
- Appreciation, Christianity, Christmas, Gratitude, Kindness, Methodist, Spirituality
- abravefaith
Oct 11
Bringing all of yourself – LGBT Christian retreat day
- By abravefaith in Christianity, Coming Out, LGBT rights, Liverpool, Meaning of Life, Spirituality
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11th October 2014
- Christian, church, Church of England, coming out, Gay community, Gay Lesbian and Bisexual, gender identity, God, homophobia, LGBT, LGBT social movements, Liverpool, Mental health, Merseyside, pastoral care, Personal development, Place of worship, Sexual orientation, sexuality, spirituality, theology, transphobia
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2014/10/11/bringing-all-of-yourself-lgbt-christian-retreat-day/
Sep 28
Reflect on the week – Friday guided meditation
- By abravefaith in Christianity, Liverpool, Spirituality
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28th September 2014
LAST YEAR, on pilgrimage to Bardsey Island with St Bride’s Church, Liverpool, I led night prayer each evening based on the spiritual practice known as the Examen, created by Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits. From this came the request to offer this practice regularly at St Bride’s, in the form of a guided meditation …
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2014/09/28/reflect-on-the-week-friday-guided-meditation/
Aug 30
Facebook reinstates homophobic ‘awareness’ page
- By abravefaith in Bullying, Hate Crime, LGBT rights, Marriage Equality
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30th August 2014
RECENTLY I wrote about Heterosexual Awareness Month, a campaign against LGBT rights and marriage equality which is spreading ignorance and prejudice on Facebook. I discovered their Facebook page in May and reported some of its content, which I considered to be blatantly homophobic. At first Facebook responded to say these posts didn’t violate their Community Standards, even …
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2014/08/30/facebook-reinstates-homophobic-awareness-page/
Aug 01
Are you proud of your heterosexuality?
- By abravefaith in Bullying, Hate Crime, LGBT rights, Liverpool, Marriage Equality, Michael Causer
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1st August 2014
DID YOU KNOW that July is becoming known as ‘Heterosexual Awareness Month’? Now that the month has passed, are you more aware of your own, or other people’s, heterosexuality? I’m guessing the answer is no – and I’m guessing that most of you probably don’t feel the need for a particular time to be proud …
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- equal marriage, Facebook, Facebook community standards, Gay community, Gay pride, Gay Youth R Out, GYRO, Heterosexual Awareness Month, homophobia, LGBT rights, Liverpool Pride, marriage equality, Michael Causer, Michael Causer Foundation, Murder of Michael Causer, Pride march, Same-sex marriage, Stonewall Riots, Straight Pride, transphobia
- 1 comment
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2014/08/01/are-you-proud-of-your-heterosexuality/
May 18
Stephen Fry visit to Liverpool LGBT youth group February 2013 – Part 2
- By abravefaith in Bullying, Hate Crime, LGBT rights, Liverpool, Marriage Equality
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18th May 2014
IN FEBRUARY 2013, Stephen Fry came to Liverpool to meet members of the Liverpool LGBT youth group GYRO (gay youth ‘r’ out) to find out about their experiences of being young and LGBT in 21st Century Britain. It was planned as part of his documentary on homophobia called Stephen Fry: Out There which was first broadcast by the BBC …
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2014/05/18/stephen-fry-visit-to-liverpool-lgbt-youth-group-february-2013-part-2/
May 05
‘You’re not who I thought you were’ – Supporting LGBTQ young people
- By abravefaith in Bullying, Coming Out, Hate Crime, LGBT rights, Liverpool
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5th May 2014
This article about my work was published last week on the blog of Young Minds, the UK’s leading charity committed to improving the emotional well-being and mental health of children and young people: Coming out to yourself… …is the first step FOR THE LAST nine years, I have had the pleasure of supporting young people …
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2014/05/05/supporting-lgbtq-young-people/
Apr 19
A call to action as Catholic Church consults on marriage and family life
- By abravefaith in Christianity, Liverpool, Spirituality
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19th April 2014
A CALL TO ACTION, a group of Catholics campaigning for greater openness and dialogue in the Roman Catholic Church, is calling for the results of a consultation on sexual ethics to be released. The survey was commissioned by Pope Francis and sent to Catholic bishops around the world last November, with instructions to consult as …
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2014/04/19/a-call-to-action/
Apr 06
UK: Same-Sex Marriage Dawns, Equality Fight Continues
- By abravefaith in Christianity, Civil Partnership, LGBT rights, Marriage Equality
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6th April 2014
THE CLOCKS WENT FORWARD in the UK last weekend, in more ways than one. The official start of British Summer Time with daylight saving coincided with the legalisation of same-sex marriages in England and Wales. So began an extraordinary week for LGBT equality. On Saturday March 29th, lesbian and gay couples around the country vied …
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2014/04/06/uk-same-sex-marriage-dawns/
Mar 19
Churches support LGBT Christians on Rainbow Sunday
- By abravefaith in Christianity, Civil Partnership, Coming Out, LGBT rights, Liverpool, Marriage Equality, Spirituality
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19th March 2014
RAINBOW SUNDAY came to the Church of England last weekend – Clergy and parishioners across the country wore rainbows to show solidarity with LGBT people in protest against the House of Bishops ‘pastoral guidance’ on same sex marriage, issued last month. The campaign is backed by Inclusive Church, a group committed to working for a church that is welcoming and …
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2014/03/19/rainbow-sunday/
Feb 14
Enduring Love? Couple Relationships in the 21st Century – part 2
- By abravefaith in Civil Partnership, LGBT rights, Marriage Equality
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14th February 2014
WHAT MAKES a couple relationship happy and lasting? It helps if you’re gay, have no children, and like a nice cup of tea… Last month, The Open University published the finding of research project called Enduring Love? Couple Relationships in the 21st Century into how couples experience, understand and sustain long-term relationships in Britain today. It revealed that: Same sex …
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- Church of England, civil partnership, Civil union, current-events, enduring love, England, family, Gay community, Gay Lesbian and Bisexual, homophobia, LGBT, LGBT social movements, Marriage, open university, Personal development, Place of worship, relationship research, Same-sex marriage, Same-sex relationship, Sexual orientation, sexuality
- 1 comment
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2014/02/14/enduring-love-research02/
Recent posts
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- Listening to the music of the soul: I wanna see you be brave
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