I have been silent for the past month due to my father’s final illness. I last wrote while on the train to visit him in hospital. The following week, though his will was strong, his body was weak, and could sustain him no more. Yesterday we celebrated a requiem mass in thanksgiving for his life. …
Good news worth sharing?
AS PART of my ministry training, I’m exploring what happens when we share stories of faith and invite others to respond. I’d love to hear your perspective, whatever your beliefs or background.
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- 2nd June 2026
- Christianity, Coming Out, identity, Liverpool, marriage, Marriage Equality, Meaning of Life, Mental Health, Methodist, Open Table, sexuality, Spirituality, Theology
- abravefaith
Pride, shame, and the possibility of life
JUNE is celebrated around the world as Pride Month, remembering the long struggle of LGBTQIA+ people to live openly and safely, free from fear, shame, and discrimination. Last Sunday, as part of my training as a …
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- 1st June 2026
- Christianity, Coming Out, Hate Crime, Homophobia, identity, LGBT rights, Liverpool, Michael Causer, Open Table, sexuality, Spirituality, Theology, Transphobia
- abravefaith
Grace before agreement: What living ecumenically has taught me
What does it mean to practice Christian unity today? Drawing on my own journey across Christian traditions and the story of the Open Table Network, I explore unity, grace, and the courage to stay at the table – especially when we don’t agree on everything.
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- 2nd March 2026
- Appreciation, Chaplaincy, Christianity, Civil Partnership, Gratitude, identity, Liverpool, Methodist, Open Table, relationships, Spirituality, Theology
- abravefaith
‘All Are Welcome!’: How a surprising witness is inspiring a national church
FEBRUARY is LGBT+ History Month, an annual celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and non-binary history. This year the Methodist Church in Britain asked me to connect them with a minister who could tell the story of a church that had walked the sometimes difficult journey to becoming truly inclusive and hosting an Open Table community.
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- 22nd February 2026
- Christianity, Coming Out, Gratitude, identity, LGBT rights, Methodist, Open Table, Pride, relationships, sexuality, Spirituality
- abravefaith
Standing together in the gap: Migration, identity, and the search for home
AS PART of my training for ordained ministry in the Methodist Church in Britain, I have been invited to situate my own experience of migration within global theological perspectives, particularly those emerging from African and Latin American contexts. Engaging with migration studies has revealed my story as part of a much larger global, political and theological pattern of power, privilege, and displacement. Migration, therefore, is not an abstract concept for me; it has shaped my family, my childhood, and my ministry.
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- 18th February 2026
- Christianity, Human Rights, identity, Methodist, Theology
- abravefaith
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
Nov 23
‘And it’s goodnight from him’ – A eulogy for my father
- By abravefaith in Christianity, Spirituality
-
23rd November 2013
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/11/23/and-its-goodnight-from-him-eulogy-for-my-father/
Oct 23
Stephen Fry: Out There – Meeting the gay TV presenter tackling global homophobia
- By abravefaith in Coming Out, Hate Crime, LGBT rights, Liverpool, Michael Causer
-
23rd October 2013
LAST WEEK the BBC screened Stephen Fry: Out There, a ground-breaking two part documentary about homophobia around the world. As the title suggests, it was presented by the multi-talented Stephen Fry, who describes himself on Twitter as: ‘British Actor, Writer, Lord of Dance, Prince of Swimwear & Blogger.’ During the making of the documentary, the …
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/10/23/stephen-fry-out-there/
Oct 17
Did You Go Purple For #SpiritDay?
- By abravefaith in Bullying, Coming Out, Hate Crime, LGBT rights, Spirituality
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17th October 2013
TODAY, the third Thursday in October, is Spirit Day, when millions of people wear purple and change their social media profile pictures to help create a world in which lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people are celebrated and accepted for who they are. What is Spirit Day? Spirit Day is an annual day held on the …
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- Advocate, Asher Brown, BBC, Billy Lucas, Brazil, Brittany McMillan, Canada, coming out, Gay community, Gay Lesbian and Bisexual, gender identity, GLAAD, homophobia, India, Iran, Justin Aaberg, LGBT, LGBT social movements, Mental health, Russia, Seth Walsh, Sexual orientation, sexuality, Spirit Day, spirituality, Stephen Fry, Tyler Clementi, Uganda, United States, USA, Wes Janisen, Youth
- 2 comments
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/10/17/did-you-go-purple-for-spiritday/
Sep 27
WATCH: Defriended over a wedding – A straight man gains perspective
- By abravefaith in Christianity, Civil Partnership, Coming Out, LGBT rights, Marriage Equality, Spirituality
-
27th September 2013
WHAT MAKES the debate over same-sex marriage around the world really interesting is the power of empathy, when ordinary people who are not LGBT begin to see it from our point of view. Spare six minutes to hear this man say why he began to get what it’s like to be judged second-rate for who …
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- Christian, church, civil partnership, Civil union, coming out, current-events, England, Facebook, family, Gay community, Gay Lesbian and Bisexual, God, homophobia, Internet relationship, LGBT, LGBT social movements, Liverpool, Liverpool Echo, Marriage, Place of worship, Pope, Same-sex marriage, Sexual orientation, sexuality, Social media, Twitter, United States
- 1 comment
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/09/27/watch-defriended-over-a-wedding/
Sep 22
What does it mean to be an Inclusive Church?
- By abravefaith in Christianity, Liverpool, Spirituality
-
22nd September 2013
LAST WEEKEND the church where my civil partner and I worship together celebrated Inclusive Church Sunday. Despite major building work which unexpectedly revealed the presence of asbestos, and has restricted access to the building during the week, last Sunday the doors opened for three special events to mark the occasion. The day was dedicated to Inclusive …
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- Anglican Communion, Christian, Christianity, church, Church of England, civil partnership, Civil union, creativity, current-events, disability, England, exclusion, exclusive, Gender, God, inclusion, inclusive, Jeffrey John, Jesus, LGBT, liberal, Liverpool, Mental health, mental well-being, outsider, Parable of Lost Sheep, Parable of the Lost Coin, Parable of the Prodigal Son, parish, pastoral care, Place of worship, progressive, race, Sexual orientation, sexuality, spirituality, Sunday, theology
- 1 comment
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/09/22/inclusive-church/
Sep 08
Not on our bus, Or, We don’t need no segregation
- By abravefaith in Bullying, Civil Partnership, Hate Crime, LGBT rights, Liverpool, Marriage Equality
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8th September 2013
WHEN I FIRST went to an LGBT social group in Bath in my late 20s, I met an older generation of gay men who would speak in code to each other to avoid ‘outing’ themselves to others who might overhear them. For example, when discussing another man and wondering if he were gay, they would say …
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/09/08/not-on-our-bus/
Sep 06
The power of love: An LGBT history of Liverpool
- By abravefaith in LGBT rights, Liverpool, Michael Causer
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6th September 2013
Gaydio, the UK’s only radio station for the LGBT community, aired a documentary this week about the LGBT history of Liverpool. It’s a powerful and moving oral history told by members of Liverpool’s LGBT communities past and present. I was interviewed about my work with LGBT young people over the last eight years, and the impact of the …
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/09/06/power-of-love-lgbt-history-liverpool/
Sep 03
UPDATE: The ultimate question – Have I found the answer?
- By abravefaith in Christianity, Civil Partnership, LGBT rights, Marriage Equality, Meaning of Life, Spirituality
-
3rd September 2013
I BEGAN this blog a year ago after attending a seminar called ‘The Book You Were Born To Write’ by Nick Williams. Completing my 42nd year felt like an apt moment to do so, since 42 is the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, The Universe and Everything! It’s been an interesting and eventful …
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- Christian, civil partnership, Civil union, communication, creativity, Douglas Adams, Gay Lesbian and Bisexual, God, homophobia, LGBT, LGBT social movements, Liverpool, Liverpool Pride, Marriage, Mental health, Merseyside, pastoral care, Personal development, Place of worship, Public Speaking, Same-sex marriage, Sexual orientation, sexuality, spirituality, theology, writing, Youth
- Leave comment
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/09/03/the-ultimate-question-have-i-found-the-answer/
Aug 11
‘I am what I am’ – A reflection on identity
- By abravefaith in Christianity, Civil Partnership, Coming Out, LGBT rights, Liverpool, Marriage Equality, Spirituality
-
11th August 2013
The following text is a reflection I presented today during Morning Prayer at the church I attend with my partner. The church chooses a monthly theme for its services – this month’s theme was Musicals! When my partner and I were asked to lead a service on the theme of musicals, at first I thought: …
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- Albin, barbara glasson, Birdcage, Catholic, Catholic Church, challenge stereotypes, Christian, church, Church of England, coming out, conservative parents, creativity, drag clubs, Gay community, Gay Lesbian and Bisexual, gender identity, Georges, God, homophobia, Ignatian, Jean-Michel, Jesuit, La Cage Aux Folles, LGBT, LGBT social movements, Liverpool, Marriage, Mental health, morning prayer, Personal development, Place of worship, Robin Williams, Roman Catholic Church, Saint-Tropez, Same-sex marriage, Sexual orientation, sexuality, spirituality, theology, writing, Youth
- 1 comment
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/08/11/i-am-what-i-am/
May 27
Waiting for the lovers – Why we can’t rewrite this love song yet
- By abravefaith in Bullying, Coming Out, Hate Crime, LGBT rights, Liverpool, Marriage Equality, Michael Causer
-
27th May 2013
THIS HAUNTING AND POIGNANT SONG is dedicated to those who don’t feel free to love for fear of judgement, or even physical assault, by others who assume their love is wrong: They met across the dance floor just like many other lovers Each of them were caught within a trance And with the nervousness of …
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2013/05/27/waiting-for-the-lovers/
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