Sometimes the Church can be an inhospitable place for those presenting a minority report, especially on gender identity and sexual orientation.
Eating with outcasts – The Inclusive Church journey to radical welcome
TODAY in the community where I joined the Methodist Church last year, I led the morning service for the first time, as I am now training as a local preacher. A national Methodist Church resource called …
Share this:
The Trouble With The Pope: On Benedict XVI’s 2010 visit to Britain
POPE EMERITUS Benedict XVI died on 31st December 2022, and was buried in the Vatican this week. His legacy is long, though he resigned in 2013, the first Pope to do so for 600 years. …
Share this:
I am no longer my own – The Methodist Covenant Prayer
AT THE START of the new year, Methodists make a distinctive resolution. The Covenant Service, often celebrated on the first Sunday of the year, is at the heart of Methodists’ devotion, discipleship, and dedication to social justice. In the service the Church joyfully celebrates God’s offer of loving relationship.
Share this:
The persistent widow – Power of prayer in action
THE COMMUNITY in which I joined the Methodist Church earlier this year hosts a short telephone service on Sunday afternoons – like a Christian conference call! Yesterday I was invited to offer a five-minute reflection on the Gospel reading of the day: The persistent widow and the unjust judge
Share this:
Sergius and Bacchus – Saints united in brother-making
TODAY, 7th October, is celebrated in many Eastern and Western churches as the feast day of Saints Sergius and Bacchus, (died c. 303, Syria), who are among the earliest authenticated and most celebrated Christian martyrs. Their story also …
Share this:
An introspective retrospective – 10 years of blogging
TEN YEARS AGO today (as I turned 42) I began this blog. I wrote a brief retrospective after five years. Here’s an update on the next five: having ‘come out of the Catholic church‘ in 2011, …
Share this:
LGBT+ asylum seeker podcast shares stories of faith, exclusion and inclusion
IN THE LATEST episode of a podcast ‘for migrants by migrants’, two people with experience of seeking asylum share their stories, one who won leave to remain in the UK with support from an Open …
Share this:
It gets better – Local radio interviews record progress on 50th anniversary of Pride in the UK
THIS MONTH has seen Pride events all over the country. It’s 50 years this year since the first Pride March in London in 1972. To mark this milestone, I was one of a number of …
Share this:
We boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God – A reflection for #PrideMonth
AT A SPECIAL communion service to celebrate the 14th birthday of the first Open Table community in Liverpool on Sunday 19th June 2022, I shared this reflection on Pride Month and how the origin of …
Share this:
What needs to be healed – On Franklin Graham’s UK tour & support for ‘conversion therapy’
AS CONTROVERSIAL US preacher Franklin Graham began his UK tour in Liverpool on Saturday 14th May, the Open Table Network worked in partnership with others in Merseyside to offer an alternative event which showcased the …
Share this:
Justice, dignity and solidarity – Why I have become a Methodist
TODAY I became a member of the Methodist Church – it’s not something I imagined I would do, as little as ten months ago, never mind ten years ago when I began reflecting on my …
Share this:
Ten years since first civil partnership in UK place of worship
ON 6th May 2012, Warren and I arranged a church blessing after registering our civil partnership. While we were planning it, the UK Government changed the law so we could register our civil partnership in …
Share this:
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/04/15/the-possibility-of-life-the-third-step-on-the-journeyofhope/
Mar 25
Tales From The City – Making LGBT history in Liverpool
THIS WEEK is your last chance to see a trailblazing exhibition of stories, objects and memories from Liverpool’s LGBT+ community at the Museum of Liverpool. #TalesFromTheCity was launched on 12th October 2017, the day after National Coming Out Day, to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Sexual Offences Act with stories from Liverpool’s LGBT+ community over the past five decades.
Share this:
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/03/25/tales-from-the-city-making-lgbt-history-in-liverpool/
Mar 18
Here I stand – The second step on the #JourneyOfHope
LAST MONTH I wrote about becoming a participant 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 On the brink of the second step on this journey, I wrote about the first – …
Share this:
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/03/18/here-i-stand-the-second-step-on-the-journeyofhope/
Feb 27
In praise of God for LGBT History Month
FEBRUARY is LGBT History Month in the UK, an annual commemoration of the lives and achievements of LGBT+ people. Now in its 15th year, it was set up by Schools Out UK, which has campaigned for LGBT+ inclusion through education since 1974. This year’s theme is Peace, Activism and Reconciliation, as 2019 marks 50 years …
Share this:
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/02/27/in-praise-of-god-for-lgbt-history-month/
Feb 08
Turning to one another – Setting out on a #JourneyOfHope
LAST AUTUMN I saw an advert for a fully-funded six-month training programme in ‘Christian peace-building and reconciliation… to inspire and equip Christian leaders to become skilled practitioners of reconciliation in their churches and communities.’ It seemed too good to be true – an opportunity for fully-funded personal and professional development at a time when I …
Share this:
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/02/08/turning-to-one-another-setting-out-on-a-journeyofhope/
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.
Share this:
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/02/07/every-day-can-be-timetotalk-day/
Feb 01
Stop the deportation of Yew Fook Sam – Sign the Home Office petition
Yew Fook Sam, known as Sam, from Liverpool, Merseyside, has had his request for asylum rejected by the Home Office and fears he will now be detained and deported. Sam is 67 years old, in poor physical health, and facing physical punishment or imprisonment if he is forced to return to Malaysia because he is …
Share this:
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/02/01/stop-the-deportation-of-yew-fook-sam-sign-the-home-office-petition/
Dec 26
Seize the day – in memory of Stephen
JUST HEARD that Stephen – my friend and neighbour for almost 12 years – has died suddenly. I was too busy to visit him in hospital the last time he was there – in fact I didn’t even know he’d gone in again this month. He made this great montage of photos for Warren and I a couple of …
Share this:
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2018/12/26/seize-the-day-in-memory-of-stephen/
Dec 24
Live fully, love wastefully, be all you can be – A reflection for #Christmas by John Shelby Spong
AT A carol service this month, hosted by the Open Table inclusive Christian community in Liverpool, I read one of the readings, which I found moving, inspiring and too good not to share. It’s an extract from a lecture called ‘Jesus for the non-religious’ by John Shelby Spong, a retired US Episcopalian Bishop: Suppose we change our …
Share this:
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2018/12/24/live-fully-love-wastefully-be-all-you-can-be-a-reflection-for-christmas-by-john-shelby-spong/
Dec 11
Welcome into the story! A reflection for the YMCA Christmas carol service
LAST WEEK the YMCAs in the Liverpool City Region gathered for a carol service in the city’s Parish Church, opposite the world famous Liver Building. As the chaplain for YMCA Liverpool, and just starting as chaplain for the YMCA in the neighbouring town of St Helens, I gave a reflection on the Christmas story and …
Share this:
Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2018/12/11/welcome-into-the-story-a-reflection-for-the-ymca-christmas-carol-service/
Recent comments