My greatest lesson from this Action At Home was that peace and reconciliation start with me – if I want to offer opportunities for peace and reconciliation to others, I need to start with myself.
Where is God when it all goes wrong? – A Bible Month reflection on Joseph’s story from the book of Genesis
This is a question that Joseph, hero of our faith, might have asked himself. Joseph, a son of Jacob, the last of Israel’s ancient patriarchs, is at the centre of a 4,000-year-old family drama. It’s a story of favouritism, jealousy, hatred, temptation, suffering and reconciliation.
Perhaps this is a situation with which you can identify! But the Joseph story is bigger than that.
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Unique meaning in life – Listening for God’s call
‘Here I am, for you called me’.
– 1 Samuel 3
THESE are the words of the child Samuel, apprentice to the priest Eli at the temple of God.
I wonder:
– how could these words speak to each of us today?
– what does it mean for us to be open to God, whatever our age, status, or circumstances?
– how does God speak with us now?
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Glimpsing God’s Spirit – A Pentecost reflection
What wonders might give us glimpses of God’s Spirit today?
In what ways can you and I be signs of God’s comfort and support to those in distress?
What role might we have in offering meaning?
What space is there in your life and mine for signs of wonder?
How is the Spirit moving in your life and mine today?
A reflection on Pentecost, the birthday of the Christian Church, and Wesley Day, the brthday of the Methodist Church.
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‘Doubting’ Thomas is so much more – A more generous response to the infamous apostle
The story of Thomas the apostle is an invitation and challenge to us to be generous in listening to questions and scepticism. How do we cope with challenges to faith – our own and other people’s?
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The work of Christmas begins – An Epiphany reflection
A REFLECTION on the story of the magi travelling to find Jesus in Bethlehem [Matthew 2:1-12] and the poem The Work Of Christmas by Howard Thurman.
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John the Baptist: Opening an Advent window on the bigger picture of the Christmas story
THE CHRISTMAS STORY is a jigsaw, which we have pieced together from the four gospels. The pieces include: a star, a manger, shepherds, and wise people from the east. But the story of a man in the desert baptizing people doesn’t seem to fit the puzzle. Does it even belong in our picture of Christmas?
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My Christian journey – A testimonal for ministry training
IN MAY 2023 I began the process of applying to begin training as a Methodist minister in 2024. This is the testimonial I wrote for a portfolio as part of my application.
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Finding your burning desire: Inspired by the call of Moses
THE REVELATION of God’s name and the call of Moses [3:1-15, 4:1-5], is an example of how, just when we think we have God figured out, God can overturn our expectations once again.
In Moses, God takes an inarticulate, excuse-riddled murderer and turns him into one of the greatest leaders of the Hebrew people, who becomes a prophet in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and other faith traditions.
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Let justice and peace flow – A Creationtide reflection
SEPTEMBER is the Season of Creation. It’s a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation, through celebration, prayer and action, together with the whole human family, for the good of our common home.
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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.
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10 years of same-sex marriage in England & Wales – BBC Radio Merseyside interview
TEN YEARS AGO today the Houses of Parliament passed legislation to allow same-sex marriage in England and Wales. To mark the anniversary, BBC Radio Merseyside host Paul Salt interview me and my husband Warren, as we were the first couple to register a civil partnership in a place of worship in the UK.
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ChatGPT: Tell me about myself
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) is growing fast – ChatGPT, the popular chatbot from OpenAI, is estimated to have reached 100 million monthly active users just two months after its launch, making it the fastest-growing consumer internet application ever.
So I decided to ask it a few questions, to see how intelligent it may be. Here’s a selection of its responses.
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/07/12/it-starts-with-me-the-fifth-step-on-my-journeyofhope/
May 30
Being the role model I needed to see on my #JourneyOfHope
THIS is the story I shared as part of the Radical Hospitality module of the Journey Of Hope pilgrimage: About two years ago, I dreamed that I travelled back in time and saw myself as a teenager. My younger self approached me and gave me a hug. The day before, I had visited a secondary …
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/05/30/being-the-role-model-i-needed-to-see-on-my-journeyofhope/
May 30
Radical hospitality – The fourth step on the #JourneyOfHope
An ‘inside-out’ journey beginning with hosting ourselves and moving out to consider host-guest dynamics within congregations and communities.
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/05/30/radical-hospitality-the-fourth-step-on-the-journeyofhope/
May 17
Justice & protection for all – International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia & Transphobia 2019
In 70 countries, loving someone of the same sex is illegal and, in 7 countries, it is punishable by death. In many more countries citizens are denied their right to live as their true gender identity, and 369 murders of trans and gender-diverse people were reported worldwide in 2018. As well as legal discriminations, social …
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/05/17/justice-protection-for-all-international-day-against-homophobia-biphobia-transphobia-2019/
May 06
Being in a body – Embodiment, gender, sexuality and spiritual accompaniment
ARE WE spiritual beings having an embodied experience or embodied beings capable of spiritual experience? This was the question with which I began a recent workshop for trainee spiritual directors on embodiment, gender and sexuality, which I deliver on behalf of the Open Table network of ecumenical worship communities for LGBTQIA+ Christians and all who …
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/05/06/being-in-a-body-embodiment-gender-sexuality-and-spiritual-accompaniment/
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.
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/04/18/would-you-sit-next-to-homelessjesus/
Apr 15
The possibility of life – The third step on the #JourneyOfHope
Sometimes the Church can be an inhospitable place for those presenting a minority report, especially on gender identity and sexual orientation.
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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.
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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 – …
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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 …
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Permanent link to this article: https://abravefaith.com/2019/02/27/in-praise-of-god-for-lgbt-history-month/
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