‘There are moments, sure, when you think: is there a God? Where is God? …I love the psalms, if you look at Psalm 88, that’s full of doubt.’ It may come as something of a relief to know that this quote comes direct from the Archbishop of Canterbury, at an interview in Bristol Cathedral in … Read more
In the sport of cycling, one of the strangest – but most enjoyable – events is the Keirin. This is effectively a multi-lap sprint on the track, but what makes it unusual is the ‘derny’: a motorised bicycle which sets the pace at the front of the race. For the first few laps all the … Read more
I wonder how you picture Jesus? Most of have a mental image of a chap with a beard and long hair, oatmeal-coloured tunic and deeply compassionate eyes. Perhaps not too far wide of the mark – but even if your image is different, it is probably a very human Jesus. And that’s a good thing: … Read more
Growing up, one of my absolute favourite sets of books was the Mr Men series. I’m sure many of you love these books too! There were so many great characters: Mr Happy, Mr Tickle, Mr Bump – I wonder what’s your favourite? I also liked Mr Topsy-Turvy. As the book begins: ‘Everything about Mr. Topsy-Turvy … Read more
‘The wrong kind of leaves on the line.’ As a London commuter I used to get the train into work every day. When you use a train several hundred times a year, you get used to delays! This quote is one of the best known reasons given for a train being held up; to be … Read more
This passage initially reminds me of an event we run for older children at Easter, called Easter Cracked. It’s great fun, and a brilliant way of introducing the Easter story – as part of this event, I usually have to dress up as ‘Mr Easter Egghead’, which involves donning a ridiculous costume, complete with super-thick … Read more
I must confess I love a good pun! Thankfully, Jesus does, too. Squeezing through eyes of needles, having ears to hear, finding planks in eyes… set in context, these are all meant to bring a smile to our faces. And we saw a few days ago how Jesus responded positively to a witty riposte from … Read more
I don’t know if you’ve seen Bill Murray’s classic film, which is the title of today’s reflection. It details the story of a chap whose life is on endless repeat. Whatever happens on any day, the next one begins exactly as before. It’s very funny, and perhaps a bit unsettling, too. With Jesus, of course, … Read more
A minister friend of mine who spent some time in America loved to tell the story of a preacher he knew who had a healing ministry. Whenever he gathered people for an evening meeting which offered prayer for healing, this preacher would turn up on stage (and yes, there was a stage) wearing a brilliant … Read more
Growing up in a family of six, mealtimes were always a bit of a scrum. First to finish got first dibs on the leftovers, so the three teenagers tended to eat quickly! It was rare for there to be anything left, but if that ever happened, what found its way into the fridge was sure … Read more