(Image used with the kind permission of David Hayward at nakedpastor.com) What is it that we want for the world? I mean, outside our own little personal bubbles, what is it we wish for more than anything? Yesterday in Church I pondered with my folks why it is we pray to God for the sick… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Butt out Donald
Dear Donald, may I call you Donald? You don’t seem to mind getting familiar with people…just excuse me if I don’t get too close… You have an awful lot to say about an awful lot of things, not much of which makes sense, if I may say so. This last week you attended the NRA… Read More
Tuesday Prayer: The Day after (Boxing Day)
Lord, For long lies and pj days, thank you. For full churches over Christmas and small gatherings, thank you. For stuffed bellies and empty chocolate wrappers, thank you. For noisy family filled homes and for quiet, peaceful ones too, thank you. For the Christ Child, for hope, peace, love and joy, thank you. So many… Read More
The Pastoral is Poltical: My daily WTF
Each morning it is with a sense of trepidation I venture onto my Twitter account to catch up on what is happening in the world. It is with a sense of dread I pluck up the courage to see what The Real Donald Trump has had to say overnight. And he never disappoints. Every day more… Read More
Pastoral is Political: JC and His manifesto
So we had an election here last week in the UK. An election called by our Prime Minister because she thought it would mean an increased majority – a majority she told us she wanted as a mandate to pursue a ‘hard’ Brexit. The woman who was a supporter of remaining in the European Union… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Dad was right
I received my new membership card from The Labour Party in the mail last week. I felt torn. I joined the Labour Party in 1995. I joined in the early days of Tony Blair’s leadership. I became involved in my local branch and was even for a while vice chair of our Constituency Labour Party.… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: You trumped us!
Dear USA, Was it a case of anything you can do we can do better? Did you see what happened in the UK in June and think…mmm we can match that…no wait, we can raise you? Well you sure managed that. From over this side of the Atlantic Ocean we have been watching you for… Read More
Pastoral is Political:I’ll make the tea then…
Next week Scotland goes to the polls. We have an election…again. Currently we have a SNP led government in Scotland. The SNP did very well in that last UK elections, sending 56 MPs to Westminster. This was a huge shift from the 6 that were there before. It is anticipated that the SNP will regain… Read More
The Pastoral is Political:where is the church in this?
I have written about the situation in Europe with regards refugees before. And I will continue to write until such times as I don’t need to. Because to be honest I really feel that still too many people are deaf and blind to the plight of the refugees and to the depth of the human… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: We all sleep under the same sky
Following on from last week I want us again to think about the refugee crisis which has apparently ‘hit’ Europe and been in the news feeds across the world. I want to start by shouting THIS IS NOT A NEW SITUATION! It is one that has been there for years and years. It is only… Read More
