This month’s General Synod will receive an update from the Living in Love and Faith Programme Board, but there will be no formal motion or debate this time.
This could wrongly be interpreted as ‘no progress’ for the LLF cause, and CEEC will be calling on orthodox members of General Synod to exercise a number of cautions.
Everywhere you look, you see politics and politicians. News coverage has seldom been as dominated by politics as it has been for the last year or so.
Election fever gripped first the UK, then the US, and just a few months later the whole political landscape is in a state of dramatic flux. Opinion polls are all over the place; it takes a brave person to predict the next few months, let alone the next few years. If, two generations ago, Harold Wilson said that ‘a week is a long time in politics’, in these days of social media, AI bots and multi-billionaire political donors, a week seems like an eternity.
In the blue corner, once-Conservative MP, now-podcaster Rory Stewart. In the red corner, the Vice President of the United States of America, JD Vance. The topic: a Christian doctrine from the fifth century?
Welcome to 2025, everyone. But could a surreal exchange on X (formerly Twitter) help us better understand God’s calling for our lives and our nation?
‘The concept of work-life balance was invented by people who hate the work they do. So if you love what you do, you don’t need work-life balance - you need work-life integration.’
That was the advice that James Watt, the captain and co-founder of drinks company BrewDog, gave in a recent Instagram video.
One should never watch anything that wounds one’s conscience; Romans 14:23 tells us there are terrible consequences of acting against our conscience.
I don’t often, therefore, speak about my fascination with the horror genre in cinema. And yet, the popularity of horror films is worth pondering. Rather than engage at any length with the film which prompted these reflections — Robert Eggers’s 2024 remake, Nosferatu — what might its success teach us?
How are your notices? Highlight of the service, or a necessity that is dull as ditch-water?
For most of us, they’re probably too long and just a bit awkward. Like an Aunt who’s come for Christmas but, love her as you do, you don’t quite know what to do with her, and everyone can all relax once she’s gone home. So, can the notices be improved? Or moved? Or removed?
Just after Christmas the Irish Government released state papers from the year 2000. They told how the Queen had expressed her relief to the Irish Ambassador at a Buckingham Palace Garden party that Northern Ireland’s ‘silly marching business’ was quieter than expected.
No doubt the Queen did not intend her comments to become public. The Grand Secretary of the Orange Order responded to the release of the papers by commenting that the Queen thanked the Order ‘for our proclamation of loyalty each year on the 12th July’.
Two of the most atypical Marvel/Disney+ series of the past couple of years have been two of the most interesting.
Instead of action men, explosions, robots and galactic threats, they featured intelligent storytelling combined with a quirky central concept, and a female showrunner and predominantly female casts. They were both, unusually for big budget productions, also about grief. Wandavision (2021) gave us the poignant line: ‘What is grief, if not love persevering?’, and in Agatha All Along (2024) the burden of grief carried by the charismatic villainess helped to humanise her.
Across the last few months many Christian organisations and individual evangelicals are among those who have left social media platform X.
Reaction to this has been varied – do Christians have an obligation to be a light in dark places (there are over 600 million on X)? Or is our presence on the platform implicitly condoning what goes on there?
In 2023, my sister was diagnosed with Stage 1B breast cancer. She immediately underwent four months of initial chemotherapy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy aimed at preventing secondary tumour formation.
Thankfully, last year, after undergoing radiotherapy at the Royal Marsden hospital, she received the ‘all clear’ from her doctor.
Bruce Springsteen is a global phenomenon. His 'Best of' Album, reached No. 1 in the UK and USA album charts at the end of 2024. Last year his tour was No. 5 in the world for gross income. Not bad for a 75-year-old!
Being a lifelong fan (who can’t quite justify live ticket prices nowadays), I have to content myself with recordings, so I especially enjoyed the tour documentary Road Diary on the streaming platform Disney Plus.
How can we help young people become more resilient?
We have all heard some of the statistics, but you only have to think of a person whose child is in their teens or twenties and is ill with anxiety. 100 percent of their heart is broken, and that is the only statistic that really matters.
If you watch as much sport as me, you will surely have long ago come to the same conclusion that I have: sport can be very confusing.
Last month, I wrote about the crucial importance of consistency throughout the hectic schedule during the festive period, and this has been seen again this year; Liverpool have gone through the gears to open up a six-point gap with a game in hand, while challengers Arsenal and Chelsea faltered, and at the other end of the table, teams who have not found form are starting to be cut adrift.
Over the Christmas period our church, like many others, had several evangelistic events. We had the classic Christingle and Nativity services, as well as a youth carol service.
We also had a meal for our youth to invite friends to, as well as a big, immersive theatre event for Year 2 children from local primary schools to attend.
The Joe Rogan Experience is a global phenomenon. The podcast features up to three hour long conversations with diverse and interesting guests, including recently with President-elect Donald Trump.
Encapsulating the zeitgeist of our age
Rogan's laid-back interview technique allows him to explore controversial subjects in ways that mainstream media cannot. The Joe Rogan experience has attracted millions of followers for this reason.
Unspoken expectations in ministry are huge. As Pete the Planter sets out on serving and leading a new planting project, what does his three-year vision look like? Where does it come from? Is it realistic? Why?!
Professional football has developed a New Year ritual based around the transfer window. In January, midway through the season, a two-fold routine emerges.
First, clubs at both ends of the league tables charge around frantically, trying to add players to their squads to bolster the chances of promotion or avoid relegation. Second, managers get sacked if they have lost more than three games in the Christmas period, regardless of their previous reputation or record. This ritual, often a make-or-break period for many clubs, can significantly influence a manager's career trajectory.
As the New Year dawns, words of hope, resolution, passion and endeavour are rife.
Promises of renewed commitment, of resolves to change, redirect, establish healthy patterns of life are the subject of podcasts, magazines, supermarket shelves and blogs.
No, not the 'feeling fragile' that people experience on New Year’s Day when far too much alcohol was consumed on New Year’s Eve. Rather, the sense of fragility that comes from living as 'God’s elect, exiles scattered' (1 Peter 1:1).
Comment
Have the Prayers of Love and Faith stalled? Not at all
This month’s General Synod will receive an update from the Living in Love and Faith Programme Board, but there will be no formal motion or debate this time.
This could wrongly be interpreted as ‘no progress’ for the LLF cause, and CEEC will be calling on orthodox members of General Synod to exercise a number of cautions.
Praying for God to raise up new true leaders
Everywhere you look, you see politics and politicians. News coverage has seldom been as dominated by politics as it has been for the last year or so.
Election fever gripped first the UK, then the US, and just a few months later the whole political landscape is in a state of dramatic flux. Opinion polls are all over the place; it takes a brave person to predict the next few months, let alone the next few years. If, two generations ago, Harold Wilson said that ‘a week is a long time in politics’, in these days of social media, AI bots and multi-billionaire political donors, a week seems like an eternity.
JD Vance, Rory Stewart and the order of love
In the blue corner, once-Conservative MP, now-podcaster Rory Stewart. In the red corner, the Vice President of the United States of America, JD Vance. The topic: a Christian doctrine from the fifth century?
Welcome to 2025, everyone. But could a surreal exchange on X (formerly Twitter) help us better understand God’s calling for our lives and our nation?
Should we be aiming for our 'dream job'?
‘The concept of work-life balance was invented by people who hate the work they do. So if you love what you do, you don’t need work-life balance - you need work-life integration.’
That was the advice that James Watt, the captain and co-founder of drinks company BrewDog, gave in a recent Instagram video.
Who dares steal your dignity?
Dignity. The dictionary definition of this word is 'The state or quality of being worthy of honour or respect.'
However, as Christians we use the word dignity in many different ways, and as a result its real meaning has been eroded over the years.
The draw of darkness: why horror fascinates us
One should never watch anything that wounds one’s conscience; Romans 14:23 tells us there are terrible consequences of acting against our conscience.
I don’t often, therefore, speak about my fascination with the horror genre in cinema. And yet, the popularity of horror films is worth pondering. Rather than engage at any length with the film which prompted these reflections — Robert Eggers’s 2024 remake, Nosferatu — what might its success teach us?
Could we abandon church notices?
How are your notices? Highlight of the service, or a necessity that is dull as ditch-water?
For most of us, they’re probably too long and just a bit awkward. Like an Aunt who’s come for Christmas but, love her as you do, you don’t quite know what to do with her, and everyone can all relax once she’s gone home. So, can the notices be improved? Or moved? Or removed?
Does God find any of our church practices ‘silly’?
Just after Christmas the Irish Government released state papers from the year 2000. They told how the Queen had expressed her relief to the Irish Ambassador at a Buckingham Palace Garden party that Northern Ireland’s ‘silly marching business’ was quieter than expected.
No doubt the Queen did not intend her comments to become public. The Grand Secretary of the Orange Order responded to the release of the papers by commenting that the Queen thanked the Order ‘for our proclamation of loyalty each year on the 12th July’.
Turning to griefbots or grieving with hope?
Two of the most atypical Marvel/Disney+ series of the past couple of years have been two of the most interesting.
Instead of action men, explosions, robots and galactic threats, they featured intelligent storytelling combined with a quirky central concept, and a female showrunner and predominantly female casts. They were both, unusually for big budget productions, also about grief. Wandavision (2021) gave us the poignant line: ‘What is grief, if not love persevering?’, and in Agatha All Along (2024) the burden of grief carried by the charismatic villainess helped to humanise her.
Leaving by X-ample?
Across the last few months many Christian organisations and individual evangelicals are among those who have left social media platform X.
Reaction to this has been varied – do Christians have an obligation to be a light in dark places (there are over 600 million on X)? Or is our presence on the platform implicitly condoning what goes on there?
The dangers of over or underdosing the gospel
In 2023, my sister was diagnosed with Stage 1B breast cancer. She immediately underwent four months of initial chemotherapy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy aimed at preventing secondary tumour formation.
Thankfully, last year, after undergoing radiotherapy at the Royal Marsden hospital, she received the ‘all clear’ from her doctor.
Worship, mortality, and hope in Springsteen’s ‘Road Diary’
Bruce Springsteen is a global phenomenon. His 'Best of' Album, reached No. 1 in the UK and USA album charts at the end of 2024. Last year his tour was No. 5 in the world for gross income. Not bad for a 75-year-old!
Being a lifelong fan (who can’t quite justify live ticket prices nowadays), I have to content myself with recordings, so I especially enjoyed the tour documentary Road Diary on the streaming platform Disney Plus.
Countering anxiety in young people with the gospel
How can we help young people become more resilient?
We have all heard some of the statistics, but you only have to think of a person whose child is in their teens or twenties and is ill with anxiety. 100 percent of their heart is broken, and that is the only statistic that really matters.
Sport: Consistently inconsistent
If you watch as much sport as me, you will surely have long ago come to the same conclusion that I have: sport can be very confusing.
Last month, I wrote about the crucial importance of consistency throughout the hectic schedule during the festive period, and this has been seen again this year; Liverpool have gone through the gears to open up a six-point gap with a game in hand, while challengers Arsenal and Chelsea faltered, and at the other end of the table, teams who have not found form are starting to be cut adrift.
Church events: How wide should we cast the net?
Over the Christmas period our church, like many others, had several evangelistic events. We had the classic Christingle and Nativity services, as well as a youth carol service.
We also had a meal for our youth to invite friends to, as well as a big, immersive theatre event for Year 2 children from local primary schools to attend.
The Joe Rogan experience: Evidence for God is not the issue
The Joe Rogan Experience is a global phenomenon. The podcast features up to three hour long conversations with diverse and interesting guests, including recently with President-elect Donald Trump.
Encapsulating the zeitgeist of our age
Rogan's laid-back interview technique allows him to explore controversial subjects in ways that mainstream media cannot. The Joe Rogan experience has attracted millions of followers for this reason.
A call to endure in church planting
Patience is more than a virtue; it’s a necessity.
Unspoken expectations in ministry are huge. As Pete the Planter sets out on serving and leading a new planting project, what does his three-year vision look like? Where does it come from? Is it realistic? Why?!
Wayne Rooney: humility in the face of adversity
Professional football has developed a New Year ritual based around the transfer window. In January, midway through the season, a two-fold routine emerges.
First, clubs at both ends of the league tables charge around frantically, trying to add players to their squads to bolster the chances of promotion or avoid relegation. Second, managers get sacked if they have lost more than three games in the Christmas period, regardless of their previous reputation or record. This ritual, often a make-or-break period for many clubs, can significantly influence a manager's career trajectory.
Should we be more afraid in 2025?
As the New Year dawns, words of hope, resolution, passion and endeavour are rife.
Promises of renewed commitment, of resolves to change, redirect, establish healthy patterns of life are the subject of podcasts, magazines, supermarket shelves and blogs.
Facing 2025 with strength
Did you start 2025 with a sense of fragility?
No, not the 'feeling fragile' that people experience on New Year’s Day when far too much alcohol was consumed on New Year’s Eve. Rather, the sense of fragility that comes from living as 'God’s elect, exiles scattered' (1 Peter 1:1).