But it is time
A few years ago, Anna Gregorowski and I chatted on the portico with the visiting preacher, an African bishop. Had he enjoyed his stay, we asked, and was he ready to go home?
The Ever Open Door?
“In my country, God’s house is always open!” This was said, accompanied by tears, by a woman wanting to come into church to pray, just as the verger was trying to lock the gates of St Martin’s portico. Not many churches stay open ’24/7′ in this country. I’m glad to say our verger was sympathetic to the woman’s request.
Encounter
When I first moved to London, it was as a student. London’s Universities and study centres, swarming with experts from all four corners of the earth, women and men endlessly pursuing all the disciplines you can think of – this was all very attractive to me.
At the Heart on the Edge
On the edge of our St Martin’s community stands a statue of a heroine of the First World War. Recently I read a biography of Edith Cavell.
Being ‘normal’
At this time of year, my inner ‘Victor Meldrew’ is most likely to surface. It usually happens in response to someone saying ‘holidays are over now’ or ‘it’s the start of a new term’.
Living Bread and Living Water
John’s Gospel Chapter 6 talks about the living bread and water we need for our Spiritual life. Jesus is our resource and when we come to him, we need never feel hunger or thirst no matter what we face in our lives on earth.
Your Passion
When I was at an American university, each year the head of undergraduate studies would give the same address to the entering class: ‘find your passion.’ It gave the impression the faculty offered a beauty parade and the students surveyed the catwalk and eventually decided – ‘That’s the one for me.’
I am the Living Bread
How often have you heard about the importance of a work-life balance? I’m always tempted to point out that I’m very much alive at work.
The Bread of Life
Why do we celebrate the Eucharist? Perhaps we do it because it was handed on to us, just as Paul handed it on to the Corinthians? Perhaps we do it because Christians all over the world have done it every week, even every day, for most of the church’s history? Perhaps we do it because the Lord commanded us?
