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Responding to the Circular Economy Bill
Until the 19th December next week, everyone in Scotland has the opportunity to contribute to the Scottish Government’s consultation on their proposed Circular Economy Bill. The Scottish Government’s Consultation Hub is accessible and makes it possible for individuals, churches or charities to…
Chris Ringland
Psalm 132
The cultural narrative that surrounds us is continually encouraging us to pursue our individual concerns and place ourselves at the heart of our world and our story. Apple has given us the iPhone, the iPad and iTunes, Burger King tells us to “Have it our way,” and ‘the selfie’ has become emblematic…
Unity, truth and reconciliation - the foundations of the future
From my experience, New Zealand was an incredibly welcoming and inclusive country. Everywhere we went – despite the vast number of other tourists – we were received with warmth and kindness. I was shocked, therefore, when I learnt more about the country’s history and the journey that they’ve been…
Eve Paterson
Psalm 133
Unity is hard to dislike – at least in theory. And so the first verse of this Psalm is a popular one: “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.” But it’s an odd verse to read just after an election. While in our democracy there’s a lot that unites us, an election is…
Hope does not disappoint – the way forward after the election
The Evangelical Alliance has called the UK to believe for a hopeful future following the outcome of the General Election which returned a majority Conservative government.In a statement responding to the election outcome, Gavin Calver, CEO, said: “I am hopeful for the future of the United Kingdom…
Getting in the festive spirit
If there’s one thing elections and the run up to Christmas have in common, it’s noise. Vast quantities of noise. This time we’ve had a double whammy. And just like the election I’m sure there’s many of us longing for the silent peace of Christmas day. The day when the shopping is done (though even…
Kieran Turner
Peter Lynas becomes Evangelical Alliance UK director
The Evangelical Alliance has appointed Peter Lynas as its UK director. In this role he will work alongside new CEO Gavin Calver, championing the voice of evangelicals to the media and across the four nations, while bringing leadership to the core areas of advocacy, mission and unity within the…
Psalm 134
We’ve come to the last Psalm in the Songs of Ascents (Psalm 120-134). If these are Pilgrim Psalms, this one fits the end of a pilgrimage. It is night. The feast has ended, the sacrifices are performed, and the pilgrims are now considering the return journey. This Psalm refers to those who “minister…
Missing God at Christmas
For example, nativity plays generally don’t depict all the denizens of Bethlehem who go to sleep, wake up and go about their business, completely ignoring the nativity taking place three doors down. And yet, surely part of the story is those who missed it: “He was in the world, and the world came…
John Coleby
T'is the season to be...
Stress over the many social engagements, large family get-togethers which trigger debate and disconnection, sitting alone at home, or grieving the loss of a loved one – these struggles are pertinent throughout the year, but the messaging around Christmas as a joy-filled and family-oriented season…
Christine Uhlig
Another wave of funding from Allchurches Trust
St Margaret’s Church in Aspley, Nottingham, will benefit from a £7,000 grant to develop its ‘Bee family’ programme – an after-school community group aimed at young families who live in the local estates around the church. The aim of the group is to provide hot meals to help tackle local food…
Emma Smith
New decade, renewed conviction
Radio call ins reflected on all that had happened and all that had changed. You may have seen the clip from Tomorrow’s World in 1989 speculating on what the home of 2020 would be like. Some aspects were remarkably prescient, the suggestion that you would be able to walk into a room and say what…
Danny Webster
Book review: Disability in Mission – The Church’s Hidden Treasure
The premise of the book is that disability should not be a barrier to mission. To quote the final chapter: “If we do exclude people with disability from missions, then the mission movement is missing part of the body. The mission is itself disabled. And that’s not God’s plan.”I was quite excited…
Kay Morgan-Gurr
Being Human
I was travelling recently on a train and got into conversation with a fellow commuter. Life had been tough, and he shared with me stories of family breakdowns and strained relationships. As we chatted, he made a comment about the challenges of ‘being human’ with all life throws at us. I was struck…
Peter Lynas & Jo Frost
We rock for Jesus
Taking inspiration from the bleak atmosphere and factory sounds around them and the tough drudge of daily life, these young, working-class musicians capitalised on the sound of rock ‘n’ roll and began adding darker, more eerie melodies to their songs. Cranking up the volume, this new genre tingled…
Matt McKay
