^ This is an excellent @livingchurch.bsky.social article, helpfully re-emphasising the Great Commission
I was challenged by LYCIG to try to offer both welcome /and/ discipleship courses, but I now want to try to imagine this as a course of formation…
“Put the social gospel first and it sucks the oxygen out of the parish. Put apprenticeship to Jesus first, and a congregation will have an oxygen-rich environment for mercy ministries of all kinds.”
“is your parish focused first on making disciples? Is there a year-long and even multiyear strategy for Christian formation? If not, your parish is likely in decline regardless of how it falls on the conservative/liberal, orthodox/progressive spectrum.”
“While it is incontrovertible that the love of Jesus binds us to serve the poor, it is also pellucid that the social gospel is a byproduct of the Great Commission… Jesus didn’t say, “Go and make social workers” but rather “Go and make disciples.””
livingchurch.org/covenant/958...
You think the charity commission are also operating from their own definition? I assumed they were using whichever ones a given charity claimed to be upholding…
Snippet from church commission report in the link
The Jay report’s recommendation of adjusting C of E definition of “adults of risk at harm” to match the statutory one hasn’t yet been implemented.
Did the Liverpool allegations meet the threshold for Safeguarding rather than, say, being HR matters?
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Christus natus est.
Merry Christmas!
#clergymaltclub
Ha! 😇
I think I’d move the Ordination Services down a line now; I tend to mostly look at the ordinal online.
Yes, that was me 🤣
Before work/school for most people! 😃
Jesus is ready! Are you ready? Really looking forward to Ascension day shenanigans. Come by!!
Given the time you’ve spent over here, I think we could make the case… 😃
Bwahahaha! The greater aim must be for what the soft animal loves to be fruit and vegetables 🤣
My sanctuary bell has snapped in quite an important place; it’s the bit that connects the middle to the wall strut. Does anybody know a south London craftsman/woman who can weld?
If you’re there to visit somebody, most wards will give you access.
If you are very high profile (let the reader understand), however, it would be fairly easy to liaise with hospital chaplaincy for a general visit.
One of the ways that those with high profile could most beautifully witness to the Christian faith on Mothering Sunday might be to spend time on maternity wards, especially with parents of babies born prematurely, offering prayer and support and kindness.
Just a thought.
It’s the figure somebody gave me when I asked them if they’d considered making one.
I would imagine that it could easily cost more, but once the app was created, it could be free, but with a subscription element for extras.
This is for post-Easter, but can we find 50 C of E churches that wd agree to contribute £500 to commission a new app for £25k to replace Daily Prayer to offer improved functionality for both Common Worship and Book of Common Prayer.
Anyone up for it?
God said “go” 👏👏🏽
Angel said “hi” 😇
Mary said “yes”🤰🏾
Today’s the day!
Come by at 7pm to Holy Trinity, Tooting for a Eucharist to celebrate the annunciation.
From Erik Varden’s “Healing Wounds”.
This is such a valuable insight. Sharing for all who might also need to read it today.
It’s when Jesus’ hands were tied that He was saving humanity.
Talk to me about your customs for the annunciation; any particular foods, any crafts, any music?
Does anyone still practice the custom of suspending a choir boy angel from a rope inside the church? 😂
Can anybody recommend a south London based housing solicitor who accepts legal aid, please?
I thought this Collect was so beautiful. "All whom he met" is a high bar.
GIving thanks for Edward King today, and for all whose lives have reflected such grace, tender sympathy and joyful faith.
Through the Psalms in a week?? 😍😍 (Do you do this?) I’ve always wanted to try it!
World politics are frightening. Naked power without the veneer of diplomacy especially so.
But #Lent has us acknowledge these wounds by confronting what frightens us.
If you’re in #London, come to @holytrinitytooting.bsky.social to begin the fast with joy, and anticipate the feast with ashes.
I also rate stories where the “results” are far from spectacular, and sometimes wonder why we don’t share them more?
If we’re committed to faithfulness to Christ, and standing firm, examples that sound like failure to others ought to be more standard.
I think it’s possible to say that lessons can be learned by parishes from the way HTB do some of it nonetheless. I know there are resource implications also, but it isn’t only that.
There are important lessons here. There are genuinely people who love reels about C of E history *ahem*, but I think HTB is much better at connecting with seekers, which is crucial.
It’s not that difficult to build an audience on TikTok, but it’s massively time consuming…
“Churches such as HTB are better at connecting on social media. I would much rather repost HTB’s beautifully curated content, with thought-provoking questions & soothing low-fi beats than C of E reels about Anglican history or what has been going on in Synod.”
t.co/kbMEWEYAmv
This work of caring for - curing - souls, it is I think /the/ work of the church, around which all else revolves.
If we are not reconciled to God, then we cannot bring others into relationship with God.
A poignant piece from Bex Chapman in @churchtimes.bsky.social, thank you!
