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Bridging the gap
Many times, though, we fail to see any common ground between ourselves and our neighbours, let alone our enemies. When we do, we’re conditioned to believe it can only be entered by way of compromise. So, the idea of hosting on a shared space, or even setting foot there, requires the willingness to…
David Smyth
Hope in the face of death
We are only just seeing the beginning of this. I believe that we haven’t recognised the heavy burdens placed on healthcare staff during this time, and there will be many challenging conversations over the coming years as we fully process this season. My role as a spiritual care coordinator and the…
Christine Uhlig
Emerging from lockdown in Scotland
This week saw the biggest step yet to reopening church buildings in Scotland as places of worship were permitted to reopen for corporate gatherings of up to 50 people from Wednesday 15th July. This is very positive news and is earlier than originally planned by the Scottish Government. Following…
Kieran Turner
Equally precious in God's sight
My mother and another aunt were both allowed to attend the funeral but they chose not to. My aunt has underlying health conditions and my mother was understandably anxious about the risk of contracting COVID-19 in the process of leaving the house. Herein lies a distressing consequence of…
Carl Knightly
Kick-starting community restoration with CAP
Having been by the side of those who need practical, spiritual and emotional support since the beginning of the crisis, local churches are perfectly placed to support individuals and families through the next phase of this trying time. So Christians Against Poverty (CAP) has launched Kick Start – a…
Naomi Osinnowo
Prayer walking on campus
God made us in His image (Genesis 1:27), then put humans in the Garden of Eden, which He planted for them so they could steward that land (Genesis 2:8-15). As a child of God, a core part of our identity is to partner and be co-rulers with Him over creation, to nourish the place we have been given…
Ed Earnshaw
Our songs of praise in our private place
Due to the potential increased risk of coronavirus transmission from airborne droplets, the Government has issued restrictions and guidance concerning communal singing in churches. While we know that such measures are necessary to help keep ourselves and others safe, many will find it a great…
Ruthie Thomas
Justice and mercy: A contemporary Christian perspective
Victims want things to be put right. They want corrective justice. Like the widow in Luke 18, victims seek for their voices to be heard. Corrective justice is not the only form of redress available to victims. There are other types of justice including restorative and healing justice described in…
Dr Hephzibah Egede
Emerging from lockdown in Scotland – August update
However, there have also been a number of recent announcements that are of relevance to churches in relation to face coverings, Sunday schools, recovery meetings, advice services and youth work as restrictions continue to lift. This article should be read in conjunction with relevant Scottish…
Kieran Turner
A missional opening for the taking
Such was the finding of the Talking Toddlers research released in May. It showed that almost two-thirds of non-Christian parents with children under five have taken their children to a church-based activity such as a toddler group or Messy Church in the past year. “There’s a huge opening here,”…
Naomi Osinnowo
God's multi-ethnic kingdom
These social inequalities are present on both sides of the Atlantic. Here, in the UK, the disproportionate representation of Black Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) people in frontline services reveals that, for far too long, BAME people have been at the bottom of the social-economic scale. Take a look…
Rev Dr Israel Oluwole Olofinjana
Fun, friendship and faith
At about 10am we do the notices and remind people of future activities. The children are then allowed into the sanctuary area for ride-ons, tunnels, dressing up and more. This area becomes a big, open space, enabling children and parents to move freely between rooms. Most Thursdays see between 30…
Karen Relton
There's a school near our church
There’s a school near our church. There are kind, hardworking teachers inside. These days some of them look a little careworn. It’s hardly surprising. They have navigated countless changes over recent months, learnt new skills and had their ingenuity tested to the limit. The school year ended in…
Megan Patterson
Reopening churches: acting with confidence and wisdom
However, this year the return to normality is not at all like we're used to. It’s not a six-week break that we’re returning from, but a gradual and hesitant resumption of something akin to the usual after six months of very unusual times. Over the course of the coronavirus crisis, as a society, we…
Danny Webster
In God's strength we can
Though the gospel is as glorious as it ever was, the world has changed dramatically. Today our western culture is increasingly post-truth and post-Christian: not merely not Christian but set against Christianity. Our challenge in the west comes from living in a culture that reflects the distortions…
Guest writer
