Search results for .ovi
The transformative power of imagination
The Oxford Dictionary defines imagination as “mental faculty for forming images or concepts of external objects not present to the senses,” and “the ability of the mind to be creative and resourceful.” Imagination involves taking time to be creative, to develop unknown worlds. It is forming in our…
Taking good care of yourself
Many of us are exhausted. We have faced challenges that we never expected to face, and without warning or preparation, we were thrown into a blizzard of change. It has been draining. Leaders across the country are starting to feel the strain. There are times when the calling of leadership can leave…
Changing Church Toolkit: Transforming communities
A series of resources for your leadership team on how to seek the peace and prosperity for your community
No time like now
Firstly, there is a clear change in spiritual temperature of our country. The coronavirus pandemic is the ultimate bittersweet moment. The amount of people suffering, struggling and dying is absolutely tragic, and this is making this season so challenging. At the same time this crisis is presenting…
Gavin Calver
The pursuit of justice
So, what effect will the coronavirus pandemic have on our view of human rights and human wrongs? Will we emerge from the crisis with the same concept of justice as we entered the crisis? Or will we see new ideas surface, or even old ideas of justice come to the fore? The Bible identifies justice as…
Dr David Landrum
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
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
Values or praxis?
Everything on the list sounded great, and some were extremely important to us as a faith community. However, we soon realised that many of us could not remember why certain programmes and activities had started. This didn’t mean they were bad things, just that we had been doing them for so long…
Christian servant-leaders in society – a call to prayer
Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount is often viewed as a call to be salt and light. But Matthew’s Greek rendering of Jesus’ words is in a present tense: “You already are,” not “You should become.” The presence of God’s Kingdom, of people filled with God’s Spirit, among the nations of the…
Gordon Matheson
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
A struggle to stay afloat amid the pandemic
Few of us would think that people living on boats need support, whether it is during the pandemic or not. Most of us, when thinking about them, might picture an older but vigorous couple who has finally got the time to fulfil their dreams to live a peaceful life on a comfortable narrow boat. Or, we…
Joanna Sopylo-Firrisa
Book review: Living with Alzheimer’s – a Love Story
Robin looks back over his marriage to Shoko, and describes with sensitivity how their relationship grew even deeper despite, and perhaps even because of, her Alzheimer’s. He gives a vivid and honest account of the countless challenges they had to face as her condition deteriorated and balances the…
Wendy Gleadle
A Rocha International appoints new exec director
Dr Stuart will take up his role at the Christian organisation, which brings together practical conservation action with Christian faith, in December when he'll step down from his current position as director of strategic conservation at Synchronicity Earth. Dr Stuart, who has a long history with A…
Naomi Osinnowo
