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Hope is the antidote
What struck me was that this trajectory starts in suffering but instead of ending in sorrow or sadness or despair, it ends in hope. In the mysterious ways of God, suffering doesn’t strip away hope, but ultimately produces it. Surely that cannot be right? It is when I suffer that I often feel most…
Natalie Williams
Hope with hindsight
For example, in Psalm 77, Asaph sings with brutal honesty about his experience of suffering and sleepless nights. But by the end of the song, he finds comfort in recollecting how God rescued Israel out of slavery: “Your path led through the sea, your way through the mighty waters, though your…
Andy Palmer
Leaving a legacy of hope
In fact, ever since 1846, the people of this alliance have been sowing gospel seeds, promoting religious freedom, and speaking up for the marginalised. They may not have seen all the fruits of their labour, but there is no doubt that their work has benefited…
Rev Wendy Pawsey
Building friendships with introverts: An extrovert's guide
World Introvert Day falls on 2 January. I love two things about this, firstly, that there is an international day for introverts. Secondly, that it takes place immediately after New Year, in an under-the-radar and subtle way that would be deeply appreciated by those it is celebrating.
Phil Knox
NI: Miscarriage and the church – is it still a taboo?
Miscarriage or early pregnancy loss (EPL) is the loss of a baby before 24 weeks of pregnancy. A woman who has a miscarriage may not have realised she was pregnant and often she will not have told anyone about the pregnancy until after the ‘safe’ 12 weeks stage. So, talking about miscarriage can be…
Danielle McElhinney
How ‘sharing Jesus more’ can be the resolution you actually keep in 2023
It’s so important – we read that Jesus’ commanded us to “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). So, how do we set and maintain ‘missional fitness habits’ that will help us to keep this commandment throughout 2023? Here are just three ideas. While each idea is inspired by a lesson…
Luke Gratton
Westminster: our work is not done – what does this mean for 2023?
The honest answer is “no-one knows” and anyone who is 100% convinced that there will or will not be an election have not learnt from the unpredictable year we have just had as a nation. In the conversations I have had with policy advisers and MPs there is now a settled thought that the political…
Alicia Edmund
Interview: Scotland public policy highlights, and what’s new in Holyrood for 2023
Of all the nations, I would say Scotland and the Scottish parliament has been the most active in introducing and consulting on new legislation. What are some of the different policy areas you have worked on this past year? Yes, it has been a very busy year in Scotland. We are part of the Scottish…
Alicia Edmund
Political stalemate in Northern Ireland must end in 2023
The power-sharing arrangements in the Belfast Good Friday Agreement set out rules that both a first and deputy first minister must be occupied for an executive to exist and government business to proceed. Should one role become vacant then the entire executive falls. The May 2022 election result…
Alicia Edmund
Talking Jesus
What do they really think of us, his followers? Are we talking about Jesus enough? And when we are, are we drawing people closer towards him, or further away? In 2015 we were delighted to partner with the Church of England and HOPE with Barna Group and ComRes to publish the biggest research of its…
Heart Behind the Art: an interview with Emily Feltham
Emily, 33, has a huge sense of FOMO and wants to join in every interesting conversation she overhears around her. Friends might even joke that she has an opinion on everything, and that those opinions are liable to change, but Emily says she just loves other people and is curious about exploring…
Helen Locke
Education resources and links
As Christian mums, dads, or carers we have a significant opportunity to encourage and disciple our children as part of their education during this time. We hope these resources help you do this by God's grace and for His glory. Resources from our members Care for the Family Top Tips for Christian…
Christmas (on Energize)
Energize enables you to access high-quality, age-appropriate, Bible-based resources for every stage of a young person’s development. Energize is packed with ideas on how to share the Christmas story in fresh ways in your group.
Easter (On Energize)
Energize enables you to access high-quality, age-appropriate, Bible-based resources for every stage of a young person’s development. Energize is packed with ideas on how to share the Easter story in fresh ways in your group.
Gender recognition & Scottish devolution: How can we respond?
In December 2022, after around 140 proposed amendments to the Bill were debated and voted on, the Scottish parliament voted to pass the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill into law by 86 votes to 39. In short, the Bill would make it easier for someone to successfully apply for a gender…
Chris Ringland
