Sunday, last week, we prayed with Mark 7:24-37 including: They brought to Jesus a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him. He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched
I had an interesting conversation this week that reinforced my prejudice. My friend talked about looking at the work and textbooks for, say, Maths, Physics, or Biology for senior secondary school students. And then my friend looked at the level of religious, ethical, and philosophical discussion used for similar aged students – that was at
Growing out of Faith Read More »
When I was a parish priest I set up parish sponsors for baptism. The family of the child being baptised would choose godparents who made the promises at the baptism. The parish would also choose a “parish sponsor”. The parish sponsor gave the lighted candle and was encouraged to keep up contact. The parish sponsor
Parish Baptism Sponsor Read More »
Let us pray (in silence) [that we may follow the Good Shepherd] pause O God, you shine the light of your truth for those who stray into error, so that they may be able to return to the right path, grant that all who profess the Christian faith may reject whatever is contrary to the
Resources for the Fourth Sunday of Easter Read More »
The debate here isn’t: is the above action a valid baptism? [Though that might very well be a worthwhile discussion.] My question, watching the video, is when does making something more contemporary tip over into mockery of the mystery? And, when I keep thinking that through, it’s not actually the contemporariness that is the issue.
Mystery or Mockery? Read More »
Although this collect may draw from shared traditions (see commentary), the collect I am currently suggesting for the First Sunday in Ordinary Time (January 7), celebrating Christ’s baptism, is a reworking of a collect by Cranmer for Christmas. Let us pray (in silence) [that we will be faithful to our baptism] Pause Eternal Father, you
I had a fascinating discussion recently with someone I deeply respect who kept pressing me to deeper clarification about what actually happens at baptism. What difference does it actually make? I have this conversation in mind with the news of the consecration of Auckland’s Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral. What actually happens when a church building
A very thorough survey in Great Britain this year (weighted to be demographically representative of all GB adults) has come up with a conclusion that may surprise many: Two-thirds of Christians become Christians between the ages of 0 and 4 years old. So what is the church’s focus on this pre-school age? Are we facilitating
