Following the leadings of love and truth, to joyful action in the world
#MonthOfMinistry Day 8 Imani, faith, can come like a spirit Spirit come like walking on air. Take a step and trust in the path and Mother Imani meet you there. This joyful song speaks to me of faith as that which sustains us when we step outside our safe zones of comfort. Sing along! Imani, … Read more
#MonthOfMinistry Day 7 The wonderful XKCD comic reminded us recently that we are related to stromatolites (https://xkcd.com/3046). As the cartoon says, stromatolites are basically mats of bacteria, which build up over time into clumps. Some of these are fossilised as lumps of rock, and some of these are among the earliest traces of living organisms … Read more
#MonthOfMinistry Day 6 I know you’re scared And I’m scared too But here I am Right next to you African-American singer/songwriter and activist Melanie DeMore reminds us to lead with love in these times of fear and chaos: Lead With Love – Melanie DeMoreYou gotta put one foot in front of the otherAnd lead with … Read more
#MonthOfMinistry Day 4 The image shows St Nicholas (definitely not channelling his cosy Santa Claus persona!) about to slap Arius at the First Council of Nicaea. They’re disagreeing about whether Christ the Son is of the same substance as God the Father. A highly technical point about the nature of the Trinity, but enough for … Read more
#MonthOfMinistry Day 3 A couple came to me for a wedding ceremony recently, and I asked the what vows or promises they wanted to make to each other. “No vows!” they said, and I was momentarily at a loss. What, after all, makes a wedding ceremony if it’s not the chance to tell your partner … Read more
#MonthOfMinistry Day 2 To tell the truth, I’m rather wary of the word “service”. It has too many connotations of unequal relationship, situations where work isn’t offered freely (military service, domestic service, …). The word is related to the Latin servus meaning a slave. When we use this word to describe our activity, particularly in … Read more
#MonthOfMinistry Day 1 Hello, I’m Chris, outdoor swimmer, peace activist, interfaith celebrant, web developer, Work That Reconnects facilitator… I’m passionate about addressing the causes of conflict, injustice, suffering, and environmental damage, and building radical communities to sustain us in this work. Walking in the mountains and swimming in the sea, the beauty, energy and wildness in … Read more
Another powerful song that feels fitting for the times. This is Bertolt Brecht’s “Easter Day” set to music by Hans Eisler. Brecht wrote this in 1938 on a small island in Denmark, having fled Germany after Hitler came to power. This is the version sung by Robyn Archer (I’m not sure who made this translation): … Read more
Lead with Love, a song for today, by African American singer/songwriter and activist Melanie DeMore. We sometimes sing this uplifting song in Protest in Harmony. I think it’s going to be needed in the time to come. Lead With Love – Melanie DeMoreYou gotta put one foot in front of the otherAnd lead with lovePut … Read more
The title ‘Reverend’ sits easily/reluctantly with me because… #MonthOfMinistry Day 16: When I and my Onespirit Interfaith Minister colleagues completed our training, we were ‘ordained’ (another odd word), and told that we were now entitled to use the title ‘Reverend’. I really found this quite problematic! Firstly, it’s a title mainly used by Christian clerics. … Read more