Posts

This is me

Chris does a headstand on the beach

February is #MonthOfMinistry, the month when OneSpirit Interfaith ministers get to post each day following a series of prompts. It’s a chance for us to share and explain more about ourselves, our beliefs, and what we actually do under this strange label of “ministry” A big thanks to fellow ministers Jo Royle and Sass Adams … Read more

A DIY funeral for a peace activist

Brian's homemade coffin

Last summer I had a call from my friend Brian, to ask if I would help to plan his funeral. He had been living with cancer for several years, but now no more treatment was possible, and he was facing death with his typical courage and resilience. Brian and I had first met in November … Read more

Noctiluca scintillans

Noctiluca scintillans

Fire in the dark, sparks fly up.
Kai! Kai! – Eat! Eat!
Handfuls of rice, an offering to the Protector spirits of this place.

Tiny luminous dinoflagellates, doing what they must do.

Creation story

No one saw how it began.

Before (if it was a before), there was neither non-existence nor existence, time nor space. We can still see the traces, the echoes, of when time and space became, in a sudden outpouring from emptiness.

Cressida, the Tidal Octopus

Cressida the Tidal Octopus

Hail to thee, Cressida! Great eight-limbed cephalopod, dweller in the brine and guardian of our tidal streams.

Have mercy on us poor swimmers, guide us through your ebbs and flows, that we may be welcomed in the embrace of the constant ocean.

The change I’d like to see in the world

Support the right to refuse to kill

#MonthofMinistry Day 8: The change I’d like to see in the world Oh, there are so many things I could say here! Anything and everything that helps humans change from being motivated by greed and fear, and more towards loving and caring, justice and peace, and helping preserve our delicate, lovely world. This image is … Read more

Who do I work with?

Aerial view of the queue for the Eiffel Tower

#MonthofMinistry Day 7: Who I work with &/or who I do not work with I’m open to working with anyone who feels drawn to what I offer, and I doubt that I’d say no to anyone who is interested enough in what I offer to approach me. But I particularly like working with people who … Read more

How I nourish my spiritual self

swimming at Loch Carrie

#MonthofMinistry Day 6: How I nourish my spiritual self “My spiritual self” – what does that curious phrase mean? I think that maybe it means something like “the part of me that feels in connection with the world around, and the people and other beings within it”. Perhaps my most important spiritual practice is spending … Read more

What my ministry looks like

Bell

#MonthOfMinistry Day 5: What my ministry looks like So, what does this “ministry” look like? For me it’s very much something that’s still developing! I’ve always loved the aliveness and connection of ritual and ceremony, and if you’d like to work with me to design a wedding, a funeral, or a ceremony to mark any … Read more

A recent book I’ve read

#MonthOfMinistry Day 4: A recent book I’ve read I’ve been enjoying Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul by John Philip Newell of the Iona Community. It’s an exploration of “Celtic Christianity”, some of the streams in the Christian tradition which sometimes get overshadowed and which emphasise our inherent goodness and connection with the sacred natural world. Each … Read more