Ray's Blog: April 2012
Finnish Clergy And Prayer In The Shed
About thirty senior clergy from Espoo Diocese, Finland were hosted by the Episcopal Diocese of Edinburgh this week. Andrew Bain and I led a day on Benedictine and Celtic spirituality. The idea was to explore the changing world framework to which even static state churches need to adapt. In order...
Norwegian Beachcomber
Why do so many Norwegians come to Holy Island? Is it because they like walking, boats, football, nature, and praying? A pilgrim group from rural western Norway walked St Cuthbert’s Way and stayed four days on the island. Some live on islands and have boats. Others have a boat hanging from...
Pie In The Sky Or Resurrection Of Earth?
Time Magazine (April 12 2012) ran an article under the title Heaven Can’t Wait: Why rethinking the hereafter could make the world a better place. It contrasts a traditional view of heaven, where believers go through pearly gates as an escape from this world, with a biblical view of a bodily...
Edmund
Edmund had impeccable timing. He died, aged ninety, on the eve of Resurrection Day. When his widow, Joan, rang to tell me I said: 'Typical.'
I met him about 1958 when, as a Church Army Captain, he ran a tin tabernacle church on a housing estate outside Bognor. He had an accident and...
Donkeys Make A Come-back. Why?
A UK report says Palm Sunday open air processions with donkeys are increasing, and churches can't get enough of these lowly creatures. Why might this be? I can think of three reasons:
1) Attendance at Easter services is hit by the mass exodus to holiday destinations. Local church communities are still...
