The God who intervenes

I remember a few years ago when I went to America for the first time we landed in California and went to get a meal at the airport before travelling to our destination. I was surprised to find a card on the table explaining that a glass of water was no longer routinely served with food. There was a drought, and water could only be supplied on request. … More The God who intervenes

Duelling with God

Anthony Bloom, a leader in the Orthodox Church, wrote many books on prayer and meditation. One piece of advice has stuck in my mind. If you are choosing a piece of scripture for meditation, choose either a passage that really sets your heart on fire, or one that you find really difficult … More Duelling with God

How are you?

I remember one of my first French lessons at school was on how to greet people. We were taught “How are you?” “Comment allez vous?”, and the reply “Tres bien. Et vous”. Annoying 11-year-old that I was, my hand went up. “What do I say if I’m not very well?”. The teacher replied, “You still say ‘Tres bien’”. It’s good manners … More How are you?

What is liturgy?

Liturgy is one of those words that is frequently used, but rarely explained. When people say that they don’t need to come to church to pray, they can pray at home, that is perfectly trues, but rather misses the point. Because in church we are not just praying and reading the Bible, but we are worshipping God together in a structured way. And that is what we mean by liturgy … More What is liturgy?