on bridges

Although I’m not much of a one for heights, and don’t much like boats, airplanes or lifts, I don’t mind bridges, physical or metaphorical. A bridge spans two places that would otherwise be separated. They tend to feature heavily in war films, where to capture the bridge is to have the power to separate the…

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lent in the time of corona

There’s a much more serious feel to Lent now. Normally I enjoy Lent as a time to focus on some new practice or helpful habit like (for instance, this year) listening to a poem every day around 4-5pm (that’s the lull in the day when I’m tipping inexorably from productivity to sleepy down time (know…

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taking a moment

Visited a pleasant town with nice coffee shops. Took the car. Drove slowly.  Read my book at a window seat facing a sunny street, not wearing my dog collar, not looking at my phone. Ignoring deadly viruses and failed impeachment trials I perused a new painting on the cafe wall. Smelled my flat white. Noticed…

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how much should a priest work?

It might seem an odd question, but it’s often quite difficult to categorise what is ‘work’, and how much to ‘work’ when you’re a priest, or even if the word is at all helpful to describe what a priest does. Having recently changed posts from part time, to ‘full time’ (and no, I haven’t worked…

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thou shalt not be distracted

Recently the Church of England published a ‘digital charter’ encouraging online behaviour to be consistent with values of kindness, respect and tolerance for different views. As one headline put it: ‘Thou shalt not tweet in anger’. It was all helpful stuff, but stopped short of reflection on the possible spiritual effects of spending large amounts…

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coming back to my rest

The first time a wise minister suggested to me that all ministry should flow from a place of rest, I had no idea what he was talking about. I probably thought, ‘it’s alright for you mate, you’re retired’ (which he was). Nonetheless I decided to think about what he said, ponder it, chew it over….

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your wound, your blessing

They say that a cracked mug mended, is stronger along the glue line than it was before it broke. Like the wound has somehow made it better. We have a number of cracked mugs in the utility room which have yet to prove this theory. I buy strong glue. Usually it comes in two tubes….

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