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Cathedrals are growing. But so what?
I was interested, of course, to look through the press release this week about which churches are growing in the Church of England. One might have thought at a casual glance and by the way that the headlines were phrased that there was evidence that the Church of England was growing again but it isn’t…
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Back from hols and quick theatre reviews
I’m back to work at St Mary’s today after a post-Christmas (well, post-Epiphany) week off. I’m writing this at the point just before I go into work, say morning prayer and open up the emails that have come in to me whilst I was away. It has been a busy week. I managed to fit…
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The Equality Network Gets it Wrong
The Equality Network needs to be much more robust in condemning homophobic governments in Commonwealth countries during the Commonwealth Games
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Memo to Holyrood re School Chaplains
Dear Members of the Scottish Parliament Yesterday, one of Scotland’s schools sacked its school chaplain. It is a school very close to me and the reason that the Rev Donald MacInnes was sacked from the chaplaincy of Glasgow’s Gaelic School is close to me too. Mr MacInnes was sacked because parents in the school had…
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Sermon – Christmas 2
Here’s what I had to say in the pulpit yesterday: Video first… When I was young, Christmas was pretty much the same every year at our house. The morning would comprise of morning worship and after that there would be lots of driving to pick up older relatives so that the family might be together…
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Blended Seasons
Hot Cross Buns and Mince Pies for sale on the same stand in the supermarket yesterday.
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Good Vicar, Bad Vicar
Rather a flutter in the doocot over some comments that Justin Welby made a couple of days ago in an interview on Radio 4 which is worth listening to in its entirety. The quote that has got people talking is this one: The reality is that where you have a good vicar you will find…
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Predictions for 2014
Remember those people who used to say, “But what is a blog…?” Well this year you are going to be hearing them say, “But what is a mooc…?” Gay men are going to start shaving again. Now that so many straight men have bought into the idea that beards are hip, it is time to…
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Review of 2013 predictions
I am wont to make predictions at new year. Here’s how I did last year. 1 – The UK will lose its triple A credit rating. Got that one right – happened within weeks. 2 – The Scottish Episcopal Church will have poor statistical returns this year prompting very quiet wailing and gnashing of teeth…
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Christmas Message from Bishop Gregor
It is quite likely that people reading this blog won’t be aware of Bishop Gregor’s Christmas Message – I don’t think it was sent to clergy or congregations and it doesn’t appear on the diocesan website. However, it is quite a good one and so I’m putting it on here. I heard a carol new…