Red Umbrella

Here's a story i thought was brilliant this morning at church. The theme was faith based on Hebrews ch 11. Our preacher told a story about a little farming community in the USA. There had been a drought there and the church had gathered to pray for rain. As the pastor looked out over the packed church, he noticed a little girl in the front row and on the pew next to her, was her bright red umbrella. Others had come to pray for rain. She had come to see God move!!
It was one of those stories that made me thoughtful but also made me smile and nod. I love those stories!!!!!

Just more rambling

Thought i'd ramble on abit more. Have been reading a blog i really like lately by an Anglo-Catholic priest in East London. Don't neccessarily agree with all his views but like his resolve and his determination to do what he believes to be right. I was just thinking if we believe something to be right then it right, but that then justifies anything and everything. Of course that's wrong to the point of being evil. What is right then, what can and can't be justified? Um, something to muse over.

Bollocks - why has that posted twice? Sorry if you read my last post and got confused.

Blah Blah Blah. That's what's buzzing round my head at the moment. Something's wrong in the body too, reccuring pains in the back around the kidneys, constantly fatigued, loo - breaks all the time (Soz if too much info). I just feel bleh. Supposed to be giving an overview for resons for woment to be ordained to the episcopate on Wednesday at a PCC meeting. Can't be bothered to think about it now, bit worried what the dr might say when I see him tuesday.

Blah Blah Blah. That's what's buzzing round my head at the moment. Something's wrong in the body too, reccuring pains in the back around the kidneys, constantly fatigued, loo - breaks all the time (Soz if too much info). I just feel bleh. Supposed to be giving an overview for resons for woment to be ordained to the episcopate on Wednesday at a PCC meeting. Can't be bothered to think about it now, bit worried what the dr might say when I see him tuesday.

The Saint Helena Breviary.

Last Saturday i received a copy of the "St Helena Breviary. personal edition", published by the Order of St Helena. The new Breviary is written in inclusive language, which i was a bit wary of at first, but which i cannot, enthuse enough. Buy it now, pray the Offices, let your spirit soar.
www.osh.org

Heavenly Requirements

All you need for Heaven -
Show Justice
Love Mercy
Walk Humbly With Your God

Absolution, Absolution, Absolution

It occurred to me today that making a sacramental confession may not be such a bad thing. I've been toying with the idea for quite some time now and think that possibly it may be beneficial for the soul. Being part of an evangelical church basically means i've had no exposure to the whole idea. The only ideas I really have about it are the clips i've seen in films where the murderer or thief sneaks into a church to confess - I suspect though that one has to be truly penitent. Perhaps I will make a confession, though i'll have to find a local priest who hears confessions - I'm beginning to see real cracks in evangelicalism. I think actually hearing that your sins are forgiven, must be the most wonderful feeling. Any thoughts from Anglican/Episcopalian Christians on this, would be welcome.

Seeing His glory

Today I went to an ordination service at our local cathedral, there were seven people being ordained, Six priests (one is presently our curate) and one deacon - who was so short that when she went forward to be ordained, I was sitting so far back I couldn't see her!Literally!
But when Bishop Carl Cooper was giving the charge to those being ordained priest there was a piece in it about being fulfilled in joy, he said "the life you are undertaking will be one of suffering and ________ but it will be fulfilling if it is lived in joy"or words to that effect, those word have a deep resonance in my soul because they speak to me of reparative suffering being able to offer suffering to God and knowing that He will bless us through it, how great is our God, how wonderful are His blessings, I thank Him that there are so many ways that I see His glory, even in that which seems unattractive and terrible to contemplate.

I Have Called You Friend

I'm starting to wonder whether or not the Anglican Church has a future.
It just seems like we've become like that Church in Revelation, who are told hat they've forsaken there first love, were so obsessed with scripture, tradition, catholic (with a small 'c'), evangelicalism, liberalism and all those grey area in between, that we've forgotten that God called us in the person of Jesus to simply love one another. Jesus loved and embraced all people and still does. He doesn't say "I have placed you in this bracket or that bracket" He simply says I have called you friend". It doesn't matter a tiny bit to Him if people are gay, straight, black, white, male, female, catholic, evangelical. These are all old arguments that have become slightly cliched, but they still bear a certain amount of resonance in our culture. God is love, How much do we love?

Computers are giving me a headache!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello, if anyone reads this and would like to give me some step-by-step pointers I would be most grateful. The problem is - I want to post a picture from my first posting onto my blog profile, and have no idea how to do it, the instructions seem about as clear as mud to be honest. If anyone could help, thanks, Luke.

Hello All - The Children of the Most High

Hi, I'm Luke to anyone who's interested, I live in the UK- Wales actually. Currently I'm unemployed, I was a student but the whole experience got to much for me in the end - studying was starting to drive me quietly mad, that is to say studying in a formal sense, I do enjoy private study, I'm at the moment reading a fascinating book, called "The Intimate Merton", which is a collection of the journal entries of Thomas Merton, a Trappist monk who lived at Our Lady of Gethsemani Abbey, Kentucky, USA, eventually becoming a hermit however despite his apparent withdrawal from the world (if that is possible) he was and still is a spiritual master who has much to teach all peoples whatever their faith.
Yours in Our Eucharistic King,
Luke.