Minister's Blog
A monthly thought-provoker from our minister
I write a regular item for Journey, the Carrs Lane newsletter which is published each month except August and January. The blog gives me an opportunity to share and discuss these thoughts with the wider world; so I write with this in mind.
I hope you find the blog interesting. Comments are welcome! You do not need to register or give your full name; just click on Add Comment at the end of the item.
Occasionally the blog is written by someone else; if so the author's name should appear at the end of the piece (even if it says Posted by Neil Riches at the top!).
Neil Riches
A time for every matter under heaven
… Sometimes these familiar words from Ecclesisastes help me greatly when I worry that I may be facing in too many directions at once!
Resistance to change
I have always struggled to understand talk of frequent ‘resistance to change’ within the churches: if we are to be effective in mission, then the tools of mission, ....... must be adapted to take account of the changing needs of each passing generation
Freedom at last
..... the message here for us this Advent is that the waiting has ended, the Kingdom is in our midst because the Messiah has come amongst us....
Proclaim
...... an occasion for people to contribute to the on-going conversations about Carrs Lane becoming an ecumenical church shared by both the URC and Methodist denominations.
Be on your guard against all kinds of greed
.....I am going to return from retreat with passion rekindled – maybe anger stirred – over greed…greed as in the unnecessary, the opulent, the manifestly unfair.....
Exploding the Myths
........we may need to reflect more deeply on what we understand by healing as a part of the life of faith........
You only get one chance to make a bad impression
On a recent visit to Harrogate for the first time I have to say that I was both surprised and impressed........
Spiritual journey
How do we seek to make sense of the ways in which the Spirit moves within each of our lives?
There's nothing on!
Some folk argue that the Christian life is akin to a reality TV show with God as director......
A Dilemma of Faith
What kind of dilemmas do you - do we - face which are prompted partly or fully by faith?
Where would Jesus shop?
Some questions have clear answers – others do not. A few years ago, aspects of the WWJD – What would Jesus do? – campaign left me uncomfortable......
Curious .... but then, maybe not
I tick the relevant boxes meticulously, I follow the instructions as carefully as I can…and still I am besieged by all manner of unsolicited letters.....
Father, Son and Holy Spirit - buy two, get one free
How should churches and other communities of faith be advertising themselves?
Are you sitting comfortably?
Uncomfortable. It is word that I have heard several times – in very different contexts – in respect of church during the last few weeks.