Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Worship symposium

'Symposium'? We think it's upmarket for 'conference'. Whatever! This definitely looks like a BIG event with plenty of 'names' taking part....

Check London School of Theology for full information.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Excellent resource

A terrific gateway to a wide variety of resources. Well worth an exploration.

www.alternativeworship.org

Thursday, April 24, 2008

Grave matters

The BBC website reports an interesting trend that looks set to add new colour to one of the occasional offices.

Garish vulgarity, or a helpful way of allowing people to express their love for the departed?

Any thoughts from the CL community?

In fact, a warm welcome to any comments on the changing ways in which church leaders can serve people through funeral and bereavent ministry.

Click to read Stickers on Coffins (BBC)

Click to find out about Colourful Coffins.

Monday, April 21, 2008

Forgotten classic?

Thanks to the CL reader who recommends this once-popular Christian author....

Each of these remarkable monologues/prayers/mediations takes its jumping-off point from an easy-to-overlook aspect of everyday life:
  • The Telephone
  • The Swing
  • At the door
  • The tractor
  • Prayer before a five-pound note.
Quoist's gift is to make connections between the most ordinary aspects of our life - and our life in relationship with God. Quoist comments:

If only we knew how to look at life as God sees it, we should realize that nothing is secular in the world, but that everything contributes to the building of the kingdom of God.

Published in the 1950s, Quoist's books were tremendously popular throughout the 1960s and 1970s. The remain fresh and challenging today.

And they are still in print!

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Senior Service

Thanks to subscribers who have commented positively on our recent article on the church and older people.
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Don't forget that for every article in the printed magazine, the CL website offers a useful selection of live links to related sites.
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Pop to CL65's 'Magazine weblinks' and scroll down to the Senior Service section and - voila! - you'll find several references to agencies that provide info and resources.
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Why not, for example, check out the work of Outlook Trust?

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

A remarkable leader

Today the Church of England has been celebrating Deaconess Isabella Gilmore.

She was, in every respect, as pioneering as her more famous brother William Morris.

Go to the CPAS Women in Leadership blog to learn more about her.

Monday, April 14, 2008

Marathon marvels

Hurrah for two fast-paced contributors to CL 66 (June 08) who completed yesterday's Flora London Marathon.
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CPAS Evangelism Adviser David Banbury ran a storming 3 hours and 56 minutes. Look out for his useful guide to choosing an inquirers' course for your church.
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Regular CL illustrator Brent Clark crossed the finish line at 4 hours and 50 minutes. Brent provides images for a new service for Remembrance Sunday.
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Brent was raisng funds for the wonderful work of Christ Church Spitalfileds Crypt Trust.
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David, who served last year in Iraq as a hospiital chaplain, ran for Royal British Legion.
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Neat that Brent's poppy image for CL 67 creates a link between these two amazing marathon men.