Back in July 1878, the Rev E.T. Prust laid the foundation stone of Abington Square Mission in the centre of Northampton. The 1870s was an era when non-conformist missions made a massive impact in towns and cities in the UK. As well as Sunday services, many of these missions ran 'ragged schools' to educate poorer… Continue reading How churches can avoid becoming strip clubs
Actually reading the Bible
A few years ago my wife bought me a fitbit watch. She’s subtle like that. It has proved to be a great present though. I like having a daily target of steps a day. And when I reach it, I enjoy seeing the little congratulatory fireworks display which goes off on my watch screen. And… Continue reading Actually reading the Bible
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The good, the bad & the beautiful: an alternative evaluation of ‘Love Island’
Every summer my family are part of a youth camp where 160 young people (plus a few middle-agers) live in tents by the sea in Devon. We have been involved for 11 years and, though tiring, it is the best week of the year for all of us. It is a Christian camp run by… Continue reading The good, the bad & the beautiful: an alternative evaluation of ‘Love Island’
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‘What game even is that?’: Two factors to save cricket’s future
I play cricket each week on a ground where the game has been played since 1743. A couple of weeks ago, a group of local children came past the ground. We are used to hearing comments shouted out, but on this occasion something particularly struck me. One teenage girl turned to her friends and said:… Continue reading ‘What game even is that?’: Two factors to save cricket’s future
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Homelessness is more than house-lessness: re-thinking kindness #3
Last year, I got to know a young man who was begging close to where I worked. He was a real character, never short on stories or quips for passers-by. He told people that he needed money for accommodation. Fairly regularly, I used to make him cups of tea and talk to him. I always… Continue reading Homelessness is more than house-lessness: re-thinking kindness #3
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Competition, duplication and saviour myths: re-thinking kindness #2
I was at a conference this week where the CEO of a homelessness charity said: ‘I was a corporate banker for a couple of years before I started working in homelessness. In my twenty years in this work, I think there is more competitiveness in the charity world than in banking.’ In the profit-making sector,… Continue reading Competition, duplication and saviour myths: re-thinking kindness #2
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‘If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you’ – rethinking kindness #1
I saw these words on a wall of a centre for homeless people I visited this week. I think they display a realism and wisdom which is helpful for everyone seeking to help people in need. The centre helps people with some of the most complex issues imaginable. But I was struck by the perseverance and… Continue reading ‘If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you’ – rethinking kindness #1
