Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com ‘Never ask, "Why were things so much better in the old days?" It's not an intelligent question.’ (Ecclesiastes 7:10) There is often no shortage of people in churches who look back fondly on the past. In times gone by there always seems to be more vision, more energy and more… Continue reading Nostalgia just ain’t what it used to be…
Author: Jon Kuhrt
Jon Kuhrt has worked with people affected by homelessness for over 30 years. He is a former government adviser on how faith groups address rough sleeping and is now CEO of Hope into Action. He lives with his wife in Streatham, south London and they have 3 children. He likes football....but loves cricket.
Good Friday? Coronavirus, conspiracies and the cross
Photo by David Dibert on Pexels.com In recent weeks I have been sent a number of videos which share conspiracy theories about the ‘real cause’ of Coronavirus. Often they blend an pretty incoherent mix of pseudo-science (e.g. about the 5G mobile network), along with some character assassination (e.g. Bill Gates or Barack Obama) and a… Continue reading Good Friday? Coronavirus, conspiracies and the cross
Faith in Politics Simplified
My 16 year old son Danny is really into politics. He and some friends have started a youtube channel Politics Simplified which aims to explain political processes and ideas to young people. Here is one of their videos about the First Past the Post voting system: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNc_o5P38rk&t=62s Recently, they also went to Parliament to interview… Continue reading Faith in Politics Simplified
Faith and courage in response to a deadly virus
In 1665, the people in the remote Derbyshire village of Eyam realised that their village had become infected with the bubonic plague. Fleas infected with the disease had been brought to the village in a bundle of damp cloth from London. The tailor who unpacked the cloth and hung it to dry in front of… Continue reading Faith and courage in response to a deadly virus
A problem of resources, relationships or identity? Knife crime & the Church
Photo by Erik Mclean on Pexels.com Knife crime and youth violence are urgent and pressing issues in my south London community. As a parent of three secondary school-age children, it’s never far from my thoughts. Like so many families, our children have been affected by muggings and threats. This week in my youth group we… Continue reading A problem of resources, relationships or identity? Knife crime & the Church
Why churches manage people badly (and what can be done about it)
Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com In recent years, the church frequently has to respond to the scandal and upset created by safeguarding failures and other cases of serious malpractice. As we all know, these scandals powerfully undermine the integrity of the church’s witness. One key factor in ecclesiastical failures that is frequently downplayed is… Continue reading Why churches manage people badly (and what can be done about it)
Streatham: twisted religion cannot destroy loving faith in community
I have lived in Streatham, South London for 17 years. Its where all my three children have been raised and go to school. Its where we go to church, where my wife works and where countless friends live. We are proud to say that Streatham is our community. Yesterday, a young man attacked members of… Continue reading Streatham: twisted religion cannot destroy loving faith in community
If the Church has GOOD news to share, why are our websites so BAD?
A friend of mine was staying in a Somerset village last year over the weekend of Palm Sunday. He wanted to go to a service so looked up the website of the local church. It told him the service that Sunday started at 10.30am. Except that the website was wrong. The service did not start… Continue reading If the Church has GOOD news to share, why are our websites so BAD?
‘David Sheppard: Batting for the Poor’ – by Andrew Bradstock [review]
David Sheppard scored more runs in a single season and more centuries than anyone else in the history of Cambridge University cricket. Such was his talent that he was selected for England’s 1950/51 Ashes tour of Australia at the end of his first year as a student. But, at the same time his sporting career… Continue reading ‘David Sheppard: Batting for the Poor’ – by Andrew Bradstock [review]
Not being afraid in a time of festive anxiety
All of us have many things that they can worry about – whether its money, work, family or tricky relationships. For some, fears grow into serious conditions which seriously impair their lives. When I became a parent it hugely expanded the scope and range of things I could be worried about. Anxiety easily becomes the… Continue reading Not being afraid in a time of festive anxiety
Grace + Truth 