It has been great to see the reaction to Corin Pilling's beautiful guest post about how his church has connected with a local care home for those with dementia. Its another reminder that some of the most important work that the church does is with those who society finds it easy to forget. Much of this… Continue reading Sharing the gospel with Errol Flynn, Bette Davis and Humphrey Bogart
Category: Films & music
Drowning in the Shallow – Andy Flannagan [Review]
I must admit that I am not a big fan of a lot of contemporary Christian music. Too often, I find the lyrics can be trite and too detached from the difficulties and complexity of real life. Often laments for our broken world tend to be both more poetic and more moving from those outside the Church rather than… Continue reading Drowning in the Shallow – Andy Flannagan [Review]
Three reasons why everyone should watch ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ this Christmas
In my view, It’s a Wonderful Life is not the best Christmas film ever. It is simply the best film ever, full stop. Released in 1946, the film focuses on the life of a man called George Bailey (James Stewart) who lives in the small town of Bedford Falls. As a young man, George intends to ‘shake… Continue reading Three reasons why everyone should watch ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ this Christmas
The life, death (and resurrection?) of The Stone Roses
I first heard The Stone Roses when they appeared on Top of the Pops in November 1989 when they debuted in the same show as The Happy Mondays. The next day at school everyone was going on about 'Madchester'. The Stone Roses breakthrough single, Fool's Gold was jangly, ambient and different to anything I had ever heard before. It's success led… Continue reading The life, death (and resurrection?) of The Stone Roses
Cricket, justice and political action
Just as you cannot separate faith and politics, it is impossible to separate the world of international sport from politics. Recently for my birthday I got two brilliant examples of the role cricket can play within the political sphere. Firstly the DVD of the acclaimed documentary film Fire in Babylon, which is about the great West Indies… Continue reading Cricket, justice and political action
Attack the Block (15)
Attack the Block is about a South London teenage gang who defend their council estate from an invasion of aliens. Their block is besieged by males of an alien species after the gang killed a female alien in retribution for injuring their gang leader, Moses. It's an unusual mix of gritty social realism, mild horror and genuine comedy. I thought it… Continue reading Attack the Block (15)
Grace + Truth 