Rev Matt iBlog

Acts chapters 10-11 God gives Peter a vision of a sheet descending from the heavens. Included in the sheet were some unclean animals. He told Peter, "what God has made clean, do not call common." Food is an important social and cultural symbol. What to eat, and with whom, establishes the boundaries between one community and another - especially when groups feel under pressure to conform to wider cultural norms. Both Helen and I have enjoyed eating the different food of all traditions since arriving in the circuit. We don't say unless it's a Yorkshire pudding we will not be eating. Here's the context from our Acts reading... Many Jewish writings from this period forbid table fellowship between Jews and Gentiles. But changing traditional boundaries is unsettling, even disturbing, as Peter discovered when he told his story in Jerusalem. Twice his retelling makes the point that God makes no distinction between what humans call 'c...

Is FEAR or DOUBT holding you back? Exploring this question, we can take comfort from the Passion narrative because it has much to say about individual stories of fear and anxiety. On Maundy Thursday, Peter is anxious that he should be washing Jesus’ feet through the sacrificial task of foot-washing. In Gethsemane Peter cuts off a guard’s ear and his response resulted to fear when he denies Jesus three times.   On Easter Sunday we celebrate that Christ is Risen. Resurrection Sunday celebrates the Easter mystery, we hear the story of the women finding the tomb empty, and the first words they are “Do not be afraid.” Themes of fear and doubt are throughout Easter and it is present even today… When you’re living with a mental health problem, or supporting someone who is, having access to the right information about a condition, treatment options, or practical issues is vital. Mind Charity ( www.mind.org.uk ) provide advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a m...

On Maundy Thursday we remember Jesus washing his disciples feet and sharing bread and wine with them. My favourite part is Jesus washing feet because it's an act of love and humility. Jesus knew that actions speak louder than words. ’Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet’ says Jesus = serving #MaundyThursday I led my first Maundy Thursday service at Holly Park. We sit in a circle for foot/ hand washing and shared communion. We left the circle to remember Jesus in the garden.  Prayer was important in Jesus’ life. When do we pray?  Some people pray more when things are going well, and others pray more when things are going badly. Jesus challenges the disciples to pray – and yet they fall asleep. How important is prayer to us? Jesus says ‘everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not my what I will, but what you will’. ‘Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer! ...

‘Journeying With God’ was the theme for our circuit revival week in March. We met every night at Trinity at Bowes for worship and prayer. What a powerful week with each night to think about the power of forgiveness and love.  We ended the revival with a circuit church service in Broadwater Farm community hall with 500 people. All the churches across the circuit were shut so we could gather as one church.  I have never come across anything like this before, but I can see how much it meant to the people especially when they came up for prayer every night. I haven’t come across a circuit that meet every night for worship during the week. The week also helped me to see how African/ Caribbean people worship.  Humble Service in the Body of Christ ‘For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of ...

Do you ever think “why am I doing full-time ministry when I could be doing something else”? I’m having one of those weeks when I feel my honeymoon period of ministry is over. This week I’ve forgotten my church car park keys resulting in driving back for them and today discovering the communion wine had gone off just before doing home communion. All I found myself asking was ‘why am I doing this’.  But then I saw this below prayer from Rev Ruth Gee in the Methodist Prayer Handbook… Lord, it isn’t easy. It isn’t easy to speak out for you when they don’t want to listen. It isn’t easy to live by your story when they don’t believe it. It isn’t easy to welcome the stranger when the unfamiliar looks frightening  It isn’t easy to be open to others when they might change me. It isn’t easy to follow you when you go to the wrong places. Child, it isn’t easy. It isn’t easy to walk with me toward Jerusalem. It isn’t easy to trust when you want to direct. ...

Dear Friends, When exploring London, I like to take the opportunity to explore the coffee shops. I love coffee (good coffee).  When I place my order in a particular coffee shop I am greeted by genuine and excited employees who asked me for my name. The team write my name on a take-out coffee cup. When my drink is ready the following was shouted; “one cappuccino for Matt”. That cup of cappuccino was mine because it had my name written on it. Coffee shops actually want to know who I am.  This made me feel: 1.      Welcomed 2.      Valued 3.      They met my  need The employees were having a great time. There was a lot of fun and laughter. This made me think; what if our churches were like that? What if our churches wanted to know who these people are? Getting to know more about people can make a huge difference.  The first publication of the Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain...

I am feeling good because I've just completed a 2.5 mile run (20 minutes). This is really a big deal for me because I trying to keep fit. However, I could do with some chocolate right now. During my run, I was praying and I reflected on how people treat others. I've heard people have a go at people's weight or appearance. For example, people say to me that I'm bald or put a few pounds on! I remember my late Grandad Greaves wearing a hat because people would make fun of him being bald and this really upset him. Most of us have probably laughed at someone's appearance, at someone's accent, made a crude observation, weight, hair, clothes etc. I have in the past and I'm truly sorry. At some point in time, we've all been the target of insulting comments. Here's the thing... it's not a joke to mock someone's appearance. I loved watching the British drama called 'Fat Friends' by Kay Mellor. The drama follows a woman's obsession...