In a guest blog, Revd Charity Tozivepi-Nzegwu reflects on recent international events. I have learnt that there are moments when the world trembles, not because violence has already erupted, but because the conditions for it are being normalised. When power begins to speak as though borders are …
Reflection
We need wisdom
Guest blogger Simon Peters, project manager of the URC’s Walking the Way, offers a reflection after reading from Proverbs 1:20-33. Wisdom cries out in the street; in the squares she raises her voice.At the busiest corner she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:“How …
A collection of Lent resources
Lent is fast approaching. Ash Wednesday is 16th February, after which we head towards Easter on 4th April. In this season, Christians remind themselves of Christ’s journey through the wilderness. It’s often used as a period to grow our personal discipleship through self-discipline: giving …
Advent 4: Mighty God
The year 2020 has been filled with ups and downs and uncertainties, but I am grateful to be alive today and to share my story with all of you. I am Jessica Bwali from Zambia and I am a journalist by profession. This year will go down in my life as one of the years that pushed me to …
Advent 3: Everlasting Father
“I ain’t going back to the streets” I have been working in homeless services for over 15 years, and since March I have seen a real difference in services. From day one of lockdown we saw agencies across the sector really coming together. I was asked to help manage a hotel for people who have …
Advent 2: Wonderful Counsellor
“Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it” (Genesis 28:16) For the past eight years I have worked from a small room in a local community centre. The two Methodist churches that previously served the area have been closed and subsequently demolished. The past eight years …
Advent 1: Prince of Peace
I felt like it was a dream, I told myself ‘you are not seeing this, this is not happening.’ When I was coming back there was a confrontation between the armed people and the military and I saw eight people lying dead by the side of the road, and I had to stay there for about an hour to wait for a …
What If…?
So often, we restrict our response to a situation before it even begins. Until 1969, to land on the moon was deemed impossible. Before 1953, it seemed unmanageable to climb Mount Everest. New Year’s resolutions are written off before they’re attempted. Exercise plans are tucked away in fear that …
Week Four: Room for All
The Beginning "They couldn’t believe what they had seen. Nothing ever happened to them – their life was just the hillside, sheep and more sheep. But today! Today they had seen a miracle. In all their days counting sheep, the Shepherds had never imagined that they might feel the way they had …
Week Three: Home
Ellie's Story "My name is Ellie and I’ve been homeless for a few months now. It’s tough out here, and for a woman, it’s dangerous too. For 15 years, I had a house, where I lived with my three children. Now, I get shelter where I can or sleep on the streets, and my children aren’t with me …