Tag Archives: reflections

Reflection on ‘Winning’ for Holy Week: Wednesday 27th March 2024

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Gerry Lynch

Betjeman and AN Wilson thought their Oxford contemporaries who had become priests had “won” in a way they, with all their literary success, had not. Continue reading →

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Reflection on ‘Suffering’ for Holy Week: Monday 25th March 2024

Posted on March 25, 2024 by Gerry Lynch

A universe without suffering means God controlling us like robots. We are rightly horrified by earthly fathers who control their children like that. Continue reading →

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Reflection on ‘Judgement’ for Holy Week; Monday 3 April 2023

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Gerry Lynch

Given at St Mary’s, Potterne Matthew 25. 31-40 Do we want to live in a universe where Jimmy Saville got away with it? I found myself asking this as I prepared the readings for tonight’s service. Many of us will … Continue reading →

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Cassettes, Communion, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Online Worship isn’t the Answer to Everything

Posted on August 3, 2020 by Gerry Lynch

Young people are getting back into cassettes and compilations; whatever merits it has, online worship can’t be the future of the Church, at least not on its own. Continue reading →

Posted in Anglicanism, Christianity, COVID19, Evangelism, Prayer and Worship, Reflection | Tagged anglican, anglicanism, christian, christianity, church of england, compilations, coronavirus, cyberculture, hooked on a feeling i'm high on believing, mixtapes, online worship, prayer, reflections, religion, worship | Comments Off

Beginning Public Ministry in a Liminal Time

Posted on July 2, 2020 by Gerry Lynch

Hundreds of people who should have been ending a long road to ordained ministry this week have instead been commissioned as lay ministers via videoconference. Can this experience of liminality help us serve God by helping midwife the new life he and the world seek? Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Priesthood, Reflection | Tagged church, church of england, coronavirus, COVID19, lay ministry, liminality, ministry, reflections, religion | Comments Off

Chapel Address at Evensong, St Stephen’s House, Oxford, 4 November 2019

Posted on November 4, 2019 by Gerry Lynch

Chapel Address at Evensong, St Stephen’s House, Oxford, 4 November 2019 Gerry Lynch “When you talk to God, it’s called prayer. When God talks to you, it’s called insanity.” That bon mot came to mind as I pondered today’s readings … Continue reading →

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The Bright Field

Posted on May 21, 2019 by Gerry Lynch

Late on a summer evening, as I took photos from the summit of Divis (478m above sea level) the highest of the Belfast Hills towards Lough Neagh, suddenly a shaft of sunlight broke through and illuminated the fields on top … Continue reading →

Posted in Anglicanism, Christianity, Northern Ireland, Photography, Poetry, Reflection | Tagged anglican, anglicanism, belfast, belfast hills, christian, christianity, divis, photography, poetry, reflections, religion, rs thomas | Comments Off

Presbyterians, Salvation, and God

Posted on June 9, 2018 by Gerry Lynch

Cross-posted at Slugger O’Toole. We cremated my friend James on the freakishly warm Friday before St Patrick’s Day, between the two bouts of even freakier snow. We did this after a celebration of the Supper of the Lord Jesus Christ … Continue reading →

Posted in Anglicanism, Christianity, LGBT, Reflection, UK | Tagged christian, christianity, church of england, church of scotland, death, lgbt and christianity, presbyterian, reflections, religion | Comments Off

Tides Also Come In

Posted on October 11, 2017 by Gerry Lynch

TIDES ALSO COME IN (A response to Arnold. And to Cupitt.) A stormy sea today. Grey rock pools catch a leaden sky In Lowry hues; not very far away Bangor’s a shade; the hills of Ireland peer, Like dragons’ silhouettes … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Poetry | Tagged christian, culture, history, new atheism, poem, reflections, religion, zeitgeist | Comments Off

Lent

Posted on February 18, 2015 by Gerry Lynch

What am I giving up for Lent? I’m going to try giving up cynicism and unhappiness. Cynicism is worn as a badge of maturity in 2010s Britain. To dare to be optimistic, to dare to hope, is a sign of … Continue reading →

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