A Sermon delivered at the Funeral Eucharist of Leslie Houlden at the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin Temple Balsall 21st December 2022 at 12.30pm Leslie left clear and detailed instructions for his funeral. From time to time, they were updated – always with the heading: LH Funeral – no date assigned. It was […]
The abiding significance of sacred space
Posted on by James Woodward
I wonder where your favourite space is in Salisbury? A visitor said to me recently – ‘I love Sarum College – it is a space where I can breathe and relax and think’. We all need space. Some spaces can feel like a home from home. I wonder which place gives your precious space? A […]
PRACTICES FOR THE SOUL : FINDING MEANING IN OUR STRANGE NEW WORLD ?
Posted on by James Woodward
The Power of Ritual : Turning Everyday Activities Into Soulful Practices Casper Ter Kuile William Collins 2020 reposted from 6th April 2021 I am indebted to my friend Jane Shaw for pointing me in the direction of this rather stimulating and wonderful book. It came out of a conversation about what learning might look ( […]
A Day that left its imprint on us all – The Funeral of HM The Queen
Posted on by James Woodward
On the day after the funeral I write this feeling a certain kind of disorientation. Bank Holidays often bring that disruption to the week that leaves one wondering what day it is but this ‘day after’, might we experience a deeper shift that brings some questions to attend to? Few are left unmoved by […]
Waking up to God – Exploring faith by asking the right questions?
Posted on by James Woodward
Waking Up to God: Rediscovering Faith in Post-Pandemic Times by Neil Richardson Sacristy Press 2022 Neil Richardson has had a long and distinguished ministry as a Methodist theologian. This has included serving as the British Methodist President in 2003 and leading Wesley College, Bristol, as Principal. In eight chapters he tackles head-on with […]
Coping with the Uncertainty of these Present Times
Posted on by James Woodward
I have just returned for leading a retreat for twenty women and men supporting them as they prepare for their life as clergy. They talked about their communities and families. They shared the stress and strain and anxiety that many are feeling in their families and communities. The future feels fragile – a change in […]
ON FAILURE – HOW TO SUCCEED AT DEFEAT
Posted on by James Woodward
(The School of Life 2022) A hopeful and encouraging book that is gentle on its reader! In 2008, Alain de Botton was one of a team of writers and educators who founded The School of Life. Based in centres across the World, The School of Life , offers an emotional education focusing in particular on […]
DIPPING INTO THE MIDDLE AGES
Posted on by James Woodward
Hidden Hands : The Lives of Manuscripts and Their Makers by Mary Wellesley ( RiverRun 2021) At Sarum College we have offered an MA in Christian Spirituality for many years – it continues to attract a wide variety of people supported as they are by our brilliant teaching team. We have recently appointed Dr […]
IN PRAISE OF THE CATHOLIC HERITAGE OF ANGLICANISM
Posted on by James Woodward
On Reading A Life-Long Springtime: The Life and Teaching of Fr George Congreve SSJE by Luke Miller (Sacristy Press 2022) Alfred Hope Patten and the Shrine of our Lady of Walsingham by Michael Yelton (Sacristy Press 2022) I remember my first encounter with Walsingham. As a sixth form student I spent the May Bank holiday […]
What does it mean to Journey? Reading Crossroad by Moseley
Posted on by James Woodward
Charles Moseley is a Cambridge scholar, teacher and English writer. I took this book with me to the Llŷn Peninsula in North Wales last weekend while present at a conference exploring the poetry of RS Thomas. This book was a perfect accompaniment in my lodgings in Aberdaron. As I looked out over to Bardsey Island […]
In memory of Ruth Innes
Posted on by James Woodward
I first came across Ruth at St George’s, Windsor, when she came one year on a clergy conference. It was an intensive 10 days of learning, reflecting and getting to know the ups and downs of ministry across the church. I was getting ready for the consultation and walking between buildings in the castle when […]
Finding hope in the eternal values of truth and justice
Posted on by James Woodward
The situation in Ukraine makes us feel so helpless. What can we do? Add this to our weariness and anxiety about the pandemic, climate change and the economy and we are left wondering what the future looks like for us and future generations. These images of warfare haunt us: damaged buildings; families struck dead as […]
Sunday Afternoon Cinema – The Duke
Posted on by James Woodward
I wonder where you consider home to be? And if you are a long way away from that place do you ever feel homesick? That strange longing for the places, the people, the language and particularities that formed you ? Home for me is the north-east – so I should add that I was […]
Hearing God in Poetry by Richard Harries
Posted on by James Woodward
Hearing God in Poetry Fifty Poems for Lent and Easter Richard Harries SPCK 2022 This is the time of the year when some turn to the possibility of taking something up for the season of Lent as part of a pilgrimage of disciplined and intentional spiritual learning. Some will join a Lent course. Others […]
Befriending the elderly stranger in us
Posted on by James Woodward
The Three Ages of Man or Reading a Song is a 1500-1501 is a painting by Giorgione which is presently displayed in the Galleria Palatina in Florence. It has stimulated some further thoughts especially around a recurring comment that has found expression in recent conversations about the future of the Church in these post pandemic days. We know […]
What shall I pray for ?
Posted on by James Woodward
I wonder if you pray how do you go about this activity either for public worship or private devotion? In the middle of a recent conversation, I was invited by another person to pray with them. This often happens – I am a priest ! I willingly agreed but in the moment of pause wondered […]
Made in the image of ….?
Posted on by James Woodward
Global Images of Christ: Challenging Perceptions at Chester Cathedral The latest exhibition at Chester Cathedral due to end this month (October 2021) is a diverse, innovative and challenging invitation to the ways in which we represent Christ. In this black history month were taken into a deeper intentional examination of our limitations and prejudices as […]
Listening Differently ? On being agents of change by Nancy Kline
Posted on by James Woodward
I first encountered this book through a conversation with a colleague at Sarum College about pastoral supervision.I was aware of Nancy Kline and her transformative Book Time to Think. My first encounter with her thinking was through Christopher Spence with whom she produced A Hundred Principles of Love. Both Christopher and Andrew Henderson profoundly shaped […]
The price of life? Worth by Max Borenstein
Posted on by James Woodward
I wonder what were the things that got you through Covid and especially your lockdown evenings? I was glad of Netflix and their extraordinary range of (possibly eccentric) choices that seek to influence my viewing ! When this film was suggested I wasn’t immediately clear what it was about but complied and was not disappointed […]