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Intuitive-Projective (The Innocent) Eryn looked at us on Christmas Eve while we were eating a customary meal in our house, with a knowing wink she speaks! "It's OK Mum I don't believe in Father Christmas .... I know .... I saw Dad come into my room last year!!" A significant transition! Faith Development is something I have been interested in for quite sometime ( Faith Development: Von Hügel ) as I continue to explore this for myself and try to help others finding the dynamic of their faith sometimes painful and disorientating. A significant transition so often feels like a loss of faith - to discover that it is a deepening is comforting if not bewildering ! Okay, Fowler is not that user friendly - 'Intuitive-Projective' really makes you want to read on! Alan Jamieson seasons and makes Fowler a little more palatable to those without a psychological background by weaving in terms from McCollough , C. (1983). Heads of Heaven, Feet of Clay: Ideas and Stories f...

I was in Rome last weekend with other Salvation Army Training staff to look at and to explore the issues facing TSA as it trains people for leadership. It is good to share ideas and frustrations; there was real value in working and laughing with old friends; good to make great new friends, that I am really looking forward to meeting again. It was good also to meet Willis and Barbara Howell principals from the US and get a feel for their context for training and mission. The emphasis was that of discovering what could be for the training of Salvation Army Officers. It was creative to explore together a framework for training for tomorrow shaped by a strong understanding of SA essence. I'm looking forward to putting something down in a paper that aims to sum up some of our th oughts and move the debate further. I was bowled over by the Vatican, that we managed to get a look around. At one point feeling quite weird with image overload, although that might have something to do with t...

Matt Stone - has collected an impressive colection of Christian Art ranging from the obvious to the provocative and is a useful resource. You can find it on his blog Glocal Christianity Christian Art Aboriginal Christian Art African Christian Art Alternative Christian Art Ancient Christian Art Angels Christian Art Animated Christian Art Asian Christian Art Celtic Christian Art Christmas? Christian Art Esoteric Christian Art Feminist Christian Art Goth Christian Art Latin American Christian Art Middle Eastern Christian Art Native American Christian Art Political Christian Art Symbols Christian Art More Galleries

Blogging is not high on my agenda at the moment but I found this lurking in my drafts from before Christmas - I don't want to forget JR. --- JR looked into my eyes and started to sing Mary's boy child to me and me alone. The rest of the room looked on in mild amusement as this genuine man of the road serenaded me, even taking off his hat and covering his heart. As he got closer his nicotine stained teeth became my focus as he finished the first verse with a crooners flourish. The problem was that I was half way through a Christmas meditation with the guys at Faith House. Taking my opportunity I try and wrestle the control back by applauding enthusiastically JR's effort. A quick breath was all JR needed, and with a "I'm not finished..." with the upbeat off he went again. Looking deep into my eyes and with a false American accent he gave it all he had! Seemingly my meditation hung in tatters.... or did it?! There seemed a sweet irony as I finished my thoughts ...

There is a note hanging from a door handle that I walk past every day and it simply says entrez . It always seemed strange to me because that office was one that you could always go into! It was an office that I frequented often. Sometimes to chat mundane things through; sometimes to let off steam; sometimes to test and think through ideas. An office that it was good to laugh within, an office that prodded and probed in the name of accountability. An office where thoughts could be thought, plans planned and schemes schemed. You knew you could go into that office and not be agreed with. You knew you could go into that office and and come out with your ideas, opinions and thoughts sharpened and given clarity. The office simply saying entrez was one that made a difference. We're all going to miss Captain Christine Ord for many different reasons. We thank God for her life of influence to so many people.

The latest speaker at One Day conferences at William Booth College was Rev (Dr.) Martyn Atkins the General Secretary of the Methodist Church (UK). He presented two sessions for us, the first looking at the changing face of evangelism - where he outlined the attributes of what he called 'New Evangelism'. 'Catechesis Reloaded', the second session was fascinating as he looked at Faith discovery and development in pre-christiandom as a means of comparison with techniques within modernity and to what could be in post-christiandom. Okay I guess you needed to be there! I'm glad I was. Here are quotes that I wanted to keep. ‘beauty of life... causes strangers to join the ranks... we do not talk about great things; we live them.’ (Minucius Felix c160ad) ‘It’s a very friendly church’ said the old hand. ‘I don’t want a friendly church’ retorted the visitor, ‘I want a church where I can make friends.’ Bob Jackson ‘Tell the truth. Be real. Encourage everyone to tell their s...

"A major pollutant of the Virus-infected person's inner life is their self-consciousness, triggered by excessive concern about what others think of them. By definition, they are preoccupied with recognition and statu s, conferred upon them by others. Their fragile self esteem needs constant bolstering from outside, so they tend to agree with statements such as 'I'm self-conscious about the way I look' and ' I usually worry about making a good impression'. It's hard to go with the flow if you are focusing on your faults or inadequacies, fearful of feeling foolish for something you have said or done, excessively alert to the danger of seeming incompetent to others. People with such high levels of self-consciousness are at greater risk of depression, neurosis and narcissism." What is interesting is that Oliver James suggests that people who adhere to faith seem less prone and show a world view that is less susceptible . I'm not too sure. A bigger ...

I have just found out about this remarkable story - Archie Leed was a cousin of my Grandad's . The stuff of films! C'mon Speilberg ...! ---- This is the true tale of an incident which occurred in the last century. The story was found by the late Miss A. B. Sinclair, Sister of John Sinclair, (sometime Provost of Thurso and Lord Lieutenant of Caithness - died c.1975), 20 Miller's Lane. Thurso , among papers belonging to her late father. He had written it down as he had heard it many times from his grandfather Donald Sinclair - Miss Sinclair died in the 1960s aged over 70. On a lovely harvest morning a small vessel of about 25-30 tons set sail from Thurso for Tongue. She was smack rigged and named the 'Iris'. She had a crew of three men from Thurso ; Archie Leed , John Mill and Donald Sinclair. They had two passengers with them, a cattle dealer named Meiklejohn who had chartered the boat to go west for potatoes and another man who was a travelling watchmender ....

Where'd those 13 years go? Happy Birthday Beth who'd believe it - a teenager!! A fighter from birth, no words describe the sense of a Father's pride that she now knows who and what to fight for! Keep looking out for them Beth...!

Books I have read this year... Myers, J. (2003). The Search to Belong: Rethinking Intimacy, Community, and Small Groups. Grand Rapids: Zondervan/Youth Specialties. James, O. (2007). Affluenza.Vermilion Claiborne, S., & Haw, C. (2008). Jesus for President: Politics for Ordinary Radicals. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Young, W. (2007). The Shack. Grand Rapids: Windblown Media Grisham, J. (1998). The Street Lawyer. New York: Dell Publishing Rice, A. (2008). Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana. New York: Knopf Ortberg, J. (2002). The Life You've Always Wanted. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan. Wright, T. (2004). Paul for Everyone: Romans: Chapters 1-8 Calhoun, A. (2005). Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. Palmer, P. (1999). Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Galloway, K. (2008). Sharing the Blessing. London: Spck Publishing Grisham, J. (2000). The Bretheren. New Yo...