‘With the pandemic heightening an already divided and unequal society, what lessons can people of faith learn to enable us to build a more inclusive church?’ My friend Anna send me a text message back in May saying that her friend and fellow midwife had died. She was only 29 and Anna was devastated. Safaa […]
Below, June answers questions which she didn’t have time for on the evening of the annual lecture. If you want to watch the lecture again, click here. Where can I get a music thing like the lantern shape music instrument? Sounds heavenly… looks gorgeous… loving the stories and song… These are shanti windchimes originally made […]
The short reflection following on below was written in 2015. I went to my archives and re–read it after the recent Chichester Episcopal Ordinations (July 2020), where the similar process as in 2015 of separate consecrations took place to avoid hands being laid on the prospective male bishop by a bishop who has ordained women. […]
Sermon for Sunday 5th July 2020, on the lectionary reading Psalm 145 Thank you for welcoming me to your church this Sunday. It’s still your church, even if it’s via Zoom! It will be an interesting exercise for all churches to see what is worth keeping of this brave new online world and what is […]
You had me at the introduction. It doesn’t quite have the rom-com ring to it that Renee Zellweger mustered in the original quote from the film Jerry Maguire (“You had me at hello”)! But that’s the kind of intensity with which I love this book. And, in truth and in shame, I probably wouldn’t have […]
Genesis 1.27 “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them.” John 14.9 “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” What does your God look like? I suspect that for many of us, God looks either a bit like us, or a bit like what we think power […]
Many in the Church of England believe it should be a more inclusive, welcoming and open church. A lot is being done by parishes, voluntary groups and campaigning organisations to promote inclusion, but we all know that there is so much more to be done. This year there is an excellent opportunity to influence the […]
The Upside Down Kingdom of Heaven: Stories of Disabled and Neurodivergent Christians in Churches is a short nineteen page booklet outlining one aspect of Dr Naomi Lawson Jacobs’ PhD research. This short booklet covers one aspect of Naomi’s research, and perhaps one of the most important aspects, as the voices of disabled and neurodivergent Christians […]
‘So why am I writing this book? Precisely because I think that the question ‘Who looks like you do?’ is at the heart of being human. As a Christian, I believe that we are called to live in relationship and continual, open conversation with both those who mirror us, and those who are other to […]
In the same week that I began work as National Coordinator of Inclusive Church, I went to my choir practice and parked my car right in front of a wheelchair ramp. I was so embarrassed when someone had to come into the practice, find me and ask me politely to move it. I had prevented […]