A little something for the New Year’s resolutions?

As we come to the end of Advent, here is a copy of the letter I wrote in the Diocesan Newspaper at the start of Advent... which has shaped my worship - at least a bit - as we have journeyed towards Christmas. I return to it now as I wish you a Happy Christmas, knowing…

A flying visit to Botswana

  "So, Bishop, can you join us for two weeks of evangelism in Botswana?" Well, obviously, the answer would be 'yes' if I possibly could... although the diary had something to say about that. We have a Diocesan Link from Newcastle Diocese, with the Diocese of Botswana, and I had yet to visit. In reality,…

Bishop on the run…

Why is a bishop doing the Great North Run? If you have scanned the QR code on my back to get to this blog, then this is a question which I might very well be asking myself at this very moment! There are four reasons: Firstly, I thought it would be a good thing to…

Using time with St Cuthbert

This morning I had the privilege of presiding at a Eucharist on Inner Farne, within a few feet of St Cuthbert's hermitage to which he retreated before and after his consecration as bishop of Lindisfarne. (No-one quite knows where the hermitage was, of course, but the island is tiny so it must be within a…

Consiglieri: Leading from the Shadows

I only read this a few days ago and I have already recommended it more than pretty much any other book I have read this year. Richard Hytner understands the world of leadership, having occupied various roles over many years. He has come to a remarkable conclusion, though, both in theory and in practice. He has…

The A-Z of Discipleship

Jesus instructed us to go and make disciples (see Matthew 28, for example). It seems to me rather important that we take note of this and do more than simply seek to 'make' Christians. The goal of faith in Christ is not simply salvation (in the sense that we don't just want to scrape through),…

Flodden remembered

On 9 September 1513 King James IV of Scotland invaded England and set up the Battle of Flodden on a hill outside the village of Branxton (where I will be licensing a new Priest in a couple of week's time, incidentally). This was the largest ever battle between England and Scotland in terms of troop numbers,…

When I needed a neighbour…

“A neighbour who rented out some houses came round and asked if there was anything the church could do to help a refugee family she had taken in, so I stood up in church the next Sunday and asked if anyone had any spare jumpers…” This conversation in 1998 would change Lindsay Cross’ life forever,…

Getting connected in Meadow Well

(This is the third article written around my Lenten Volunteering this year) “D’ya fancy a game of pool, Bishop?” I probably should have thought more carefully before agreeing to go head to head with my 8 year old opponent, but I only realised this halfway through the game as I noticed that I was actually…

Blood Biking Bishop…

This is the second Lentern Volunteering article I wrote - which caused more interest than all of the others put together... The first time I transported blood on a motorbike down the A1 I must have checked the package a hundred times. I had a mental image of the whole lot coming off and covering…