"Each and every human being ... is created in the image of God, loved by Him and worthy of being loved by us."

From Saturday's Worship in the Wild event. "For all of creation and the majesty of its Creator We rejoice in the promise of Spring"

I'd like to ask a favour. If you like would like to support what we are doing, please pop over to our Facebook page www.facebook.com/profile.php?... and give it a follow! We are planning to start a regular rhythm of prayer using FB Live, but need more followers to enable the feature.on our page.

Some images from today's Candlemas Celebration in the woods. " Our bright shining candles are a sign of the divine splendour of the One who comes to expel the dark shadows of evil and make the whole universe radiant wit the brilliance of his eternal light." (Sophronius of Jerusalem, early C7th )

I enjoyed leading yesterday's midday prayer live on Facebook (and now available on YouTube) - once I got my head round the practicalities - and it has been viewed by a lot more people than have ever attended Zoom gatherings in the past. So I will definitely be doing similar things again.

And then for our lectio divina practice, we read an excerpt from @sarahbessey.bsky.social's Substack, Field Notes. Thank you to @jennadewitt.bsky.social for choosing the text and the song, creating the graphic, and reading so beautifully for us tonight. 🙏🏼❤️🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️

Monday's Midday Prayer (including prayers for the people of Minnesota) is now available on YouTube youtu.be/Q2OGPJYRRJI?...

We will be live on Facebook at 1pm today (UK time) with an act of prayer - in response to events in Minneapolis over the weekend. We stand with our brothers and sisters in that city and across the US as they resist state-sponsored terror.

What has the Conversion of St Paul to do with the religious right and the state-sponsored terror that is ICE? How should (true) Christians pray in the current turmoil? open.substack.com/pub/churchwo...

"When the Church ... cozies up to worldly powers who employ the tactics of oppression, it is serving another Master, and God calls it to repentance."

The Bible says - Woe to those who call good 'evil', and evil 'good'.... but blessed are you when they slander and persecute you for standing up for the Truth. substack.com/@churchwow/n...

Deutsche Bank here with the good stuff. Game on.

For the pain and suffering of the world. For the actions and inactions that lie at its the root. For the failure to learn from historical mistakes, God forgive us. Do not, O Lord, withhold Your mercy from us.

We meet this lunchtime for our monthly Prayers for Peace (Sacred Heart Church, Wigtown; 12:15pm) and invite others to pause in their day and join us in our prayers. Lord, make us instruments of your peace; tune out hearts to yours in a loving zeal for righteousness, truth and justice.

Interesting that since I posted our Candlemas event on Facebook, my feed is inundated with stuff about pagan rituals and occult gatherings!

If you are within reach of the Machars of Galloway, why not join us for our 'Worship in the Wild' Candlemas Celebration on 31st January - music, words, snowdrops and a candle-making workshop to celebrate the Light to enlighten the whole world and welcome the first signs of Spring.

"I’ve learned the hard way that fear‑based faith can make people behave for a while, but it rarely makes them discerning. It teaches them how to avoid trouble, not how to live well." Richard Betteridge

Important to remember, we are not 'saved' for our sakes alone. We were once in darkness, but now walk as children of light - and the purpose of any light is to shine; to be a beacon of hope to those in need of it, to push back the darkness wherever it still holds sway.

The Bladnoch

"You're blessed when you're spiritually bankrupt, when your bank account and your ego have both flatlined, when you've got no résumé to hand God. The kingdom belongs to people with empty hands."

A prayer at the start of a new year, inspired by the star-led wise men of Epiphany.

Don't give up! Let the flame of your love burn brightly. Rage against the darkness. Until justice rolls down like water and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

We're having a Cafe Epiphany this morning! An informal get together over coffee in a local tearoom, with a theme of 'Journeying', as we remember the Magi following the star, and share our hopes and fears for 2026. May we all know the light of Christ going ahead of us as we step into the unknown.

Anyone else feel the same? Anyone ready to learn how to surf the Big Wave of the Spirit?

Do you ever feel 'the world' is sometimes better at practical, meaningful caring than 'the Church'?

At the start of a New Year, I pray you may know God's presence with you wherever you are and whatever you face. In the good times, and the bad. May you have courage & strength to face the challenges, peace & comfort in the midst of troubles, and joy & humility in the face of good fortune & success.

I call this drawing of mine The Holy Family.

Happy St Stephen's Day. It always strikes me as wholly appropriate that the story of the coming of the Prince of Peace as a baby in a manger are immediately followed in the liturgical year with the story of the first (recorded) martyr as the church began to declare the Good News of messiah's coming.

Merry Christmas to everyone who is reading this. May the story of the child in the manger bring you comfort and hope in the knowledge that God loved *you* so much that the One who created all things for a time stepped into finite human history to bring us a beacon of light in a dark world.

If anyone is feeling lonely and down over the next few days, I'm happy to chat - tho I can't access DM's on this account - but you can reach me on Facebook . I may not reply immediately, but will always get back as soon as I can. www.facebook.com/groups/11341...

Christmas Eve O Emmanuel.... come and save us o Lord our God!

Advent 3

In our contemplative worship for Advent on Friday, we focused on Mary's role as God Bearer and reflected on any areas where we felt God challenging us to say 'Yes' to a role in bringing his Light into a dark world. www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdgH...

No Friday Zoom meditation this week, as we will be meeting in person for our regular First Friday contemplative gathering in Sacred Heart Church, continuing the theme of 'Into the Light' with a look at Mary's remarkable 'Yes' to God.

Advent: the world waits for a miracle!

Coming soon - we will be unveiling details of our new Worship in the Wild project, combining in person gatherings with digital interaction. Learning to read the Book of Creation together.

I often moan about the commercialisation of Christmas. It dawned on me that I'm looking from the wrong angle. How often does everyone focus on a topic which opens the way to introduce the good news of a God who cares so much about suffering humanity that he stepped into history to make a difference?

"O God of truth and justice, our hearts are heavy with lament for the ways your church has become a shield for cruelty, instead of a sanctuary for mercy... Expose every lie we have baptised (and) restore your church to the shape of Christ"

In the Celtic (and Orthodox) traditions, the season of Advent lasts for 40 days. So we started our series of Zoom reflections this evening, continuing each Friday until Christmas. This is the prayer we will be using to conclude each session, plus a poem and highlights from today's Bible reading.