Dave Katz has kindly given me permission to share these wonderful photos of Orthodox deacons at the Easter celebration in Ethiopia. You can read the whole delightful article here.
Category: Blog
Christ is risen from the dead, the first-fruits of those who slept!
But this I know with all my heart:
His wounds have paid my ransom.
Currently, I’m serving as a prison chaplain, so I seek to serve the people, both staff and prisoners, in whatever way is deemed right and proper for their needs at any given time. I am able to be a bridge, to build a way across the wall and to heal divisions, to bridge the gap that exists between mainstream life and the church, between resident and family, between organisation and person. To sit alongside people in their isolation from the world.
We encounter many figures in the Apocalypse who are mysterious at best and confusing at worst, or commonly misunderstood. Angels might seem to be one of the more easily understood figures of the Apocalypse, but we should not jump to such conclusions so quickly.
Coptic Christians
The community, especially the nuns, welcomed us and I very quickly became involved in ministry within St Joseph’s, from moving furniture for the nuns, to reading scripture at Mass on a Sunday. My Christian faith continued to grow, and eventually during Mass one Sunday I got this massive feeling I had to talk to the priest, as God was calling me for something and I had finally opened my heart and listened.
But prayer does not just change a situation. It will also change who we are so that the Lord can use us to be his change agents in this world. God’s word is a double-edged sword, and it works on us just as much as on the situation we are praying for.
In his second session Bishop John talked about wanting more. He gave us an image of standing on a dry river bank. Only by wading in can we be transformed. He paused for us to consider which season we were in and whether we were praying in a way that was life giving for us rather than following the ‘ought to’ approach. Where were we most alive, most connected; how was God present and what were we learning?
The good news is that our conference will now take place online on Zoom instead, and for half a day rather than a full day.
Same date: Saturday April 17th 2021
CofE Network of Distinctive Deacons 