Sometimes I thought that Jesus was so perfect that I couldn’t go to him with the stuff that had happened to me. But when you do, you find yourself literally set free.
Category: Resources
‘When I was thinking about a Bible verse or story that I wanted to share there was one that kept popping into my mind. It is a verse that was very important to me about five years ago. At that point my marriage had ended traumatically and my husband had left me with nothing. I had lost my job, lost friends, and after many struggles and deeply troubling circumstances reached a place where I found myself with just £2 in my pocket.
Giving something up is really all about entering into God’s abundant mercy on a deeper level. It’s about being freed from all that binds us and it helps us experience the new life we so deeply seek.
I've heard a number of stories recently of deacons experiencing burnout, or whose situation is very challenging and exhausting. The church's pastoral care of deacons can be sadly lacking. And it's so easy for deacons to neglect themselves, especially when our work is demanding. Here are some practical and spiritual pointers for looking after our own needs as well as the needs of others.
They came, as called, according to the Law. Though they were poor and had to keep things simple, They moved in grace, in quietness, in awe, For God was coming with them to His temple.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity kicks off today (Wednesday 18 January) on the theme of racial justice, as churches around the world join the event aiming to strengthen the ecumenical ties between denominations and encourage a sense of mutual support.
So the Deacons’ Network Steering Group would like to invite you to take part in what we're calling 'Love your DDO 2023'. Taking into account just how busy our DDOs are, it may be helpful for us to offer to be resource people for them, on behalf of the diaconate.
Here are a few practical suggestions for your consideration: feel free to adopt or adapt, according to your situation!
a weekend especially for distinctive deacons, reflecting on aspects of the Ordinal, with Bishop John Pritchard and Bishop James Newcome.
the Son of God teaches us that humility means not clinging to things, things that might even be ours by right. Therefore, for us who are baptized into the life of the Trinity and ordained into the servanthood of Christ, we must be similarly kenotic: no honor, glory, reputation, status.
Although many people mistakenly characterize Christianity as a Western church, in our roots we are Eastern. And the Eastern traditions of Christianity have, almost from the beginning, associated deacons with the role of the angel in the community.
CofE Network of Distinctive Deacons 