At last, someone is getting serious about the abuses being committed by religious groups that promise wealth for the faithful - where ‘faithful’ often means handing over hefty donations or fees to churches and pastors. US Senator Charles Grassley is launching a probe of groups that are raking in millions through this ‘gospel of prosperity.’
This may feel like yet another reason to condemn traditional religious groups and embrace the alternative spirituality movement, but ’spirituality’ has not been free of this kind of abuse - far from it. Continue reading ‘The Abuse of Prosperity preaching’
18th December. Christmas shopping and volunteering
Going to the shops today to get presents that people have demanded gifts for Christmas, happily this shopping trip handedly coincides with the Volunteer Centre Christmas party. I have sent Santa a long list of wants, and a short list of needs.
Spoke to a few people there who agreed with me that the face of volunteering is changing rapidly.
Only a few years ago, volunteers were 100% people who wanted to ‘get their hands dirty’, now at least 75% of them want to use it (a) as a qualification (b) something to add to their cv (c) improve their office skills (d) improve their ability to speak and understand English. Continue reading ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm!’
As people have for thousands of years, a group of 45 gathered together to mark the longest night of the year at Friday’s Winter Solstice event at Unity Church in Islington. The evocative ceremony was rich with words, chanting, music, silence, candle lighting, and the highlight, a labyrinth walk, symbolically bringing light into this dark time. Continue reading ‘The Longest Night’
Having moved here from the United States in February, I find that I’m especially looking forward to Christmas, and surprisingly, Advent.
Advent wasn’t a season that we celebrated in my family or in my church growing up. That is, we didnt’t celebrate it more than living through the usual so-called holiday season that takes place in the States. From the last Thursday in November – American Thanksgiving – there’s a mad dash of parties and events and endless shopping through to Christmas and the beyond. If the day after Thanksgiving is the biggest shopping day in the US (and it is), then the second biggest must be Boxing day, because it seems that everyone goes Continue reading ‘What are we Waiting For?’
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