Writers’ Rooms A very kind friend, whenever possible, brings me the Saturday edition of The Guardian. To be honest it reflects my basic political and cultural position – open, liberal, left of centre ish on most things! I like the Review section of the paper and especially page five where a writers room is featured. […]
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Do we welcome strangers?
Posted on by James Woodward
In a world completely obsessed with outcomes and tasks and strategies, one of the responsibilities of any leader is to create an ethos within which good things can happen. I think that we believe that far too much of our life and work can be enabled through control or management. Perhaps there are some signs […]
Can we ever define the spiritual self?
Posted on by James Woodward
Like the ocean is your god-self, It remains for ever undefiled. And like the ether it lifts but the winged. Even the sun is your god-self; It knows not the ways of th emole nor seeks it the holes of the serpent. but your god-self dwells not alone in your being…….. He who defines his […]
Food for Thought
Posted on by James Woodward
I remember a rather gloomy old Vicar in the north east of England where I was a curate, offering me advice from time to time. Amidst the many gems, all of which I ignored, was this: “Never start anything new – it’ll never work!” Perhaps it won’t come as a surprise that his neighbouring […]
Ten years – time or no time?
Posted on by James Woodward
Yesterday I marked ten years as Master of the Foundation of Lady katherine Leveson and Vicar of St Mary’s Temple Balsall. Here are some extracts from my sermon: From any perspective ten years is a reasonable slice of time. Perhaps, about an eighth of my life? 520 weeks. 3,640 days. Give or take a few […]
Retirement?
Posted on by James Woodward
This may raise a smile! James Woodward thinking about retirement…. well in a theoretical sense you understand! I have to speak at a leveson Centre conference about my aspirations relating to retirement and write to ask for any advice via this page. I remember one observation about people who read autobiography. Those who read you are […]
The art of life
Posted on by James Woodward
Zygmunt Bauman is one of the most important and stimulating social thinkers writing today. In this wonderful new book – Bauman argues that In our individualized society we are all artists of life – whether we know it or not, will it or not and like it or not, by decree of society if […]
Feeling pain?
Posted on by James Woodward
In the hazy period of waking up yesterday morning I overheard one of the BBC TODAY programme commentators inform the public that Christians do not feel pain in the same way as others do! The story relates to a piece of research where twelve Roman Catholics and twelve atheists were all given some electric shock […]
Harvest
Posted on by James Woodward
Yesterday in St Mary’s Church we celebrated the Harvest – meaningful and relevant because we are situated in a rural part of Solihull and some of our parishoners are farmers. In this global economy the production and movement of food across the world isan extraordinary feat of energy and skill. We seem so removed […]
Giving Advice?
Posted on by James Woodward
When did anyone ask you for your advice? When did you feel drawn to offer any wisdom to willing or unwilling hearers? I am intrigued by Tony Blairs present role at Yale University and, indeed the establishment of his Faith Foundation ( see www.tonyblairoffice.org ). I suspect that history will be kinder to Blair as […]
Henry Cliffe
Posted on by James Woodward
Here is another wonderful discovery!! Henry Cliffe 1919-1983 Born in Scarborough, Yorkshire. 1939-46 served army, met William Scott in Ruabon, Wales (Ordinance Section). 1946 enrolled as student BAA, studied lithography and painting until invited to join staff (married colleague Valerie May). Taught lithography full time, and gave technical advice to colleagues (see exhibition Corsham […]
Only in America?
Posted on by James Woodward
My fascination with the USA continues and I was glad to come across this excellent book by Matt Frei Matt Frei, the BBC’s Washington correspondent, goes under the skin of the nation’s capital to discover the paradox of the world’s last remaining superpower. Imagine a city so powerful that the weapons commanded from its […]
Canterbury, York and Capitalism
Posted on by James Woodward
At last the Church engages with something other than sex!! Both of these articles bear much further thought and reflection. The Archbishop of Canterbury has written in the Spectator Face it: Marx was partly right about capitalism. The Archbishop of York gave a speech to the Institute of Worshipful Company of International Bankers Archbishop Labels […]
Preaching??
Posted on by James Woodward
Listening to Gordon Brown and other political orators has got me thinking about public speech and the way we talk to one another. What about the sermon? Is it really any way to talk to people these days? What makes for a good sermon? Lets remind ourselves about some of the history and theory…….. Sermons […]
Alnwick Beach
Posted on by James Woodward
There can be fewer places of peace and space and sheer beauty than the Northumberland Coast. A short car journey north of Newcastle and the road opens up to miles of golden sand and the magic of castles and churches and the raw energy of the North Sea. If you havn’t experienced this part of the world then […]
Seeing Death?
Posted on by James Woodward
Swimming in a sea of Death: A Son’s Memoir by David Rieff, (Simon & Schuster) 2008, £12.99 Unfortunately I have had recent experience of my father and his brush with his mortality. A serious blood clot carried him off into hospital where, thankfully, at the age of 70, the doctors were able to correct this […]
Understanding and Affirming Children
Posted on by James Woodward
Here are soem books that have helped me understand soem of the more challenging and problematic dimensions of childhood. Grief in Young Children: Atle Dyregov. (Jessica Kingsley Publishers) 2008, 91pp, pbk, £9.99, ISBN 9781843106500 Grief in Children: Atle Dyregov. (Jessica Kingsley Publishers) 2008, 198pp, pbk., £14.99, ISBN 9781843106128 Listening to Children: Alison […]
Building Community
Posted on by James Woodward
People do not always get on with each other. There is infinite opportunity for misunderstanding. Despite best efforts we sometimes do not communicate well – and if we thought we were clear – that doesnt prevent the hearer picking up a different strand of the story! Community does not just happen. It needs effort and […]
That was the Weekend that was!!!
Posted on by James Woodward
Amazing, extraordinary, splendid, fun, magnificent – are just soem of the words that come to mind when I consider the shape of the Heritage Weekend that we have enjoyed over the past two days. Let these pictures tell the story. Friday was wet – and we worried….. We looked at the clouds and the […]
Think Big – Keep it Simple
Posted on by James Woodward
This is a sermon that was preached today to the community of St Mary’s Temple Balsall On this Heritage Sunday morning I want to offer you my vision, my working vision, and to encourage you to think about the mission and ministry of this church. I want to do that by way of a […]