It has been nearly nine months since Ellie and I got married! Time has gone so quickly. 2012 seems to have been the year of the wedding. We have been to so many this year and have loved every single one of them! People have often asked me since our wedding day what I think the best thing about being married is... On March 31st 2012, the day we got married, Ellie and I made vows to each other in which we promised to love each other no matter what life throws at us. The rings we exchanged are a symbol of this. Whenever I make mistakes and don't get things quite right, Ellie keeps loving me anyway. Hopefully I am the same towards her. The way we love each other is transformational and redemptive because it reminds us of the way God loves us. If Ellie and I can try and love each other in this way then how much more perfect is God's love towards us! No matter what we have done, or what we will do he will always love us. When I do get something wrong, am short tempered or grumpy in the morning, Ellie keeps loving me. This is transforming, it makes me into a better person because it reminds me all the time of the perfect, unfailing and redemptive love of God. God ministers to us both of us through this. During the extended time of worship at our wedding ceremony Mick (the wonderful vicar who married us) said to the congregation that Ellie and I were not marrying each other just because we love each other. We were getting married because we believe that marriage is a sign of God's love for the church. He said that he believed God was speaking to some people for the first time about his love for them through our relationship...that Ellie and I are promising to love each other and that this is just a glimpse of the amazing promises and love God has for his people. That is the best thing about marriage! Our Prayer is that our marriage will continue to transform us and speak to us about the love of God. We also pray that those who don't know him will encounter his love through us and all Christians who have been called to marriage. Tweet this post or like it on Facebook below |
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I believe that women should be Bishops in the Church of England and have believed this ever since I became a Christian.
The General Synod voted yesterday not to pass legislation that would allow women to serve as Bishops in the church. The overwhelming majority of synod voted in favour of the motion. Six votes made all the difference. I am, of course, disappointed that women will not be able to be Bishops as soon as I (and many others) had hoped. There will be much hurt, anger and disappointment in the days, weeks and months to come. It is good to acknowledge this and to let people feel it. We must remember that this was not a 'no' against women becoming bishops (although I understand it will feel like that to many) it is but a 'no' against the current legislation. Archbishop John Sentamu said this morning that we will have women bishops - and we will. In the meantime it is important to remember that Churches will be open as usual on Sunday and the Gospel will continue to be preached by faithful men and women. Jesus is still Lord, he did rise from the dead, he is alive and His Holy Spirit is still at work. The Gospel will continue to transform and change lives. People become Christians because of Jesus and what he did for them, not because of one vote in Synod. Archbishop Rowan Williams said this morning that "God remains God, our call remains our call, our church remains our church". Amen to that. My good friend Lee Kirkby, a youth leader in York, tweeted this last night: "After tonight's amazing Youth, the only thing that needs to be relevant is Jesus. And he certainly is". Jesus is still in the business of changing lives, saving people, healing people and seeing communities transformed. That has not changed because of a vote in synod. The message of Jesus is as relevant now as it was before the vote. If the church keeps holding out the life changing message of Jesus we will continue to be relevant. There is already much pain and hurt. The story of the church in the past two thousand years is that God uses people who are hurt and confused to bring the message of Jesus to the world. We must not deny the hurt, pain and confusion that people are feeling but when the dust settles a little on this current debate, and when women are bishops in the very near future, we shall see that this story has not changed. I have been blessed by the ministry of some inspiring women. I pray that women will very soon be able to be involved in leadership at all levels of our wonderful church. In the meantime, let's do what the church should do best... being united and speaking and showing the love of Jesus to this hurting world. Pray for all the Anglican churches in this land and the work of fantastic Anglican organisations like Church Army, that they will continue to show and speak of that love to the communities around them. |