stuff

So, it's been a while since I posted (holidays, church and advent busyness etc.), so today I'll post twice.

Below is the results of a couple of evening services reflecting on Habakkuk, and here I'll bring you up to speed with a few things.

I have finally got around to watching "Constantine", the Keanu Reeves movie. I thought it was fun, some cool ideas and reflections on heaven, hell, the nature of angelic creatures (Gabriel was brilliantly re-imagined). Keanu is Keanu, he only has one style, but it really did suit this film I thought. I disagree with just about all the theology in it, but love the way that faith stories and ideas can be fodder for a mainstream movie, that there was a lot of theology in it at all was a cool thing.

I watched that film on my iPod, the first time I have, and it worked well, I watched it over the space of a couple of days, wherever I could catch 5-10 mins, so in coffee times and those occasional slack moments. The screen amazed my with the sharpness of the image, so much so that I am currently downloading Hellboy to watch next.

I also read Toby Young's "How to lose Friends and Alienate People" (yes I know with both of these I am a few years behind..) and thought it was an excellent holiday read, even if he does cop out by giving himself a happy ending. Lot's of bad language in it thought that felt quite unnecessary to the telling of an already quite funny story.

Amongst other things I'm reading now is Nigel Wright's book "A Theology of the Dark Side - putting evil in its place" I'm doing this alongside a couple of other pastors in the city, and we'll join together in January/February next year to discuss what the book is saying to us in our situations. It's interesting to read his thoughts whilst newspaper headlines are full of people being described as "pure evil".

I've been delighted to discover that John and Olive Drane have started blogging, you can find them over on 2churchmice's blog. These are two wise, inspiring and gentle people who have shaped my thinking about church, family and mission greatly.

As a family we're continuing to explore and get to know this new city, ministry in the church seems well appreciated, and we can see the signs of deeper levels of commitment from the existing church folk, as well as a visitors staying, and old friends returning.

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