This afternoon I was in my local Post Office to purchase a book of twelve first-class postage stamps; wearing my clerical collar. The counter assistant said she assumed I didn’t want the Christmas stamps because they’re not really about Christmas - since they depict pantomime. She apologised to me for this. However, later today, on opening my emails I got this via friends who had received it from the communications director of the Church of England Diocese of Guildford:
“Christmas stamps for 2008
This tickled us and may be of use to you. It was sent to Mark Rudall by Norwich Archdeacon and Comms Specialist, Jan McFarlane:
“You may already be aware of this, in which case do press delete now. But I thought it was worth mentioning that the Post Office is producing two sets of Christmas stamps this year. One set has a pantomime theme, the other the Madonna and Child. You have to ask specifically for the Madonna and Child stamps. Is it worth reminding our congregations to ask for them?
Call me an old cynic, but I imagine a day in the not too distant future where the Post Office say they don’t produce Christmas stamps with a religious theme any more because no-one ever asked for them…
You do have to persevere though. I asked at our PO for “the religious Christmas stamps”. The girl dived under the counter and eventually emerged saying, “We’ve got some with a lady and a baby on. Will they do?”
Revd Mark Rudall Director for Communications Diocese of Guildford
Christmas UK postage stamps 2008
November 21, 2008
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Advent, Church of England, church | Tagged: Christmas | 
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Posted by dphodgson
Photos of Barack Obama
November 14, 2008There’s a slide show of Barack Obama on election night on Flickr here
No Comments » | 
politics | Tagged: Obama | 
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Posted by dphodgson
Why There Almost Certainly is a God by Keith Ward
October 20, 2008
Why There Almost Certainly Is a God: Doubting Dawkins by Keith Ward
My review
rating: 4 of 5 stars
Keith Ward is one of my all-time favourite theologians. He is entertaining to listen to - full of wit- and his books generally (with the exception of Pascal’s Fire) are pacey and a delight to read.
This book is a direct response to Richard Dawkin’s The God Delusion. It is one of several books that have emerged from theologians and other Christian thinkers in what has come to be called the “Oxford God Debate”.
The book is structured in chapters directly tackling specific chapters in Dawkin’s book. It is a short book(155pp)and not overly technical.
Ward’s main approach is to tackle Dawkins on metaphysical grounds. He shows how exceptional Dawkins’ materialism is in historical terms; and how contestable it is today; both as a metaphysical position and even in terms of science, especially in light of the most recent thinking in physics and cosmology.
Ward’s main focus is the question of the reality of consciousness, value and purpose.
The book shows clearly that belief in God is rationally viable.
No Comments » | 
Atheism and fundamentalism, theology | 
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Posted by dphodgson
New phone
October 13, 2008It so happens I became eligible for an upgrade on my O2 account at just the same time that Palm made their new Treo Pro available, so now I’m blogging from it. Migrating from one phone to another,even one by the same maker is never quick or easy! But I reckon the Pro has been worth the effort - just!
It’s a more hip design than previous high-cnd Palms - slim black casing with screen flush to casing - so no annoying bits of dust getting into the screen corners. Ihere’s Wifi and GPS built in, thougb I haven’t got the GPS to work yet. It comes with Windows Mobile 6.1 and Google Map pre-loaded. WM 6.1 performs much better on this than WM5 did on my Treo 750w, but that migbt also be because tbe Pro has more memory. The only downsides are the screen is sligbtly smaller than the 750 and a new kind ot flatter keyboard makes it a little more likely middle-aged fingers will mistype.But the touuhscreen gives the option of writing with a stylus,as did the 750, however the Pro is even more responsive on screen.
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Posted by dphodgson
Anonymous smokers only!
October 4, 2008.flickr-photo { border: solid 2px #000000; }
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Great photo from my home city of Leeds in West Yorkshire!
Uploaded onto Flickr apparently by the Lady Mayoress of Armley whoever she is?
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Posted by dphodgson
Tom Allen’s funeral
September 18, 2008Thanks to Raspberry Rabbit for posting the sermon given at the funeral of Tom Allen aka Bigbulkyanglican yesterday in Edinburgh. It’s at
http://raspberry_rabbit.blogspot.com/2008/09/congregation-gathered-in-st-marys.html
No Comments » | bigbulkyanglican | Permalink
Posted by dphodgson
Everything Must Change by Brain D. McClaren
September 14, 2008
Everything Must Change : Jesus, Global Crises, And A Revolution Of Hope by Brian D. McLaren
My review
rating: 4 of 5 stars
There is a genre of books - often American - written by Christians who have reacted against the conservative version of Christianity with which they grew up. McClaren’s book is of that type. What I find fascinating about this genre is that these books frequently express the authors’ new convictions with far greater clarity and power than those who have always seen Christianity in that way. It’s a case of converts being more zealous than those who are born into the “faith”. This book is uncompromising and unequivocal about the total difference between the dominant culture of “Western” capitalism and the values of God’s kingdom as expressed in the teaching of Jesus as the author reads them. And so it lays bare the fuzziness and the weakness that has characterised the message and action of so many churches in consumerist society; even churches and Christians who have always eschewed the individualistic piety of conservative Protestants.
This book, if applied in the right places, could be a powerful antidote for churches and Christians which have been rendered ineffective by the dope of religiosity; who are barely awake to the crying needs of the world and obsessed with internal churchy matters.
No Comments » | Book reviews, The Bible, fresh expressions of church, theology | Permalink
Posted by dphodgson
Bigbulkyanglican
September 10, 2008I opened my laptop yesterday evening to discover the shocking news that Tom Allen, aka bigbulkyanglican, has died quite suddenly. Tom’s blog on Christian ministry, theology, music and life generally was usually the first blog I looked at when logging on; and it’s been widely appreciated by thousands over several years. Tom was an Anglican priest whose faith and spirituality was thoroughly connected with contemporary concerns and struggles. He was also a musician and music-lover who shared his enthusiasm about new music on his blog. I never met Tom, but with many others like me who knew him only through his blogging, I feel deeply the loss of his voice and presence in our church. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife and family. May they receive the strength and hope they need.
No Comments » | Church of England | Tagged: bigbulkyanglican | Permalink
Posted by dphodgson
Girl power leaves churches emptier
August 30, 2008This report in the Daily Telegraph last week cites evidence that women are leaving churches faster than men; and claims that the churches’ old-fashioned atitudes to women are a major cause. Changes in the lives of women are also a factor; as more women work full-time and find less time in their busy schedules to worship in church. Churches are urged to change their attitides and re-think their offer to women if they want to attract and retain modern women as members. The decision of the Church of England to move towards the consecration of women as bishops is seen as a positive step in the right direction.
No Comments » | Church of England, church, fresh expressions of church, sexuality, thought-provoking, worship | Tagged: women | Permalink
Posted by dphodgson
Free Gaza
August 24, 2008I’ve been following the progress of two boats of human rights campaigners which sailed into Gaza yesterday unmolested by Israeli security. The Free Gaza movement organised the voyage to break the Israeli blockade. SS Free Gaza and SS Liberty made the 350 mile journey from Cyprus, despite determined efforts by Israeli government spokespeople to deter them with threats of intervention. Amongst those onboard was journalist Lauren Booth, sister-in-law of Tony Blair. Whilst primarily a human rights action to draw attetnion to the injustice of the Israeli stanglehold on Gaza, the boats also carried humanitarian aid for the people of the territory who are facing severe shortages of essential supplies. Included in the cargo were hundreds of hearing aids for children whose hearing has been damaged by the Israeli practice of flying jets over the population to saturate them with sonic booms.
Paul Larudee, co-founder of the Free Gaza movement said:
“We’re the first ones in 41 years to enter Gaza freely - but we won’t be the last. We welcome the world to join us and see what we’re seeing.”
No Comments » | Israel, Palestine, Palestine / Israel, humanrights | Tagged: Gaza | Permalink
Posted by dphodgson
