Curate Conundrums

  Sometimes we’re lucky that the first aren’t last, and the last aren’t first. For example, with the vaccinations. I’m pretty pleased that it’s not the young and the fit who are being vaccinated first, but the vulnerable. This makes sense. We’ve got three Bible readings today that in some ways don’t make sense. Saul, the Pharisee being transformed into a Christian. God calling Jeremiah a young boy to serve Him as a prophet. And Jesus, saying the first will be last, and the last will be first. Three readings, three topsy turvy things. But what’ve they got to do with us? Three words, as we all love a good triplet: Called Known Loved. I’ll come back to this. I remember when I was a teenager in the line for school lunch. I was what used to be called a gannet. I still am really. Back in the days before Jamie Oliver stuck is awe in, ruined everything, and made it all ‘healthy’, we used to have chips on a Friday. It was my favourite day of the week. Not only did I get two days off, but I ...

  When did you decide to become a Christian? Have you decided to become one? Or has it always been a part of your life? I was baptised when I was a baby, like many people. I was brought up in the Church of England. I spent some time away from Church when I was a teenager and I was confirmed when I was twenty. For me that was a big moment, I decided that I would try to follow Jesus for the rest of my life. I had made my decision about what I believe. I was a Christian. You may have noticed, but Christians awh man do they love to disagree and get in fights about stuff. From who is saved, to what colour should the candles on an Advent wreath should be. We are a divided bunch as a faith. There are literally thousands of denominations of Christianity, and that’s not an exaggeration. We disagree with   each other on stuff, but there’s one thing we all agree on, Baptism. In order to fully be a Christian you need to be baptised. All of the mainstream denominations agree that...