I so don’t want to end up in a situation where i’m doing an exorcism tomorrow in the prison. Or where I have to turn one down. With that disclaimer, this is a prayer of thanksgiving and confession, to go alongside Mark 1:21-28 God, we thank you for this extraordinary world and its reminders of…
For the prison this afternoon: It doesn’t matter whether or not you can have faith; whether or not you are cynical or despairing, hope-filled or hope-less: what matters to God is simply that you are here. We are entering the time of Advent, in preparation for Christmas. Advent reminds us that if God is to…
Things that make me want to have faith: the idea that a resurrected life isn’t blemish free: it bears witness to the world’s wounds. This is for the prison this afternoon. In spite of our doubts, may we recognise you in our midst: wounded, bloody, and resurrected in spite of our doubts, may we know…
This is for tomorrow in the remand centre. We have six services spread over the day there… I’ve been thinking a lot, after going to numerous services in prisons around the state over the last couple of weeks, how much our hatred for human nature [and ourselves] creeps into liturgy at this time of year.…
I have been in the prisons regularly over the Christmas / new year period. It’s been intense, exhausting, and good. Yesterday was my fourth service in 10 days, and i was more than bored with the sound of my own thoughts, so I ditched what I’d prepared and went off the cuff. I told the…
a gathering for Sunday 29th, when I’m in the prison: We gather in the aftermath of Christmas to pray for the miracles that the world is still waiting for: we gather in faith that from ripped up wrapping paper and torn up dreams, God can build a world that keeps hope alive we gather in…
This one’s for the Melbourne Assessment Prison where I’m starting to lead worship in a couple of weeks time.. two weeks’ of impending annual leave are making the writing process pretty rough – but i think that’s the new reality anyway. I really love doing worship in the prison. It’s the most gracious and generous…
the things in my life to which i have said no over and over before relinquishing to a faint, reluctantly inevitable ‘yes’ have been the best – by far – things i’ve done. i so hope this will be like this too. I’m changing jobs at the end of the year – i’ll still be…
Luke 2:1-20 for christmas in the prison. it’s still a bit rough, but you get the idea… The story tells us that this is all it takes for love to be born: you listen to the voice of improbable angels you dare to believe you might have a part to play in their story you…
I wrote this piece for the Age today. Apparently it’s online, but I can’t find it… On Christmas day each year I go into one of Victoria’s prisons to spend some time with some of the men in there. The unit I go into houses some of the more vulnerable men in the prison –…
