10 Things I Hate About Commandments

Brilliantly done. Second only to Tom Q's 'Team Commandments'...

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Like almost every American Sci-fi film you've ever seen

President To Face Down Monster Attack, Own Demons In Action-Packed Schedule

*snigger*

What did the aide say about the Bishop ...?

Okay, I shouldn't really find this funny. Clearly someone was having a bad day, did something a bit stupid and now is paying by losing their job.

It's a shame that such animosity exists in the CofE (and other churches) between the conservative and liberal camps. One reason I'm proud to be a part of the CofE is that such a wide range of theological, spiritual and ethical positions exist under one umbrella. There are those who think that each group should split off into like-minded groups, and if we want continue to only mix with those who think the same way as us, then I guess that might as well be the solution.

It might be idealistic, but I'd like to see Anglicans of different traditions and perspectives actively seeking each other out in order to better learn from and understand one another.

Until then, maybe we'll just call each other names....

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Wish I was Ritalin Kitty

On a day (one of the many) when it feels like my brain had dislodged and is rolling around in my shoes, this seemed appropriate...


more animals

The humans are dead

Have only just discovered the Flight of the Conchords thanks to my cousin Sam (it seems that I'm ages behind everyone else on the planet). This song is now a personal fave...

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Sarah Malik named first salaried Methodist Youth President

Methodist Youth President Sarah Malik
Originally uploaded by annadrew

Sarah Malik named first salaried Methodist Youth President... check out the story at:

http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=306

This is seriously good news - the Church putting its money where its mouth is.

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Couldn't happen to a nastier bunch of people...

This story has caused much uproar and there's a great deal of media focus on the different elements (understandably so):

BNP membership list posted online by former 'hardliner'
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/nov/19/bnp-list

Okay, so it's very illegal and not terribly fair to post all their contact details, hobbies etc online... but it couldn't happen to a nastier bunch of people.

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What if Starbucks marketed like a church?

My thanks to Richard Hall over on the Connexions blog for drawing my attention to this video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7_dZTrjw9I

I have been to churches like this.

made me smile...

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Sweet irony....

The Paperless Christmas initiative strikes me as rather a good idea. In a virtual world, why all the paper that's only going straight in the bin on boxing day?

While not terribly involved, I've always rather approved of the whole thing. I doubt I'll have the cunning or the motivation to go entirely paperless this year, but it seems like a good thing to aim for.

So, having received the Paperless Christmas email publicity, telling me about the fab new online advent calendar, I was rather surprised to next receive an actual Christmas card from them. Not an e-card, but a physical-comes-in-an-envelope-from-the-postman-type card.

Even better, the card had a little tiny bit of paper inside, with the words:

Less paper
Please send this card to a friend for Christmas

I admit, I'm rather confused....

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new blog: Work of my Own Fiction

My colleague Karen Burke has entered the world of blogging!

Check it out at: http://workofmyownfiction.blogspot.com/

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Latest Methodist podcast

Latest podcast from the wonderful Methodist media team, featuring Tom Quenet talking to Karen Burke about revival in the Colombian Methodist Church. Revd Stephen Poxon talks to me about the realities of street life for Children in Bangladesh. Also, Father Taddy, a Benedictine monk from Belgium, dropped by to share his thoughts on Methodist worship in England...

http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.webradio

Also, Karen's first interviews to be broadcast - hurrah!

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Stable masculinity?!?

A rather good article on the Interface regarding the Vatican's plans for the psychological screening of ministerial candidates...

http://www.theinterface.org.uk/?q=node/203

I wonder who wrote it?

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Fantastic media coverage for the Dawkins story...

Yesterday, the Methodist Church issued a press release welcoming news of Richard Dawkins' 'atheist bus' campaign. We wanted to take a different approach, thanking Richard for his continued interest in God and for getting people talking about the big issues of life.

You can check out the press release here: http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=295

We got lots of good media coverage from this, thanks to the hard work of the CCEA cluster and our Senior Leaders. Jenny Ellis did a turn on Premier Radio, Christine Elloitt appeared on London Tonight (ITV) and I was on BBC London. In addition, we got great coverage online and in the newspapers - check out the links below...

Thanks again to everyone for their hard work and creativity,

Anna

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3236701/Atheist-buses-ready-to-roll-across-country-after-making-31000-in-a-day.html

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1839299.ece

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2008/oct/22/religion-atheist-dawkins-god

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/7811

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/methodists.see.opportunity.in.dawkins.no.god.bus.slogans/21703.htm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7681914.stm

http://www.itvlocal.com/london/news/?void=248598

Methodist Church thanks Richard Dawkins for getting God onto London buses

THE METHODIST CHURCH

NEWS RELEASE

21 October 2008

Methodist Church thanks Richard Dawkins for getting God onto London buses

Dawkins thanked for encouraging a ‘continued interest in God’

The British Methodist Church has welcomed news that Professor Richard Dawkins is to fund an advertising campaign on London buses despite its slogan ‘There is probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life’.

Revd Jenny Ellis, Spirituality and Discipleship Officer, said; ‘We are grateful to Richard for his continued interest in God and for encouraging people to think about these issues. This campaign will be a good thing if it gets people to engage with the deepest questions of life.’

Responding to Dawkins’ comment that ‘thinking is anathema to religion’, Jenny said; ‘As Christians, we respond to Jesus’ call to love God with our minds as well as our hearts, souls and strength. Christianity is for people who aren’t afraid to think about life and meaning. John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, believed that no one should be saved from the trouble of thinking because that is the path to understanding God.’

http://www.methodist.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=opentogod.newsDetail&newsid=295

Oh look, Catholic men dictating what women must do with their bodies...Again

Catholic governors refuse to allow girls to have cervical cancer jabs at school

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/education/article4821368.ece

To fair, though, national Catholic institutions have supported the cervical cancer jab, and for that I think they should be applauded.

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badgerbadgerbadgerbadger...

The reasoning behind this picture is a bit of a long story, but basically has to do with people urging me to 'badger the media' to pay attention to Methodist news stories. ho hum....

For more joyful pictures like this, see the ICHC site.

Why I am 85% male

Toby has introduced me to a rather good site that determines your gender by checking your web browser history.

Apparently, the fact that I look at the websites for The Times, The Guardian, Amazon and Google fairly frequently makes me a boy.

I wonder what hubby will make of this....

Richard Dawkins, the naive professor

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/libby_purves/article4474112.ece

Fantastic article by Libby Purves. Encourages me that I'm not the only one annoyed by this pseudo- Either/Or Dawkins is trying to present. Read it and it'll all make sense....

Especially like the bit about bunny-hugging.

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Lent

Well, we're a week and a half in and things seemed to be going fairly smoothly on the old Buy Less: Live More front.

Until of course I ran out of face wash and my nice shampoo. I have other face wash and other shampoo but nothing as good or as nice. Yes, I am vain. I admit it. But one thing I'm very conscious of is my bad skin and, whether or not they actually make a difference, posh toiletries make me feel better about myself. I suppose they sell me the hope that if I use them in the right way, and for long enough, they'll make me look better. I know it's a vain hope, but I'm sure I'm not the only victim of the cosmetics marketing machine.

But for the rest of Lent I'll be using my skanky cheap shampoo and rifling through my samples for decent face wash (you know those samples you get in magazines? I'm the kind of tragic person that collects them).

So, how important is looking and feeling good? Are there better ways to boost one's self esteem?

Your thoughts please...

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What the hell am I going on about? Check out www.buylesslivemore.org.uk and www.nonewshoes.blogspot.com for info.