I remember when the punk movement emerged in 1977; I almost remember the day (if that is possible). A Sunday lunchtime documentary presented by Janet Street Porter reported on this new phenomenon which was hitting the streets of London. Punk was anarchistic. angry and iconoclastic. The movement inspired a very different ‘look.’ Clothes were torn, metal studs, chains and staples were de rigueur as was the preference for dyed hair, mohicans and body piercings of many varieties. This look was meant to shock and disturb, it was loud and uncompromising, it was rebellious. Continue reading “More pink than punk”
Author: Gavin Knight
The Revd Gavin Knight has been the Vicar of St Michael & All Angels, Summertown in the Oxford Diocese since September 2011. After serving his title at St Alphege, Solihull, Gavin became parish priest of St Andrew's Fulham Fields in London. He moved to Wales in 2005 becoming Chaplain to Monmouth School. He is married to Jo, a clinical psychologist, and they have three sons.
A little springtime
I remember the journey from London to Monmouth over 11 years ago. Leaving one role and about to start another – I had cause for hope and optimism – travelling to a new place, a new landscape, a new context to share the gospel. During that journey, I heard the shocking news that Br Roger, the prior of the ecumenical monastic community in Taizé, France had been murdered, stabbed in the back, during prayers. I felt desolate but also outraged about this attack on a helpless man of God who was reaching the natural end of his life. Continue reading “A little springtime”
A good news narrative
At a time when we hear so much in the media about the decline of the Church – how Christianity is irrelevant, how misguided the people of faith are – I thought it would be good to demonstrate how one church, St Michael & All Angels, Summertown is bucking that trend. There is no magic ingredient to numerical growth or the deeper development of the faith-life, only that God is allowed to be God in our community of faith. Continue reading “A good news narrative”
True Grit
It was not the film with John Wayne or even the re-make starring Jeff Bridges which inspired the title and theme of this blog post, it was my wife’s insistence that I write about grit! Using a great deal of perseverance herself, she brought to my attention this small scale, gritty phenomena. Grit is the title of a book by Angela Duckworth, Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance. Continue reading “True Grit”
The wilds of nature
We must have officially entered the Great British garden season now that the Chelsea Flower Show is upon us, or the Chelsea Shower Flow if you are visiting in the rain! The garden plays an important part in British culture, behaviour and architecture. Our domestic plots of lawn, flowers and trees reveals a nations humble attempt to suppress and contain the wilds of nature. Continue reading “The wilds of nature”