We can hardly believe it's already November, and whether it's getting hotter or colder in your hemisphere, November means that Christmas is near. For some of you, it might mean things are winding down and you're about to enjoy a holiday. For others, you might be frantically planning three thousand carol services. Or perhaps you're realising you might need to get onto that Christmas shopping! Whoever you are, we've pulled together some songs, resources and gifts for the season. Most of all, we hope this collection keeps pointing you to the true and wonderful meaning of Christmas. For listening: Joy to the World: A Christmas PlaylistFeaturing a range of artists and their Christmas classics, well-loved carols and some new songs, we hope...
In the last year, we have felt the loss of simple things we might have once taken for granted—whether sitting in our favourite coffee shop, having friends over for dinner, or taking an overseas holiday. But what has surprised many are the feelings of grief over not being able to sing with others in church. From my experience, singing can often feature fairly low down the list of what is important in personal and corporate faith. I’m not at all saying we don’t enjoy the music in our church services. It’s just that, in the conservative evangelical world, the focus is generally on the ‘greater gifts’. However, a regular frustration I have observed on social media over the past year...
A lot of posts I see floating around social media at the moment are reminding me of where we were “this time last year” - and it involves a lot of lasts. Our last holidays, our last hugs, our last days of blissful ignorance. Perhaps we wish we had treasured those things more while we had the chance. A year ago this weekend was the last time I sang in my church, the last time I sat next to (I mean, actually next to) someone in my congregation, and the last time I really experienced fellowship and communion with my brothers and sisters in Christ. God-willing, those things will happen again soon, but right now (at least in my part of the...
