Myton Musings

At the 2018 National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast, of which CARE is a sponsor, Tim Keller spoke of Jesus’ mandate to be ‘salt of the earth.’ ‘Christians should be dispersed in the societies of the world… bringing out the best in that particular culture and preventing its worse tendencies as well. But only if Christians remain ‘salt’, which is different from the rest of the culture.’  Explore the ten areas where CARE is seeking to shape a God-honouring society.

(This article by Catherine Durant first appeared on the Stewardship website on January 21st, 2021) The month of January doesn't have the best reputation when it comes to mental health. This year especially, when so many more people are isolated and vulnerable, it's an ideal moment to consider how we could give our time and resources to help those suffering from depression and anxiety. Read more...

A short presentation prepared for the small groups at Woodstock Road Church, Oxford.  Stolen by us because it introduces some helpful hints on how we might respond to our history as a nation and church.

On Sunday Krish recommended several books.  One was Ben Lindsay's 'Let's talk about race.' Here the author is interviewed by Nicky Gumbel.

ONE: A roundtable discussion Despite great progress towards racial justice in the UK, serious inequality still remains, both in society as a whole and in the church. Released on Martin Luther King Day (18th January 2021), "One" is a film commissioned by the Church of England Evangelical Council, featuring five Anglican friends on how Christians can think Biblically about race and ethnicity.

Navigating the impact on his mental well-being of the isolation and loneliness of lockdown Mark Meynell explains how he found friendship with the ancient writers of the Psalms and comfort in a Saviour who is not ashamed to call us 'brothers and sisters'. A short version! A longer version that will demand a coffee and a sofa!

As a follow up to yesterday's message here is an article that appeared on the 'Desiring God' website in July 2020.    'It’s been hard to avoid hyperbole when talking about the COVID-19 crisis. Unprecedented! World-changing! Life won’t be the same again! We’ve heard it all and will continue to hear it. It’s estimated that around half the world’s population experienced virus-provoked restrictions of one sort or another. In addition to the fears and griefs directly caused by the disease, the lockdowns and quarantines brought genuine hardship, whether from enforced separation (from needed friends, for example) or enforced proximity (as in cases of domestic abuse). This really has been new.. . read more

Find new ways to get into God's Word in 2021 and walk through the year with renewed confidence in God's goodness - whatever the year holds. Explore some of the resources the Good Book Company have to help us get into God's Word.

LICC review 2020 through the eyes of five of the 'Connecting with culture' articles they published through the year. Read here...

Following up from Sunday's message on Psalm 13 here are some further Psalms of lament. Twenty Complaints  Laments contain various complaints expressing struggle, questions, outrage, and frustration. The following passages are examples of the unique complaints found in the psalms of lament: Why? ·            Why, O Lord, do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble? (Ps. 10:1) ·            Why does the wicked renounce God and say in his heart, “You will not call to account”? (Ps. 10:13) ·            My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning? (Ps. 22:1) ·            I say to God, my rock: “Why have you forgotten me? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?” (Ps. 42:9) ·            For you are the God in whom I take refuge; why have you rejected me? Why do I go about mourning because of the oppression of the enemy? (Ps. 43:2) ·            Awake! Why are you sle