lament

Lament – Fran Henderson

I waited until I was inside, and had shut the manse door behind me. Then I let out one long, deep-throated yell, for the sheer unmitigated heartbreak of closing churches. Yes – churches, plural. Since arriving on Shetland, my team and I have overseen the closure of twelve of them, with ten still to go. …

Blue Christmas

William Boyle shares his experience of the value of offering a Christmas service for the bereaved. I first came across a Blue Christmas service during my time as a student minister. I liked it very much and felt it really supported those who attended. It gives time, place and space to remember loved ones we …

Lament – Colin Sinclair

Lament, in and for the Church The largest group of Psalms are Laments, (both individual and corporate), because there is so much to lament about! During my year as Moderator, Ruth and I received both a sanitised view of the Church and also real and deep insights. It was sanitised because the Moderator was usually …

Lament – Martin Fair

This coming January, I’ll be recognising the thirtieth anniversary of my ordination to the Ministry of Word and Sacrament. I’m thankful to God for the opportunity that has been mine to serve in one parish for the whole of that time. Did I imagine that I’d be in the same place throughout those years? Not …

Lament – Gordon Palmer

In July 2020, Karen, my wife, had a book published, “Jennifer: A Life Precious to God”; a series of recollections, reflections, diary entries through the pregnancy and short life (five hours) of our eldest daughter.  Many people have made contact as a result. Two all too common features have recurred.  One is the pain of …

Lament – Fiona Gardener

Cries of distress There is a raw expression of grief, which bubbles up from the deepest places of the heart, and erupts in a howl of lament. It is the kind of cry of distress that once heard is never forgotten. It pierces the heart and the soul of all who hear. It is the …

Lament – Lynn McChlery

Good Grief: Towards a Theology of Lament I once heard the story of a child who came home with the solemn news that her friend’s doll had been broken that day. “That’s awful”, said her mother, “Did you help her to fix it?” “No”, the little girl replied, “but I helped her to cry.” It’s …

One Big Idea: Developing a theology and practice of lament

Fred Drummond, shares his thoughts on the theology of lament One of the most significant and important things that all communities of faith are going to have to think about, and put in place, over the next few months, is a clear theology of lament. Why do I think that? I think we will be faced …