Good News! July 26, 2009
Posted by Phil Groom in Church, News.Tags: Diocese of St Albans, Henlow and Langford
9 comments
A message from Sue:
Dear Friends,
Thank you very much for your prayers and messages of support during recent months.
We are delighted to announce that I have been appointed the next Priest-in-Charge of Henlow and Langford and Assistant Diocesan Director of Ordinands in the Diocese of St Albans.
We hope to move during the second half of September and I will be licensed on Tuesday 13th October.
We will send more details nearer the time.
With our love and prayers.
Sue & Phil
For anyone is isn’t quite up to speed with our movements, this follows on from my post back in May: Life: It’s a mixed up muddled up shook up world.
Loony Legal Threats Over the SPCK/SSG Bookshops: One Year On July 21, 2009
Posted by Phil Groom in Bookshop Ramblings.Tags: Former SPCK Bookshops, J Mark Brewer, Mark Brewer
add a comment
Where were you on July 21st 2008?
Unless it’s your birthday, it’s probably not a date that means much to you, but for me it’s a date I won’t forget in a hurry: I was on holiday, cruising the Thames in somewhat better weather than we’re having this year.
A message came in on my mobile to tell me that J Mark Brewer, an American lawyer and the then-owner of the SPCK/SSG Bookshops, was threatening me with legal action unless I took down various webpages where I and several other people had been reporting on his abuse of his staff and his mismanagement of the shops.
Interim Manager's Notice - "No entry to this building is permitted..."
It’s been an interesting year since but we’ve now reached the point where the tables have been well and truly turned on Mr Brewer: the Charity Commission have stepped in and seized control of the shops whilst they complete formal investigations into his misdemeanors.
So today I take the opportunity to thank everyone who has shown solidarity over the past year as I and my fellow bloggers have fought against Mr Brewer. It’s your encouragement, prayers and support that have made it possible: thank you.
Even now, however, the fight continues: staff and suppliers remain unpaid and the Charity Commission face an uphill struggle as they attempt to set things right.
Please continue to pray; and if you’d like to find out more, read on:
Your Help Needed: Badass Blogger Needs Help to Lighten Up July 16, 2009
Posted by Phil Groom in Frivolity.Tags: Happy Blogging, Reasons to be cheerful, twitterblogofacebooksphere
4 comments
Yah, that’s me. Just because lots of things in life suck doesn’t mean that we have to, does it? But truth is — as I said here — I do seem to have developed the gift of discouragement to a fine art, don’t I? Not a good place to be. As somebody or other once observed, I am the ingrowing toenail in the body of Christ. Maybe I need more sleep or something; or snipping down to size. Lord have mercy.
So, beautiful people, do me a favour: find me something bright & shiny to blog about instead of all these negative vibes I’m sending out into the twitterblogofacebooksphere 😀
What’s made you smile or laugh recently? Yay for happy blogging!!
Faster than Jesus: we got fibrefairy back on twitter! From #twitterfail to #twitterresult in under 4 hours! July 15, 2009
Posted by Phil Groom in Technology.Tags: fibrefairy, Twitter
3 comments
Discovered this evening that the twitter thought police had suspended fibrefairy‘s twitter account, @fibrefairy, and they weren’t telling us why.
Some of her followers, self included, howled in protest at the injustice and cried out for reinstatement — and woosh, just like that, resurrection! Faster than Jesus — it took him three days!!
Twitter people: thank you. From #twitterfail to #twitterresult in under 4 hours: that’s class.
fibrefairy - faster than Jesus
If I was God… July 13, 2009
Posted by Phil Groom in Christianity, Theological Reflection.Tags: God, Insane ramblings of a deranged Christian
7 comments
If I was God I’d throw myself under a train and get it over with — and poof! The whole damn universe would disappear with me, space and time and eternity all swallowed up into the infinite void…
I’m thinking it must be a total nightmare to be God: you can’t even kill yourself and when you try you end up coming back to life three days later, but you’ve been so radically transformed by the experience that your best friends don’t recognise you anymore, even when you’re walking down the road with them or cooking them breakfast on the beach. Then when they do recognise you, you disappear. Madness.
If you were God, what would you do?
Just because you’re dead doesn’t mean you have to stop reading… July 12, 2009
Posted by Phil Groom in Frivolity.Tags: Archbishop Cranmer, Christian Marketplace, facebook, Free Subscription
2 comments
Ayatollah Cranmer
Recently Archbishop Cranmer had a rather entertaining run in with facebook: they didn’t like his title so he ended up signing up as Ayatollah Cranmer instead. It seems that facebook are somewhat selective over which clerical titles they discriminate against.
The good news for Archbishop Cranmer is that although he died some years ago, he’d have no such problem selecting a title if he signed up for a free Church leader’s subscription (yes, free, you read that correctly) to Christian Marketplace magazine, where you can opt for anything from Archdeacon to Wing Commander.
But it gets even better if you’ve earned yourself (or been granted) some letters to go after your name: as well as the usual raft of BA, MA and OBE, you can even choose ‘deceased’ — so do come along now, My Lord Archbishop, and get your free Christian Marketplace subscription today!!
Christian Marketplace - Select a Suffix
h/t to Bishop Alan Wilson for drawing my attention to Archbishop Cranmer’s facebook shenannigans.
I’d say Christianity sucks, but it’s worse than that… July 8, 2009
Posted by Phil Groom in Christianity.Tags: Biblica, Christian Kitsch, Christian Retail, Christian Tat, STL USA, Testamints
14 comments
Much worse: now you can chew it and spit it out when you’ve sucked all the flavour out of it. What was that Jesus said about salt that’s lost its flavour? Maybe this bit of sad supposedly ‘Christian’ crap which arrived in my work inbox today courtesy of STL USA (or Biblica, whatever name they’re trading under these days) is what he had in mind.
Is this really what Christianity has degenerated into? Lord have mercy, but I am ashamed of the Gospel when this is what we’ve done to it. What next: print Bible verses on your toilet paper and claim there’s no need to wash your hands afterwards?
New from Testamints
Testamints Sugar-free Gum is now available in a completely redesigned package in two best-selling flavors: peppermint and spearmint.
Testamints has been providing encouragement to Christians from all walks of life since 1998, and the sugar-free gum packs have been proven best-sellers at the checkout counter since their initial introduction.
Each package contains 12 pieces of delicious US-Made sugar-free chewing gum, and a carefully chosen Scripture verse is also printed on the back of every package. With a commitment to helping Christian’s [sic] share their faith with a product that people use every day, Testamints Sugar Free Gum is an easy way to introduce the gospel to a friend, relative or colleague.
What makes Testamints gum so unique? It’s the name that everyone instantly appreciates. And Testamints supports Christian ministries worldwide. As soon as someone mentions the name “Testamints” the connection is made with a quality product that bears a scripture verse to help “Pass The Word.”
Ensure you are always well stocked with Testamints Gum at your checkout counter. It’s the most recognized best-seller in the USA and Canada.
Police do not think anything was taken from her July 1, 2009
Posted by Phil Groom in London Life.Tags: Knife Crime
1 comment so far
Shopper with just £20 stabbed in the street
So ends a brief report in this morning’s Metro, p.7, describing the horrific ordeal of an 82 year old woman stabbed on her way home from Tesco, Shopper with just £20 stabbed in the street.
Perhaps they are right. Perhaps nothing was taken from her… nothing, that is, except her dignity, her pride, her freedom to walk the streets the streets without fear, time with her husband… and perhaps her life itself.
No, nothing was taken from her: just everything that matters.
Phil's Boring Blog 