Virtual Methodist

When I was a child and got bored in church (not that I would ever bore anyone, young or old) there wasn’t much by way of art to distract me. There was one stained glass window of Jesus at the front and another of the story of the Good Samaritan… so I frequently resorted to counting bricks in the front wall of the church… No sermon was ever long enough to allow me to complete the count…  The early 12th-century church of St Martin in Zillis in the Swiss Canton of Graubünden doesn’t have much on the walls or windows for bored members of the congregation either… But if anyone in the congregation were to raise their eyes to heaven in despair at the long sermon they would find something that would really make them think…  153 painted square wooden panels of around 90 cm each placed in 17 rows of 9 panels installed around 1110 and which is one of only 3 similar examples left in the world. The 48 paintings framing the ceiling are mostly painted with mythical figures largely ...

The Eye Witness at our Maundy Thursday Communion Service in the Agape Service offered us a different perspective on the events around the Last Supper and all that led up to it...  he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." 20  In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21  But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. Luke 22:19-21 (ANIV) I was there at the table with him… as I had been many times before… and I suppose it was me he was talking about… But  before we go any further, let’s get this clear, it had nothing to do with the money... I just had to do something. The others think the same as me, but they'd never do anything... All talk and no trousers. It’s always the same... It’s left to people like me to get blood on our hands... It was t...

Hero or villain. Saint or sinner. No. I’m not talking about Luis Suarez, but I’m a Liverpool fan, so you might guess my opinion there. How we define people often depends on our personal perspective and the truth is usually more complicated than such a simple definition. We in this province know that well, particularly in the messy business of making peace after a period of prolonged and profound conflict. (You just have to check out the responses to the presence of Martin McGuinness at the state banquet in Windsor Castle last week for evidence of that.) This is Holy week, the run-up to Good Friday, where we reflect on the price Jesus paid to make peace between us and God, followed by the resurrection joy of Easter Day. Personally I’m fascinated by the characters we’ve traditionally portrayed as villains in the Holy Week story. Judas Iscariot - wondering what his motivation was for betraying his teacher. Was it all just a matter of money or something else? Pilate, the ultimate po...

Here's the third and final element of last night's event at East Belfast Mission. It's the story from Judas' perspective. I've published different versions of this before, as well as a verse version based on those found in various medieval passion plays . he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."  In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.  But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. Luke 22:19-21 (ANIV) I was there at the table with him… as I had been many times before… and I suppose it was me he was talking about… But  before we go any further, let’s get this clear, it had nothing to do with the money... I just had to do something. The others think the same as me, but they'd never do anything... All talk and no trousers. It’s alw...

On preparing a Holy Week reflection on the anointing of Jesus as recorded in John 12 I remembered this version of part of the medieval mystery cycles that I rewrote as part of a production entitled "Testaments" staged in the grounds of Queens University, Belfast in 1999. I Judas, was unjustly injured by Jesus, the Jew And now am I perjured all of history through. I tumbled to temptation, that much, sirs is true I diddled the disciples of their dole. From the twelve’s total my own tenth I took Twas easy to do for I balanced the book Jesus never gave me a momentary look But now look at him... Damn his soul. But in Bethany betimes my bale did begin. When a woman named Mary just wandered right in Bringing beauteous box with best unction within I wondered what she was wanting to do... Bowing by his bed, and breaking open the box She then larded the lot on your lordship’s long locks! For a man such as me twas the worst of all shocks And I got into a bit of a stew... What I waste! I...