Politics in the Pulpit

Episode 74: Rev. David Pickering for Sunday 29th January

This week on Politics in the Pulpit, Geoffrey is chatting to Rev. David Pickering.

David studied environmental science and undertook research in environmental chemistry prior to candidating for the ministry for the URC. He has served pastorates in Teesside (1990-99) and Leeds (2004-16) and has carried his concern for the environment and love of nature through his ministry. To mark the 1992 Earth Summit he shaped the URC publication Roots and Branches, in 1998 he was appointed to develop Eco-Congregation in a full-time ministry (1999-2004). Eco-Congregation continues in Scotland and has been renamed as Eco-Church in England and Wales. From 2005 to 2010 he Chaired the Board of the climate change charity, Operation Noah. During his recent term as Moderator of the National Synod of Scotland (2016-20) he led the URC to become the first Church in Britain to divest its investments in fossil fuels. Since 2020 he has returned to local pastoral ministry, serving suburban churches in West Wickham and Elmers End. David has a love of Scottish isles, holidaying and leading several pilgrimages to sites of early Christian worship on the isles. He enjoys time with his family, and spotting, chasing and watching butterflies.

They discuss the lectionary readings for Sunday 29^th January:
Micah 6: 1-8

1 Corinthians 1: 18-31

Matthew 5: 1-12

Psalm 15

‘Politics in the Pulpit’ is JPIT’s weekly lectionary resource, helping to equip preachers, Ministers and worship leaders to unpack justice and peace issues in the pulpit. You can join in the conversation on Twitter @pulpit_politics or using #PoliticsInThePulpit, or on our Facebook community - find the group from the Joint Public Issues Team's Facebook page.

Episode 73: with Kirsty-Ann Mabbott for Sunday 22nd January

This week on Politics in the Pulpit, Geoffrey is chatting to Kirsty-Ann Mabbott.

Kirsty-Ann Mabbott is a Church Related Community Worker in the United Reformed Church. They are a practical, political and queer theologian. Many currently believe that 2020 was the most life changing year they have faced recently, but for Kirsty 2022 was that year, having had emergency spinal surgery and finding out they were becoming physically less able-bodied (differently-abled) and also gaining their Post Graduate Diploma in Contextual Theology (completing the MA wasn't possible while recovering from major surgery). More academic study in the future is a definite possibility. For now Kirsty is learning to live differently, reading philosophy and popular culture books and has joined a Christian dating site. They don't have a favourite philosopher, but their theologian ideal is Marcella Althaus-Reid, Their favourite books are The Hobbit & The Lord of The Rings Trilogy (J.R.R. Tolkien) and The Wayward Children Series (Seanan McGuire). They believe books are always better than the film and punk/grunge/rock/metal is the best type of music as it is political and personal, protest and riot and most of all real.

They discuss the lectionary readings for Sunday 22^nd January:
Isaiah 9: 1-4

1 Corinthians 1: 10-18

Matthew 4: 12-23

Psalm 27: 1, 4-9

‘Politics in the Pulpit’ is JPIT’s weekly lectionary resource, helping to equip preachers, Ministers and worship leaders to unpack justice and peace issues in the pulpit. You can join in the conversation on Twitter @pulpit_politics or using #PoliticsInThePulpit, or on our Facebook community - find the group from the Joint Public Issues Team's Facebook page.

Episode 72: Rev. Dr Mike Long for Sunday 15th January

This week on Politics in the Pulpit, Geoffrey is chatting to Rev. Dr. Mike Long.

Revd Mike Long is currently the minister at Notting Hill Methodist Church in West London, following appointments in the London area and North Wales over the past thirty years or so. He studied Theology & Politics during his ministerial training, and has always had a keen interest in community engagement, poverty and economics as well as politics. His PhD was on the Jubilee 2000 campaign and the theology of international debt. He serves on the Church’s advisory panel on the ethics of investment and assists with the theological work attached to the Walking With Micah project. Mike chaired Shelter’s Commission on Social Housing which published its report in 2019 and remains passionate about this – not least amid the gross overcrowding and stark inequalities of Notting Hill.

They discuss the lectionary readings for Sunday 15^th January:
Isaiah 49: 1-7

1 Corinthians 1: 1-9

John 1: 29-42

Psalm 40: 1-11

‘Politics in the Pulpit’ is JPIT’s weekly lectionary resource, helping to equip preachers, Ministers and worship leaders to unpack justice and peace issues in the pulpit. You can join in the conversation on Twitter @pulpit_politics or using #PoliticsInThePulpit, or on our Facebook community - find the group from the Joint Public Issues Team's Facebook page.

Episode 71: Rev. Geoffrey Farrar for Sunday 27th November

This week on Politics in the Pulpit, Lee is chatting to her successor, our new host – Rev. Geoffrey Farrar.

Geoffrey Farrar is a Methodist minister in Putney, south west London. Before he was ordained, he served for ten years in the House of Commons as a clerk, one of the permanent secretariat at parliament. He worked with select committees and in the legislation service, and was able to see how politics affected every area of our society. He is committed to connecting how we pray and read our scriptures to how we vote and live. 

They discuss the lectionary readings for Sunday 27^th November:
Isaiah 2:1-5

Romans 13:11-14

Matthew 24:36-44

Psalm 122

‘Politics in the Pulpit’ is JPIT’s weekly lectionary resource, helping to equip preachers, Ministers and worship leaders to unpack justice and peace issues in the pulpit. You can join in the conversation on Twitter @pulpit_politics or using #PoliticsInThePulpit, or on our Facebook community - find the group from the Joint Public Issues Team's Facebook page.

Episode 70: Rev. David Hardman for Sunday 20th November

This week on Politics in the Pulpit, Lee is chatting to Rev. David Hardman.

Dave joined the JPIT team as the Methodist Team Leader and Deputy JPIT Team Leader in September 2021. He is a Methodist Presbyter who has served city-centre, inner city and suburban congregations in Manchester and London. Previously, he worked for Christian Aid as Senior Regional Coordinator in the North West. He lives in Manchester.

They discuss the lectionary readings for Sunday 20^th November:
Jeremiah 23:1-6

Colossians 1:11-20

Luke 23:33-43

Psalm 46 or Luke 1:68-79

‘Politics in the Pulpit’ is JPIT’s weekly lectionary resource, helping to equip preachers, Ministers and worship leaders to unpack justice and peace issues in the pulpit. You can join in the conversation on Twitter @pulpit_politics or using #PoliticsInThePulpit, or on our Facebook community - find the group from the Joint Public Issues Team's Facebook page.

Episode 69: Rev. Dr Jasmine Devadason for Sunday 13th November

This week on Politics in the Pulpit, Lee is chatting to Rev. Dr Jasmine Devadason.

Jasmine is currently working as a learning and development officer for the North West & Mann Region of the Methodist Church.  She served as a tutor of Hebrew Bible at the Southern Theological Education and Training Scheme, Sarum College, Salisbury, before moving to Manchester. She worked for the Diocese of Manchester as a World Mission officer and has been ordained by the diocese of Manchester.  She has completed her PhD at the University of Manchester on examining the Book of Job from a Dalit woman’s perspective. Her academic interest focuses on the Hebrew Bible, Dalit Feminist Liberation hermeneutics and the post-colonial hermeneutics.

They discuss the lectionary readings for Sunday 13^th November:
Isaiah 65: 17-25

2 Thessalonians 3: 6-13

Luke 21: 5-19

Isaiah 12: 1-6

‘Politics in the Pulpit’ is JPIT’s weekly lectionary resource, helping to equip preachers, Ministers and worship leaders to unpack justice and peace issues in the pulpit. You can join in the conversation on Twitter @pulpit_politics or using #PoliticsInThePulpit, or on our Facebook community - find the group from the Joint Public Issues Team's Facebook page.

Episode 68: Rev. Dr Susan Durber for Sunday 6th November

This week on Politics in the Pulpit, Lee is chatting to Rev. Dr Susan Durber.

Susan Durber is a URC minister, Moderator of the Faith and Order Commission of the WCC and WCC President from Europe.

They discuss the lectionary readings for Sunday 6^th November:
Haggai 1:15b-2:9

2 Thessalonians 2:15, 13-17

Luke 20:27-38

Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21 or Psalm 98

‘Politics in the Pulpit’ is JPIT’s weekly lectionary resource, helping to equip preachers, Ministers and worship leaders to unpack justice and peace issues in the pulpit. You can join in the conversation on Twitter @pulpit_politics or using #PoliticsInThePulpit, or on our Facebook community - find the group from the Joint Public Issues Team's Facebook page.

Episode 67: Rev. Dr Lina Toth for Sunday 30th October

This week on Politics in the Pulpit, Lee is chatting to Rev. Dr Lina Toth.

Rev. Dr Lina Toth is Assistant Principal and Lecturer in Practical Theology at the Scottish Baptist College, UK, and Senior Research Fellow at the IBTS Centre, The Netherlands. A musician and artist as well as a theologian, she is particularly interested in ethics, spirituality, and theology of culture. She is the author of Singleness and Marriage after Christendom and Transforming the Struggles of Tamars: Single Women and Baptistic Communities. She is Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy, Editor of Theology in Scotland journal, and Chair of the Worship and Spirituality Commission of the Baptist World Alliance.

They discuss the lectionary readings for Sunday 23rd October:
Habakkuk 1:1-4, 2:1-4

2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12

Luke 19: 1-10

Psalm 119:137-144

Lina also suggested the use of Carolyn Winfrey Gillette's song about Zacchaeus in worship services responding to the lectionary, which you can find here: http://www.carolynshymns.com/zacchaeus_was_a_tax_man.html  

‘Politics in the Pulpit’ is JPIT’s weekly lectionary resource, helping to equip preachers, Ministers and worship leaders to unpack justice and peace issues in the pulpit. You can join in the conversation on Twitter @pulpit_politics or using #PoliticsInThePulpit, or on our Facebook community - find the group from the Joint Public Issues Team's Facebook page.

Episode 66: with Gary Hopkins for Sunday 23rd October

This week on Politics in the Pulpit, Lee is chatting to Gary Hopkins.

Gary is passionate about how the Church helps people encounter God in daily life and how spirituality breathes life into our justice-seeking and radical inclusion as part of God’s mission. He is part of the core leadership at Inclusive Gathering Birmingham and is the Ministry Development Officer for Chaplaincy at the Methodist Church.

They discuss the lectionary readings for Sunday 23rd October:

Joel 2:23-32

2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18

Luke 18:9-14

Psalm 65

‘Politics in the Pulpit’ is JPIT’s weekly lectionary resource, helping to equip preachers, Ministers and worship leaders to unpack justice and peace issues in the pulpit. You can join in the conversation on Twitter @pulpit_politics or using #PoliticsInThePulpit, or on our Facebook community - find the group from the Joint Public Issues Team's Facebook page. 

Episode 65: Holly Adams for Sunday 16th October

This week on Politics in the Pulpit, Lee is chatting to Holly Adams.

Holly is the Evangelism and Contemporary Culture Officer for the Methodist Church, a role which brings together her passion for equipping local churches for inclusive evangelism and her passion for helping Christians speak relevantly into contemporary spaces and issues. Holly also serves on the leadership team of her local church in Canterbury where she lives.

They discuss the lectionary readings for Sunday 16th October:

Jeremiah 31:27-34

2 Timothy 3:14-4:5

Luke 18:1-8

Psalm 119:97-104

‘Politics in the Pulpit’ is JPIT’s weekly lectionary resource, helping to equip preachers, Ministers and worship leaders to unpack justice and peace issues in the pulpit. You can join in the conversation on Twitter @pulpit_politics or using #PoliticsInThePulpit, or on our Facebook community - find the group from the Joint Public Issues Team's Facebook page.