I made a friendship bracelet for myself on my pre-ordination retreat, as a focus and enactment of my prayers and thoughts. I know that you’re not really supposed to make yourself a friendship bracelet, but I wanted to do something concrete as well as prayerful and meditative. It’s a good 15 years since I’d last […]

One of the ‘in’ songs during my student radio days was Enigma’s “Return to Innocence” (along with “Something Inside so Strong” by Labi Siffre, which seemed to have some deep significance for a lot of my peers that I never quite got the bottom of!). It’s a song that particularly resonated with me at the […]

One of the questions that the Bishop asked me in the pre-ordination interview was “Where was God in Grenfell Tower?” The context was a reporter from Sky News (say) holding a microphone up to my face. The question stayed with me throughout my pre-ordination retreat – not so much because of theodicy (aka “why does […]

In honour of my pending ordination (tomorrow!!) I have set up a new blog, which will (hopefully) be a bit deeper than my ramblings on here. It’s at revjameshandley.wordpress.com I intend to keep this site going with photos, reviews, random thoughts (not that there has been a lot of that recently – doing a theology […]

I understand the appeal of poetry – it provides a way to express something that you can’t necessarily put into words, or pin down. However, it’s never been my strong point, so I’m not going to even attempt it, and try and use prose instead!! Tomorrow afternoon I am going to be ordained Deacon in […]

Last weekend I left St Hild College, after completing three years of pre-ordination training, and a theology degree. I have never formally studied theology before, and it was been a remarkable journey, as I have learnt a whole lot more about the Bible, the Church, and God – although it is probably more accurate to […]

One day I may post something that doesn’t involve food… Until that day.. With all due recognition of CressidaBell.com cakes for inspiration (but I’m afraid I don’t run to two hundred pounds for a birthday cake, even for my wife!)

Welcome to my new blog, which I’m putting together in anticipation of my pending ordination as a Deacon in the Church of England, 1st July 2017 at Bradford Cathedral. I plan to use it for blogging once I’m ordained about matters ecclesial, spiritual, and theological (you have been warned). Pictures of birthday cakes I’ve baked […]

Very quick one to share my two latest creations – a Death Star cake, and a Pokeball cake (the latter thanks to How to cake it – although it was my idea to fill it with Haribo)

Happy New Year to all. Wondering what joys and challenges 2016 has in store… (Fri Jan 01 11:18:15 +0000 2016) It might sound odd, but I actually prefer getting up, showered and dressed to lounging around in pyjamas. Not that there’s an option today! (Mon Jan 04 07:18:01 +0000 2016) It comes to something when […]