Recently I have been thinking about a particular dynamic that fills in some of the detail about Nouwen’s concept of hospitality, understood as the creation of free unconditional space for the other. I am thinking about two related practices: offering and invitation. This week I was walking my 8-year old granddaughter, Pippa to school. The …
Creating and supporting opportunities for human flourishing.
geoff@geoffboyce.com
Finding a Spiritual Waterhole
It has been an extraordinary month for me. On Easter Sunday, Sandy and I worshipped at a little Uniting Church at Southport, close by the South Melbourne Markets. A lovely space. After the minister gave a welcome, a person was invited to read an ‘Acknowledgement of Land’. I was surprised by a stumbling over words …
Easter Pietas
Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, Weeping for Gaza
Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage
Women and Peace
This morning I wrote to the journalist at Time Magazine who had just published a heartening article, ‘The Israeli and Palestinian Women Calling For Peace’ on February 21, 2024. Here is what I wrote: Dear Yasmeen,I have just read your article, ‘The Israeli and Palestinian Women Calling for Peace’. Thank you. Fortunately for me, my …
Holding Lightly
I had a little insight about hospitality on Sunday morning.It happened while I was introducing a song I had written to a congregation north of Melbourne. As you may know, I have been exploring the concept of hospitality for a few years now – the idea of making space for the other. But how do …
Navalney Is Dead… Long Live Navalney!
If they kill me it shows how powerful we are. Alexei Navalny The only real threat to Russian President Putin’s political power, Alexei Navalny, was declared dead in an Arctic labour camp yesterday. The struggle to maintain democratic freedom continues… the struggle to maintain an alternative culture to that of mysogeny, racism, bullying, institutional and …
A Collection of Stuff
I have been invited to contribute ideas to a WhatsApp group who are interested in planning their own worship services. I’m interested! I can think of a lot of spiritually nurturing experiences I have found stimulating and helpful; and I’d be happy to share them. But immediately, I’m in two minds. My first thought is …
Participative Pieces Promoting Spiritual Nurture
I had a great little conversation with a person called Joy down at Warrnambool the Sunday before last. Apparently they have a WhatsApp group that plan their own worship and they are always looking for new ideas! How could I resist? So I joined the group and sent off a whacky idea – a fun, …
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The ‘Promised Land’ Syndrome
It is not ‘promise’ that is the fundamental problem when it comes to Jewish belief about a ‘Promised Land’. Nor is it ‘land’. The real issue is possession – taking for oneself, no matter how one justifies it, while denying others one has discounted and considered to be outside the ‘promise’ one believes has been …