This is my last blog post as poet theologian in virtual residence. It has been a fabulous experience; the journey began at the start of Covid, when Leeds Church Institute was looking for a way to work formally with me. I had already been involved in some previous...

This is my penultimate blog as poet theologian in virtual residence and will be the one for you to read over Christmas itself – quite a responsibility! There is so much great poetry and art which illustrates aspects of the Christmas story, it is hard to choose just...

We’ve heard the word ‘unprecedented’ used a lot in recent weeks, in connection now with the speed and volume of vaccines being produced, not to mention the formidable logistics needed to safeguard the health of the entire global population from this awful virus. At...

As I write, the country has just shifted from the second full lockdown to a return to the ‘tiers system’ which juggles at a supposedly local level the governing of infection control with sustaining the economy. Leeds had been on the verge of entering tier three when...

Our Poet Theologian in Virtual Residence, Hannah Stone, considers the start of Advent and shares her Christmas carol to ‘stir up’ our advent reflections.   As we’re now in Advent, I’ve just missed the correct time to write about Stir Up Sunday, where secular...

At this dark time of year, half way through the second lockdown, we need some ‘light at the end of the tunnel;’ what a ‘light’ the news of a vaccine is! Coincidentally, many world religions celebrate festivals of light round now. For Hindus, the celebrations of Diwali...