Further Education a significant opportunity or forgotten sector?

The Church of England has launched a new vision, Vocation, Transformation & Hope, for engagement with Further Education (FE). This is great news. I was an FE Chaplain from 2010-13, though I remained in the sector until 2015 advising colleges in the north of England about faith provision.

Since then I have trained for ordination and am now coming to the end of my curacy in Leeds.

But hearing the news this morning (1 May) has unsettled me a little as, and I'm honestly not exaggerating for effect here, last night (30 April) I was clearing through paperwork - imagining that I might be organised and tidied up before moving to my new post - and I found a reflection on FE written by me for my discernment process. 

Having not seen it for at least SEVEN years, I'm amazed I found it as the national church has launched a new vision for FE. It still feels current.

Reflection on Further Education

I had the privilege of being a Further Education College Chaplain for three years. Over time I came to identify four main aspects of my work: policy development; encouraging and facilitating a faith presence; offering pedagogical (teaching in class) input; and pastoral work. These four Ps became my framework of understanding. It was relatively straightforward explaining these motifs to managers and tutors. More Christian models were less accessible to staff. For example, Priest, Pastor and Prophet were three hats Chaplains were encouraged to wear, but how do you legitimise your presence by reference to these terms?

Not that I wasn't these things. The pastoring aspect of Chaplaincy is a common thread in all sectors and styles of chaplaincy. We exist to be the hands of Christ. The third mark of mission speaks of 'responding to human need by loving service.' FE pastoral work meets the joys and griefs of life - student deaths were a common occurrence. But counselling and listening to staff met a desperate human hunger -  to be seen as a person, not a cog in a machine. These conversations often unveiled unacknowledged injustices across the college, which had to be addressed. In so doing, becoming a prophetic voice, I found myself seeking to transform the culture of the college, challenging bullying and seeking peace, all of which falls under the fourth mark of mission. I had to challenge homophobic bullying as a natural part of this mission.

The priestly nature of chaplaincy was a mystery to me for some time. I was complaining about being described as 'The College Nice Guy' to a colleague, who insistently retorted, "do you know how few nice guys there are in college?"  Encouraging though this was, I was still left unhappy that my 'being there' could be considered 'chaplaincy.' It was this guilt that caused me to pour too much effort into policy development, acting as a de facto Equality Manager. It gave me credibility, but was, essentially, a sell out to the culture of productivity. Until I read something in Being a Priest Today (Cocksworth & Brown, 2006):

"When people brush up against the holy they are never quite the same afterwards...they have met someone who stands for another world, a different set of values that are strangely compelling...In this person something of the divine could be sensed, and it felt good to be in touch with such deep reserves of affirmation and love."

The first mark of mission is about proclaiming the good news, which on one level was strictly prohibited to me. I was expressly forbidden from proselytising (seeking to convert). But Chaplains are physical signs of God's grace. We are flesh and blood examples of Christian love and service, and even when we were simply available, present, our nature and character had an impact, a felt impact, on the college.

But when speaking of 'The College' to Christian leaders I was often met with overwhelming ignorance about the size and scope of the sector. Despite the presence of nearly 400 colleges in the UK, three million people learning in them, with nearly double the number of 16-18 year olds choosing college of maintained schools, FE barely registers on the radar of churches. Some Boards of Education don't even reference it.

And not only FE, but chaplaincy too. Chaplains are parodied as 'vicars that can't cut it,' or a soft option for the bruised and battered. Whereas FE Chaplaincy required emotional resilience, creativity, a passion for young people, and flexibility.

Unfortunately, I was released from the College's employ after a three year pilot. This was a rare institution appointment (I wasn't employed by the church to be chaplain), but couldn't withstand the current economic climate. This precarious presence in FE is not uncommon. Individual chaplains come and go, usually because the individual in post was a local enthusiast or a short term paid post. The church should reconsider its chaplaincy priorities, helping church congregations understand more about FE, its impact on the local economy and community potential, while also seeking to release more individuals into this exciting, effervescent and youthful work. And, after all, we are scratching our heads about missional work with young people/adults - a more intentional focus on FE might surprising results.

Lent 2021 - Journeying with Joel - Can you spend 40 days this Lent in one passage of the Bible?

Fancy a challenge, or rather fancy joining me in a challenge I'm setting myself.

Could you spend 40 days this Lent in one passage of the Bible?

Don't get me wrong, I know I'll read plenty more of the Bible, the Old Testament and New Testament, and I'll undoubtedly preach about other bits of the Bible, you might do too, but still...

What might happen to you, to me, if each day in Lent I came back to the passage from Joel we read on Ash Wednesday.

It's a funny, three-chaptered book in the middle of the minor prophets. I'm not confident he gets much of a look in throughout the other 51 weeks in the year, but every Ash Wednesday the Anglican church includes Joel 2:1-2,12-17 in its main service. I mean we don't even include the whole chapter, just a few select verses.

You can read them here, or the whole chapter here.

So that's eight verses in total. 

Eight verses from one chapter from one of the 39 books of the Old Testament, which itself is out of 66 books in the entire Bible.

I hear lots of people say that Lent isn't about giving stuff up (despite the ubiquity of the question: what are you giving up this Lent?). Instead, people tell me that Lent is about taking up practices, behaviours, habits and hobbies that will help their walk with God.

One of these disciplines is reading the Bible. There's this consensus among Christians I meet that they want to use Lent to 'read my Bible more.' This often leads to ungovernable reading plans, early alarm roll calls, and urgently downloaded Apps. And so many people plunge themselves into a swimming pool of guilt as they struggle to keep up with the volume of Bible they attempt to ingest.

What I'm suggesting is eight verses. Eight verses you might read every morning. You could read that as your coffee brews, or your washing bowl fills, or as you brush your teeth. How long does it take you to read eight verses? Doesn't sound like much, does it?  

You could read the verses and then have a read of this blog (if you want?). I'll try to blog each day on a new aspect of Joel I'm noticing.

Fancy it?

I do. It's both a serious challenge, but also a playful one.

And I hope that might characterise your Lent: serious and playful. 

And for a moment more, use your imagination, how might you feel, think, act if you were to commit to this challenge? What might happen to me in the rising to the challenge?

Uncertainty and Uproar: how a reeling world and a disoriented church need God

So it appears that last Sunday's service was the final act of worship in school.

At the time we worshiped, though we were expecting to soon suspend services, we had not considered that Sunday 15 March would be our final gathering before the unsurprising decision of the Archbishops. In case you haven't heard, the Church of England has suspended public worship until further notice.

In the short term this has sent us into a tailspin of planning as we seek to adjust to life as the church without church.

On one hand, the world is reeling from the ever-intensifying Government measures introduced to slow the rates of infection, and protect our precious NHS from being overwhelmed. Though we are also reeling from an outburst of panic buying that has stripped bare many shelves in mainline supermarket chains. It's been hard to not feel like our leaders are making it up as they go along, while people are simply losing their heads.

Meanwhile, the church, sensing the opportunity that lays before us, is perplexed and uncertain about where to even begin. Do we focus on internal matters of liturgy and worship, or focus instead on the many needy people in our communities? And for those seeking to address both ends of the spectrum how do we make wise plans?

Two moments in the last week deserve re-telling that shape my response.

Firstly, on Sunday morning I was leading our service. I often find the psalm listed for morning prayer to be a great place to start our worship. This last week it was Psalm 46.

Unusually for me, in a church full of chatter and hubbub during our time together, I asked if people might be quiet - I noted my eldest son turning at the back of the room, arrested from a moment of mischief and stood still. And I started to read this ancient text, commenting on its antiquity to the gathered assembly from south Leeds.

And as I read each phrase I found myself wanting to both cry and laugh...

"God is our refuge and strength...an ever-present help in trouble..." 

"Okay," I thought, "that's a bit on the nose."

"Therefore we will not fear, though...though...though..."

And I feel the objections rise up, "Surely God...what of the elderly, the unwell...?"

"There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy place where the Most High dwells."

I've been exploring more of Leeds recently, enjoying walks beside the River Aire. And I'm mindful that Holbeck's name derives from an ancient stream ('beck'). God loves this place. God loves this city. I'd prayed in the week before (not a prayer I'd written)...'God knew this place before it had a name!'

"God is within her, she will not fall;

God will help her at break of day."

Yes! What hope!

"Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;

he lifts his voice, the earth melts."

Yes! What truth and insight. The nations are in uproar, in tumult, in distress and confusion. You may have seen the video of Bill Gates predicting years ago that the real threat to human life would not be because of war, but because of a virus. Coronavirus is going to cause seismic changes to society - it has exposed the fragility of our democratic, economic and social structures. Even our interdependent food supply chains are threatened, according to experts on the Food Programme (Radio 4) yesterday. This is a time of uproar, of melting, of fear and falling.

But are we to despair?

"The Lord Almighty is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress"

The antidote to despair is the knowledge that the living God, the Almighty one (the Pantokrater!), the God of our ancestors, and our fortress, that this one is WITH US.

"Should I stop here?" I wondered, "that's nice and neat....aw shucks, best read the whole thing..."

"Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth.

Did God cause Coronavirus? Do the people think I'm blaming God?

"He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; 

he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire."

"errrr..." The Bible has this way of disorienting you enough to help you get your balance back. He is the God who brings wars to pass and wars to end. He can bring desolation and restoration. All time is in his hands.

"Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth."

"Amen, amen, amen..." I felt rise up in me. And I then noticed that a particular stillness had fallen over the church congregation. It was like, even though there was already some restlessness at this reading, something went off in lots of us, a sense of coming home, of being spoken to from outside of ourselves. God's word is active. God's word allows us to encounter God...and as we prepared to sing, and laugh, and pray for each other, we were reminded to know that God is with us.

"The Lord Almighty is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress"

"Or is this just me...?" I panicked! Are those faces of bored indifference, or have they felt that spark as I did? Either way, "thank you God for being here, and setting our human affairs in the context of your majesty and presence."

Lesson one then - whatever is going on in the world, know God is with us.

Lesson two was a slip of the tongue earlier.

We'd had a long emergency planning meeting, and afterwards I chatted with a friend about my focus. Yesterday, I'd been into the two nearest pubs to my house, which I frequent regularly. Despite the Government's advice I visited in order to give to any who were there a church card with my number on - "Call me if you need anything!"

The temptation can often arise to be a messiah figure - to see yourself as the hero.

"I want to serve the community," I found myself saying. Followed quickly by a stream of consciousness, as though rebuking myself, "But I need to serve the church family so they can serve the community."

Of course, I'm still to do what I can. But I think church leaders would do well to remember our role to prepare people for good works. As Paul writes in Ephesians, "[God called] some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up." God loves the world (John 3:16), he is not indifferent to its suffering. We must seek to serve this place that he loves.

Lesson two then - how am I helping people to serve their community?

These are unprecedented times.

The world is reeling and the church is disoriented. There is uncertainty and uproar.

How do we respond?

Firstly, we are reminded that God is with us. He has not abandoned us. Meditate on Psalm 46 - trust the power of His Word to restore our souls in the face of despair and confusion. If you want some help or guidance or support or ideas on how to read the Bible, ask!

Secondly, we are to serve our community. The church exists to worship God, make and train disciples, and to love our world. If there's anything I can do to help folk serve the community better- great! As the church adjusts to life without the normal weekly rhythms perhaps we can recapture something of this servant heart.

Be assured that I am praying for you, wherever you are, and whatever you face.

God bless you!

Why was Bishop Curry's sermon so effective? What could we learn?

This is an immediate response to the brilliant sermon by Bishop Michael Curry preached today at the Royal wedding between Harry and Meghan, Saturday 19 May, 2018.

Quick note: in making observations about this sermon I am *not* suggesting all preachers should imitate Bishop Curry. This would be catastrophic - but I do think he uses some techniques and methods that ensure his message is engaging.

In no particular order:

He engages the congregation: he asks them how they travelled to the ceremony, he gets them to focus on the couple, he encourages people to recall falling in love for themselves.

More than that, he engages their imagination. He instructs people to imagine what the world might be like if we were ruled by love - and extends this to engage people's empathy when referring to hunger and poverty. When he asks us to imagine the earth as a sanctuary he is helping us dream a little. This is a powerful tool - to engage people's imagination!

Of course, in imagining a better world he was required to admit the world's failings. Bishop Curry didn't shy away from the need for justice in the world. It is my contention that when we preach there has to be a focus on the fruit - 'what impact would it have if we take seriously this or that message?' He didn't simply say, "isn't love nice!" but asked us to rise to the challenge. How might we as preachers provide a note of application, of challenge, even at a wedding.

Bishop Curry exhibits unapologetic confidence that his belief in Jesus and God is a) real and b) exciting. This confidence and passion creates that strange thing called 'authority.' Bishop Curry has no real 'power' to speak into anyone's life. He's a peddler of dangerous myths to some. But when preachers take their faith seriously and speak about it with confidence, I believe something mysteriously grace-filled happens in that moment and a person "demands" our attention. Let us not forget that we have these moments given to us, at funerals and weddings, we too can speak with confidence, with comfort, with challenge.

Naturally (as I observed), passion induces some people to laughter. Though, he didn't appear to care what people thought. It was just as fascinating watching the vsrious responses across the congregation. The beaming choristers in one shot, a mouth slightly agape, the (handsome) smile of David Beckham at the mention of family and a glance to his right, the fixed gaze of others on Bishop Curry, and yes, the smiles of embarassed amusement by others...(that's how I read it). And we shouldn't be surprised. This was not a sermon of erudition and deep philosophy (although that's not really true - we had MLK, Telhard de Chardin, and Jesus). Rather this passionate homily came from the heart. There was, as a result, something vaguely foolish about Bishop Curry. Not that he would have cared - and this sense of unguardedness was brilliant. Doubtless some will think him uncouth, lacking decorum, of not being suitably 'reverent.' What was evident was his captivitiy to the message and the author of that message. And it was certainly not about him. When we worry about what people will think of us when making choices in preaching I think we forfeit something...

Not that all the laughter was mocking, a good deal of it (in fact, most of it) was a result of a good healthy dose of humour on Bishop Curry's part. Some of us descend into clownish behaviour, while others believe it undignified to deign to use humour. My sense is that, just like Jesus, there was a balanced, helpful and engaging use of humour.

This humour and confidence (not least in the strength of his voice), were also allied to superb body language. He'd clearly committed much of the message to memory (though I need to stress that I am currently a STRONG advocate of scripted sermons to aid clarity and focus).This freedom from reading, meant that Bishop Curry was physical, not least in the way he constantly turned around to ensure he could look at everyone - even the chap behind him! Brilliant. Public speakers must do all they can to lift their eyes to the back row, to the sides, to the choir behind...try and look at people. I am sure Jesus would have looked in people's eyes. Not that an appearance of freewheeling implies either no preparation or no script: quite the contrrary I expect. This was a well thought through sermon.

Finally, the sermon depended on a strong sense of image. He latched on two words: LOVE and FIRE. This was a wedding sermon and those of us who have the privilege of preaching at a wedding should be inspired by Bishop Curry. Yes there were rhetorical flourishes (did you notice his alliterative opening prayer?), public speaking techniques, but a sermon must still be reduced to the words spoken. Bishop Curry was not ambiguous about his theme - Love and Fire. I so enjoyed the way he spoke of Jesus setting the challenge of the two commandments - the way he spoke of loving God and loving neighbour. Didn't it grip your heart? Isn't that ultimately what a good sermon does? 

It would be easy for us to regard this sermon as a victory for the church, for Bishop Curry, for preaching in general - but that, of course, would miss the point. The strength of this sermon was it's message: we were made by God, who is love, and if we are his children we should love our brothers and sisters, and love God - that is what makes life work, what might life pleasant and rewarding for all.

What do you think? Did this sermon hit the mark, or was it a lot of hot air?

Lent through Joel 1: First things first, Christian, its all about the heart, all of it.

Yesterday (yes, I know...typical tardiness) was Ash Wednesday. Rather surprisingly, I was asked to preach at the Ashing service.

Well actually, I was asked to offer a short reflection.

So I really shouldn't have rolled my sleeves up (metaphorically) to do some actual investigation of the text. I chose to preach on Joel 2:1-2, 12-17.

As I lay in bed this morning, contemplating the rest of Lent, I was struck that there really was so much I had wanted to say, but couldn't even hint at, let alone say.

So I've decided to try and extend my reflection on Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 across the forty days of Lent. Each day I will explore, briefly, another aspect of this reading and what it might say to us as we journey through Lent.

So here goes...ready?

God doesn't want part of your heart, he wants it all. You are to be wholehearted.

As I lay awake in bed on Tuesday evening, having drafted my sermon, in those few moments before I drift off to sleep, and that's genuinely about a minute normally, I felt a prompt deep within me that I had "missed the point."

Sure, I'd noticed that God speaks directly, in the first person, only in verse 12 of Joel 2.

"Even now, return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning."

Now as it was Ash Wednesday two things had preoccupied me: the idea of a return, and the combination of prayer-aids (fasting/weeping/mourning). But it was as if God told me to re-read the sentence. I was planning on saying, "God wants your heart."

But that's not what it says - unfortunately.

That would have made the call very fitting for Valentine's Day. When so much money is spent by couples on gifts and meals, while constantly holding back some of their heart, awaiting a better option, another heart to pursue. (Not all I appreciate!)

It's easy to give some of your heart. To be part time, to offer some commitment.

But God is patiently asking for nothing less than all our hearts.

And that is why I need Lent.

There are parts of my heart I don't want to give God, sins I cherish and cling to, attitudes of self-righteousness that allow me to justify my moods and tempers. I even use some religious habits to protect me from really giving myself to God.

Lent then is the season of the year where we step into a wilderness, we try to wean ourselves off those things that seek to control or dominate. We acknowledge the things that have a piece of our heart.

I think Joel offers some insights into how we might do this. Perhaps you'll accompany me as we work through this call to return to God with all our hearts.

Christian, ever feel lost? Worried no-one is singing for you? [Blog]

If, like me, you grew up in a Church Culture that emphasised the need to 'make a decision' for Jesus, or 'come to faith, or 'turn to Christ,' you may have a particular blind spot to something that really arrested me this morning.

As I checked my Lectionary (calendar of readings for the year), I was taken to Luke 15. Immediately, my heart sank a little: the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin (Luke 15:1-10). I feel like this has been preached at me dozens and dozens of times (it may of course be that I imagine this has happened!). In my childhood the purpose of this parable was simple: it illustrates that we must repent, for that is when the angels in heaven will be singing. As Jesus says, "there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent." And later, "there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (vv.7, 10)

And that's the deal, yeah?

When a person prays the prayer, or comes to faith, or responds to the altar call, when they do that for the first time - the angels are rejoicing.

It's like heaven is a huge office with angels and the like beavering about on the phone, and every once in a while there's this cry, "Hold one everyone! Yes...we've just heard news, Terry has become a Christian!" And there's these whoops and cheers as the counter ticks over one more number. And some office intern hits a button and this choir is revealed to sing the Hallelujah Chorus, but is quickly ushered away back behind a curtain.

(Now please don't mistake me - Heaven and Earth care about individuals coming to faith - we're in the business of encouraging people to come to God, come to

Jesus, come to life. And this does require decisions.)

However, and here's my point: if the parable refers only to starting faith, what relevance does it have for me?

Perhaps, just perhaps, Jesus is reminding me that every time in my daily life I repent, I turn from one way of thinking, acting, behaving, and I recommit to a life as God's child - not my own master - whenever I do this, whenever I repent - there is rejoicing in heaven.

Heaven delights when it sees us following Jesus. This is why the angels are forever singing - there are Christians all over the world at this very moment rededicating themselves.

But it is not as though this praise is simply a recognition of my work. They don't sing praises to me, as if they go, "well done Rolf, you've chosen the right path again!" In fact, it is God who says that, like a parent - but it's much MUCH more about the angels delighting in the one who sought me out - the Shepherd or the Woman who lost her coins.

The praise in heaven is simultaneously about the Lover and the Loved - the Shepherd and the Sheep.

Be encouraged this day, that the angels and heaven delight and sing praises to God whenever and wherever you repent and turn back to Christ. You are never too lost or too broken - you are always being sought and loved by God.

Do you celebrate Saints' Days?

Do you celebrate Saints' Days?

Now it seems to me there'll be one of three possible responses to this question:
- A shrug of complete indifference...Saints whats??
- A whole-hearted embracing of all things saintly, including devotion and prayers to Saints, or
- A robust refusal marked by a clear appeal to Christ the only mediator, etc etc...

Why should this matter?

Well one feature of Anglicanism I have come to appreciate over the years is the calendar of saints days, holy days, commemorations and special days of focus.

I've written elsewhere of my deep admiration of various saints (Hugh of Lincoln, Henry Martyn, Charles Simeon...) but whilst enjoying the kind of 'who's who,' I've always struggled to understand what their role is in worship.

Today, 28 October, we celebrate Simon and Jude, Disciples and Apostles listed in the Gospels as two of the twelve closest companions of Jesus. While there was certainly a wider retinue of disciples and supporters who travelled around with Jesus, something different took place in the relationship with Jesus and his 12 Apostles.

On these Festival days we are encouraged to remember the sacrifice of the Apostles. Of the twelve original Disciples we know one, Judas Iscariot, committed suicide. According to tradition, only John survived to old age. Each of the other ten Disciples were martyred - killed for their faith.

These ordinary men from diverse backgrounds were so convinced of the Lordship of Jesus, that he had not only died but had risen from the dead, so convinced of God's love for the world that they went (allegedly) to different regions to preach the Good News.

Of today's saints, Simon, who is described as 'the Zealot', is believed to have died in Persia after refusing to sacrifice to the sun god.

Judas, sometimes called Thaddeus or Judas Thaddeus, has often been over-looked in devotions. His name being similar to Judas Iscariot (who betrayed Jesus - hence the suicide), people were reluctant to invoke his name. When he was prayed to it was often as a last resort. Hence the custom that one prays to St Jude to find lost items for he is the patron saint of lost causes! According to tradition, Jude was martyred in Beirut around 65AD together with the Apostle Simon the Zealot. He's depicted carrying an axe - the object that killed him!

Here of course, is revealed a problem with these traditions: conflicting accounts of where and how Apostles died. Did Simon die in Persia or Syria?

Of course, we cannot know with any certainty. Nor indeed can we speculate with confidence about their current location. Some believe the saints are in God's very presence now, while we toil below. Others see saints as no more special than any other human and are, therefore, very much dead and buried until the final days when we will all be raised. For the latter group, praying to saints is ineffective - they cannot intercede on our behalf. For the former, the opposite is true.

Here is not the place to explore this theological conundrum, except to say that in my own devotions I have grown comfortable praying about the saints. I am frequently moved and inspired by the stories of lives given in service of God. Many of these individuals were not inherently special, just ordinary.

The Apostles were probably the most normal, ordinary unremarkable bunch compared to almost every saint that follows - not least as they laid down the template of loving service.

So what?

Well, firstly, let us pay particular attention to the Saints' Days of the Apostles scattered through the year:

1 May - Philip and James (the less)
29 Jun - Peter (and Paul)
3 Jul - Thomas
25 Jul - James (brother of John)
24 Aug - Bartholomew
21 Sep - Matthew
28 Oct - Simon (the Zealot) and Jude
30 Nov - Andrew
27 Dec - John (brother of James)

Don't forget, Judas Iscariot, the twelfth disciple, doesn't have a day, and (yes) there are other 'Apostles' who are celebrated through the year, but these eleven are the original crew!

Secondly, use these days for whatever helps you remember their sacrifice. As these are festivals you may even want to develop little traditions that help you keep their memory vivid for the day. Be joyful and celebrate. Find some food that can help you? Or maybe visit churches with the name of the saint?

I enjoy tagging all my friends on Facebook  with the names of the Apostles - it can generate some interesting conversations!

Thirdly, and finally, it is important to use these days of celebration to fuel our own service. The collects (special prayers for the day, pronounced "COL-ect") help me.

Today's is:

Almighty God,who built your Church upon the foundationof the apostles and prophets,with Jesus Christ himself as the chief cornerstone:so join us together in unity of spirit by their doctrine,that we may be made a holy temple acceptable to you;through Jesus Christ our Lord.Amen.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of  witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

Hebrews 12:1