Those of you that know me are aware that in May last year I spent a week on retreat at the Northumberland Community. There for the first time in a while I felt I truly connected with God again and got lots of stuff sorted. In particular it was the mix of space, contemplation, liturgy all mixed with everyday living that I found some resonance with.

The interesting thing for me is that 14 months on I am still following the daily office prayer book which I bought while with the community. For me to stick at any set method for so long is a mini-miracle in itself. I still find it the way for me to connect with God at the start and end of each day and so I will continue to use it until I need to find something else.

This week the reflections have been around the concept of heaven. The start of the week looked at Revelation 21 and was drawing out the thought that John here is pulling out the idea that the picture of a city without a church is his image of heaven. That thought kind of grabbed me and others I know with a little smile. The city of heaven will have no church.

If heaven is a city, the life of those going there must be a real life. Christ’s gift to us was an abundant life, not rules, or dreams or conditions. He gave us an abundant life that was meant for living! Lets get out there and live now!