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Welcome to the Forest Parish

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​A Place of Hearth, Home, and Holy Ground ​ Dear friends in Christ, ​Welcome to this clearing in the woods. Just as the forest offers shelter to all and the hearth provides warmth to the weary, I hope this space serves as a sanctuary for your spirit. ​There are many voices in the world, but here is the rhythm of my own heart and ministry—a way of life rooted in the ancient soil of the Gospel and the quiet light of the home fire. ​The Three Great Trees: A Foundation of Faith ​In my journey, three truths stand like ancient oaks, providing shelter and strength: ​ The Living Word: Jesus Christ is God manifest in the flesh. Apart from Him, the true God cannot be fully known. In Jesus, we see the face of a God who is Love, and whose Gospel is the path of Peace. ​ The Gift of Grace: Salvation is found by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for the glory of God alone. Like the rain that falls on the forest floor, grace is a gift—unearned, refreshing, and life-giving. ​ T...
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Bible Verses for Lent

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Used with kind permission from Included by Grace
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The Morning Star: How One Man Brought the Gospel Out of the Dark Part 2 of 2

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Summary:  In 1384 Wycliffe published a tract called The Seven Deadly Sins. Among the sins John Wycliffe examines envy, anger, and sloth as they corrupt the three parts of the Church — priests, noblemen, and common laborers. He argues that envy destroys love and unity within the Church, that sinful anger (rooted in pride) leads men to war and violence in direct contradiction to Christ's law of patience and peace, and that sloth in God's service opens the door to every other vice. Notably, Wycliffe takes a bold pacifist stand, contending that warfare under the New Covenant is unlawful unless directly commanded by God, and that Christ's kingdom advances not through the sword but through love, suffering, and the faithful preaching of the Gospel. Devotion:   Wycliffe wrote these words more than six centuries ago, yet they cut with startling freshness against our own age. He saw clearly what we so easily forget — that envy blinds us, anger enslaves us, and idleness em...
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The Morning Star: How One Man Brought the Gospel Out of the Dark Part 1 of 2

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Summary:  John Wycliffe was known as the "Morning Star of the Reformation". The biblical background of the title "Morning Star" — is it was applied both to Satan in Isaiah 14:12 and to Jesus Christ in Revelation 22:16. Wycliffe had a historical role in restoring the gospel to the church in the centuries before the Protestant Reformation. Devotion:  The same title — Morning Star — belongs both to the one who fell in prideful rebellion and to the one who descended in humble redemption. What a striking contrast Scripture sets before us. Satan grasped at glory and was cast down; Christ, who possessed all glory, poured Himself out to lift us up. John Wycliffe, called the "Morning Star of the Reformation," was a man who pointed others toward that true Light in a dark age when the gospel had been buried under tradition and corruption. Like all faithful servants, his greatness lay not in shining for himself, but in reflecting the brilliance of the true Morning Sta...
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🌟 Week 5 Evidence Checklist

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Mencap Bronze Gateway Sunday check-in  — a quick 5-minute review of this week's evidence across all five areas. Here's what was captured for Week 5! 1 · Volunteering Walk for Autism 🦶 Evidence required:   2 · Fitness Nature Walk 🌿 Evidence required:   3 · Hobby The Digital Parish & Daily Office 🙏 Activity:  Daily prayer using the Northumbria Community Office, with reflections documented here on the blog. Today's morning meditation from Northumbria Community:  "Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the boredom and pain of it no less than in the excitement and gladness: touch, taste, smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace." (Frederick Buechner) This practice combines spiritual routine with creative writing — a meaningful double contribution to the Gateway. 4 · Personal Challenge Submitted ✅ + Bonus...
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A 175-Year-Old Question Worth Sitting With: What Does the Bible Really Say About War?

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Summary:  Written in 1849 by Rev. Amos Dresser, The Bible Against War is a thorough biblical and moral argument that all war — offensive or defensive — is incompatible with Christian teaching. Dresser contends that the Old Testament wars of Israel were not divine endorsements of violence but rather consequences of Israel's lack of faith, since God repeatedly promised to fight for his people if they would simply trust him and hold their peace. Drawing on the prophets, the teachings of Christ, the example of the early church, and the horrific human cost of war throughout history, Dresser argues that the gospel of peace, centred on Christ the Prince of Peace, leaves no room for Christians to justify taking human life under any military pretext. He also methodically addresses common objections such as Romans 13, concluding that submission to governing authorities does not require participation in war. Devotion:   "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called c...
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Ash Wednesday: Dust and Breath

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Ash Wednesday, 2026 Today many churches mark the start of Lent. They put ashes on people's foreheads in the shape of a cross. They say: "Remember you are dust, and to dust you will return." Not everyone does this. Some Christians don't celebrate Lent at all. Some people find the ashes too much. Maybe it feels too busy, too public, or just not right for them. If Ash Wednesday feels like too much for you — that's okay. You don't need ashes on your forehead to know God loves you. But whether you do this today or not, there's something old and beautiful in this tradition. It's about being dust and being loved at the same time. The Tau Mark:   God Saves His People Long ago in the Old Testament, God showed the prophet Ezekiel a vision. Bad things were coming to Jerusalem. But before anything bad happened, God told an angel to do something important: Ezekiel 9:4 (Easy English Bible): "Go through Jerusalem city. Go among the people. Make a mar...
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Where do you love to get steps in?

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Sponsors welcome! 
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