'Be encouraged by Bishop Emma's advice and inspired by her wisdom and humour.' JUSTIN WELBY, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY Counting things is very much on the table at the moment. But what is the theology around notions of ambition and success? Why do they sit so uncomfortably in a Christian context? After all, growth is not the preserve of big business when viewed through the lens of the story of God and his people. So, we need to ask, what is right about ambition for the Christian leader? And what were Jesus' views? Inevitably (because everything interesting is paradoxical), success and failure are close bedfellows. The single most successful event in the history of humankind - the victory of love over sin and death - looked very much like one man, naked, shamed and abandoned by most of his followers, hanging on a cross. If we keep a vision of the Kingdom of God at the centre of all we do, we cannot go far wrong. This lively and liberating book includes a brilliant take on Jesus' teaching in 'The Beatitudes for Ambitious Leaders'. Here Emma Ineson describes key spiritual dispositions that will enable us - whether in the church or living out our vocation elsewhere - to do just that.

'A superb book on failure . . . humorous, realistic and absolutely not judgemental.' JUSTIN WELBY In 2019, Emma Ineson wrote about ambition and what it means for Christians to be successful. And then there was a global pandemic . . . Suddenly failure began to feel very much more familiar than success. But what is failure? What did Jesus think of it? What did he say about sin, mistakes and generally mucking things up? At the start of this wonderfully humorous and encouraging book - which will end at the cross - it's suggested that our tendency to lump all kinds of failure together could be a bit unhelpful. A more nuanced understanding of what sort of failure we're dealing with might just allow us to make friends with it and respond more appropriately. This idea leads us 'Towards an (Imperfect) Theology of Failure', based on key Christian thinking, and Emma poses the question of whether sin is an individual or corporate thing. Looking at the church, we consider, what is God's purpose for it? And in the light of key concerns such as safeguarding and racial justice, how might we re-examine concepts of success and recognize and measure failure? As the book draws to an end, we are reminded of our calling to live life to the full, to take risks despite our fears. We are bound sometimes to fail! Yet gazing at Jesus - who looked like the greatest failure of all - we may discern in the heartache, vulnerability and humility of failure, the glory of the cross. Failure was the 2023 Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book and Big Church Read for Lent.

Reflections for Daily Prayer is a highly valued daily Bible companion based on the Common Worship Lectionary. Each day, Monday to Saturday, some of the very best writers from across the Anglican tradition offer insightful, informed and inspiring reflections on one of the day’s readings for Morning Prayer. Their reflections will appeal to anyone who values both the companionship of daily Bible notes and the structure of the Lectionary. For every day (excluding Sundays) of the 2015/16 church year, there are full references and a quotation from the day’s set of Scripture readings, a concise but challenging commentary on the readings and a collect. In addition, the book includes a simple order for morning and night prayer, an introduction to the practice of daily prayer by Bishop John Pritchard and a guide to reading the Bible reflectively by Bishop Stephen Cottrell.

'A superb book on failure . . . humorous, realistic and absolutely not judgemental.' JUSTIN WELBY In 2019, Emma Ineson wrote about ambition and what it means for Christians to be successful. And then there was a global pandemic . . . Suddenly failure began to feel very much more familiar than success. But what is failure? What did Jesus think of it? What did he say about sin, mistakes and generally mucking things up? At the start of this wonderfully humorous and encouraging book - which will end at the cross - it's suggested that our tendency to lump all kinds of failure together could be a bit unhelpful. A more nuanced understanding of what sort of failure we're dealing with might just allow us to make friends with it and respond more appropriately. This idea leads us 'Towards an (Imperfect) Theology of Failure', based on key Christian thinking, and Emma poses the question of whether sin is an individual or corporate thing. Looking at the church, we consider, what is God's purpose for it? And in the light of key concerns such as safeguarding and racial justice, how might we re-examine concepts of success and recognize and measure failure? As the book draws to an end, we are reminded of our calling to live life to the full, to take risks despite our fears. We are bound sometimes to fail! Yet gazing at Jesus - who looked like the greatest failure of all - we may discern in the heartache, vulnerability and humility of failure, the glory of the cross. Failure was the 2023 Archbishop of Canterbury's Lent Book.

Why are we all so busy? So frequently exhausted? This common 21st century complaint affects the church no less than everyone else. What, then, has happened to 'the peace of God which passes all understanding'? What is it in our culture which makes it so difficult to find God even, sometimes, in the church? And how might it be different? Authors Mat and Emma Ineson address these questions with an urgency that comes from their own experience as busy Christian professionals and parents of young children. They are Chaplains at Lee Abbey, a Christian holiday and retreat centre in the North Devon coast run by a community of 100 people from 20 different nationalities. They job share the Chaplaincy and the care of their young children, having also shared their first curacy, the first couple in the Sheffield Diocese to do so. The answer to the tyranny of 'busy-ness' is not necessarily to 'do' less but to be aware of God's calling in the busyness. Spiritual life is not an 'add-on', causing more guilt and pressure, but part of everyday life. If each of us is following our God given vocation, say the authors, we will find God in the midst of it all. Increased partnership and better communication between the sexes could be the key to unravelling the stress. 'The aim of the book is to help men and women (married and single, employed and not employed, clergy and lay) together to engage critically with our culture so as to find God's priorities for every aspect of our lives and find ways of seeking him in the everyday.' The authors write with theological integrity and plenty of humour, not forgetting the need for practical guidelines and exercises which can be followed by either individuals or church groups.

Celebrating Community traces the history of Lee Abbey, a community founded in Devon in 1946. Now a nationwide movement, the community’s mission and calling is to share Christ through relationships, through practising community living, reaching out to others, playing a distinctive part in renewing and serving the church, and developing a deeper relationship with God. What do we mean when we speak of ‘community’? For Christians, community is not an optional extra but God’s intention for his people. It isn’t just a new buzzword, or a good strategy for church growth or a new way of doing church, although it may be all those things. Community begins in the heart and very nature of God, in the three persons of the Trinity relating to each other, and calling us into relationship. It lies at the centre of what we are seeking to do when we come together as ‘church’. But community living is not necessarily easy; it can be a costly adventure. Here, past and present members of the Lee Abbey network share their experiences of the realities of community life – its joys and challenges. Their stories show us in practical and real ways how community living, with all its risks, can truly be God’s gift to today’s world.

Dust and Glory is the Church of England's Lent campaign for 2023. Offering 40 daily reflections for Lent on faith, failure and forgiveness, it invites you to find God in the mess of everyday life.Each week it considers the idea of failure from a different angle and explores the difference God's redeeming work in Jesus makes to the struggles and shortcomings of human life. This booklet offers daily Bible readings, short reflections, prayers and practical ideas to help you make sense of life's challenges and draw closer to God during Lent.