Joe intros a "dropping down dead" episode in Acts with paintings of Churchill and Cromwell and the subjects' respective responses of "where's the respect?" and "where are the warts?". The gospel is either all or nothing - so Luke shares an unvarnished retelling of what actually happened with Ananias and Sapphira; Joe invites us to be similarly honest with how we treat God and one another as we journey together - take this seriously.

Joe completes the vision series fed from John 15 (for now) with a call to steadfastness. Our pattern to follow is a person - Jesus - what would he do if he were living my life now? We should expect to be pruned and cleaned and to be better for it - in time bearing much fruit. All Souls is doing discipleship together - join in - we're for everyone.

"Anchor and role model" was how the Queen described Jesus.

Joe looks back on his own life to ask: if I'm not like Jesus now is transformation possible? His realisation is that "yes" but it is also inevitable that we will constantly be formed by what is around us. What we believe matters. Our habits shape who we become - even something us innocent as drinking tea(!). Parents know well that those who surround us - so it's relationship too and then it's also our environment; home shapes us. Look at your own life and what is shaping you today.

Joe starts by reflecting on the life of the Queen and her living with Jesus, like Jesus and for Jesus.

The only guidance Jesus gives in today's passage is "remain" with me. Proximity is key. Don't go your own way - like Adam and Eve - but be "in his dust". This is where the Holy Spirit comes in - making God accessible everywhere. "Habit eats will power for breakfast" so we need to practice his presence through disciplines (silence, solitude, prayer, fasting, meditation, rest, simplicity, walking, community, etc.)... do less to be more - make room for God and tune in for more next week.

Introducing this 4-week series Joe asks us to consider the moon's relationship to the earth, our relationship to God (here and now), a Jewish rabbi's relationship to his disciples (there and then) and Jesus's relationship to his apprentices (always and everywhere). Are we becoming apprentices - being with him, learning from him and doing what he does - or remaining observers?

Joe starts this Summer series with a reminder of our imperfections and the opportunities we have to press the reset button and try again. Today's passage is a reset for Simon Peter, after his thrice denial, with the simple and deep encouragement to "follow me". Joe encourages us to similarly reflect and restart.

Joe recaps the series so far, lays out post Summer intentions and revisits what it means to be Jesus in our today. What's the point of a one-off act if it doesn't change the big picture? Joe looks at gun crime in the US - including this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9-IYiQjWD4 - to see one radical response to a familiar challenge. He then recalls a "Bridge of Spies" type swap of grandparents with grandchildren during early Covid times as another "foretaste of the future" example. "Now but not yet" is a hard but necessary place for us be and live prophetically.

Joe shares two tales from his week (involving a toffee latte and a hit-and-run incident) to relate to Peter's encounter with a lame man and a consequent crowd. After a quick recap of the "Gathered" series so far Joe highlights how Peter - once fearful of a mob - seized an opportunity to point people, given cause to pause by an unexpected happening, to Jesus. Would we do likewise?

Rachel goes back to questions in Genesis to consider our relationships with God and each other and mentions how in Exodus answers were encapsulated in the 10 commandments. She then zips us forward to Acts 2 and the power at Pentecost - when Jesus's vine of relationships accelerated outwards into a new community of believers - reflecting God's heart for humanity. That was then, this is now - what does it mean to be with one another, gathered and sent out today?

Joe continues the series with part 3 of 'Gathered' - looking at what lessons we can learn from the early church in thebook of Acts.