Dr Julie Gittoes
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Dr Julie Gittoes
@juliegittoes.bsky.social
700 followers 330 following 400 posts
An Anglican priest & theologian who makes time for art, novels, film, politics, and good coffee. Views my own. http://juliegittoes.blogspot.co.uk
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Dr Julie Gittoes @juliegittoes.bsky.social · 28d
Popping on here to share (albeit belatedly) a bit of #advent #hope & #joy Our choir has produced an #adventcalendar - some classics, beautiful arrangements & pieces written by our director of music: here’s the link to the play list - enjoy and share!
youtube.com/playlist?lis...
Advent Carols 2025 - YouTube
Five years ago during the Covid lockdown, when it wasn't possible for people to congregate and sing carols, the Choir of St Mary's Hendon put together an onl...
youtube.com
juliegittoes.bsky.social
My #adventcandle today: the light burning above the crib scene - the light shines in rhe darkness and rhe darkness does not overcome it #christmas
The final section of an advent candle - with a wine bottle used as a candle holder: the wick burns just about the image of the crib with Mary, Joseph and the Christ child
December 25, 2025 at 10:25 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
Christmas in Hendon: worship - from care home carols to crib service, midnight mass to Christmas Day - followed by post-church-post-pub walk #ChristmasDay
A close up of the wooden crib at St Mary’s- Mary and Joseph either side of the Christ child with the donkey and cow in the background Some candles burning on a votive stand The view of St Mary’s Hendon from across the church yard - including the tower with the weather vane A bare branched tree in sunny hill park against a blue sky
December 25, 2025 at 10:22 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
Nadolig Llawen!
#clergymaltclub #nadoligllawen #happychristmas
A mini Christmas tree with lights in the background - partly reflected in a mirror - with a glass of Penderyn malt in a glass in the foreground
December 25, 2025 at 1:45 AM
Reposted by Dr Julie Gittoes
churchofengland.org
Jesus Christ is always at the centre of Christmas. And everyone's invited to experience it with us.

Come and celebrate Christmas at a church near you.

Find services and events in your local community at AChurchNearYou.com/christmas.
December 12, 2025 at 12:01 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
Popping on here to share (albeit belatedly) a bit of #advent #hope & #joy Our choir has produced an #adventcalendar - some classics, beautiful arrangements & pieces written by our director of music: here’s the link to the play list - enjoy and share!
youtube.com/playlist?lis...
Advent Carols 2025 - YouTube
Five years ago during the Covid lockdown, when it wasn't possible for people to congregate and sing carols, the Choir of St Mary's Hendon put together an onl...
youtube.com
December 13, 2025 at 9:26 AM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
From a couple of weeks ago: entertaining angels unawares - #courage and #hospitality, #listening and #hope. With a h/t to my colleague Al in Hodge Hill - and his community engagement with protestors & asylum seekers

juliegittoes.blogspot.com/2025/09/ente...
Entertaining angels unawares
31st August, Trinity 11: Jeremiah 2:4-13, Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 and Luke 14:1, 7-14 At Evensong, I revisited some themes in this sermon th...
juliegittoes.blogspot.com
September 13, 2025 at 12:24 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
#Bart #TheSimpsons #StBartholowmew #RowanWilliams #grace - last week’s sermon juliegittoes.blogspot.com/2025/08/bart...
Bart - self-delusion and grace
24 August - St Bartholomew: Isaiah 43:8-13, Acts 5:12-16 and Luke 22:24-30 Some years ago, Rowan Williams made headlines for sharing his l...
juliegittoes.blogspot.com
August 30, 2025 at 12:41 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
Been a bit absent here one way or another - less time on social media in general, but getting back to some #tinyjoys it’s pick your own dahlias season at Finchley Nursery: carefully wrapped and now on mantelpiece #tinyjoy #dahlias
Some freshly cut dahlias - wrapped in paper: flowers in yellow, shades of orange and red, petals overlapping as they’re held together in a wrapping. Dahlias placed in mug - photo from above on a wooden table. The blooms are red, in the centre, surrounded by yellows, oranges and very pale pink; plus purple and light orange. The shapes and sizes of the petals vary
July 28, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Reposted by Dr Julie Gittoes
benmfulford.bsky.social
Realising I have got the stage of reposting these insights out of sheer frustration that no-one in No 10 seems to be paying attention and shifting strategy.
dylandifford.bsky.social Dylan Difford @dylandifford.bsky.social · May 4
Another thing about this - often ignored - is that not just are Labour already losing a higher % of voters to LD/Grn than to Ref, but a much higher % of the potential Reform defectors have defected than potential LD/Grn defectors. Future pain is not going to come from Reform.
josiahmortimer.bsky.social Josiah Mortimer @josiahmortimer.bsky.social · May 4
"Since the election, Labour has lost more than three times as many voters to the Lib Dems as to Reform" (Rachel Sylvester writes in the Observer today).

They don't act like they are concerned about *those* lost votes
May 4, 2025 at 7:30 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
Last week, I took myself off to Kenwood House because I’d been told that the rhododendron were amazing - absolutely popping with colour #kenwoodhouse #rhododendron #colour #tinyjoys
The rhododendron at Kenwood House - several beds of plants in flower: reds, pinks and oranges. Set against the backdrop of neatly mown lawns, mature trees and blue sky
May 5, 2025 at 12:08 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
The most precious thing - sermon from the start if #passiontide #anointing juliegittoes.blogspot.com/2025/04/the-...
The most precious thing
Sunday, 6 April, Passiontide: Isaiah 43: 16-21, Philippians 3:4b-14  and John 12:1-8 What is most precious is often most fragile. Our worl...
juliegittoes.blogspot.com
April 26, 2025 at 1:51 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
Obsessed with these rainbow tulips at the moment - bought them reduced price which was a bonus! #tinyjoys #tulips
A mug with pink stripes in various shades on a white shelf - containing some rainbow tulips against a red wall. The tulips are yellow, red, orange and purple.
April 24, 2025 at 5:29 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
The glow of light through these windows is aways feels like hope and consolation - knowing that prayer, worship, witness and community life have been nurtured in this place for a 1000 years! #tinyjoys #hope St Mary’s Hendon
The south windows of St Mary’s glowing with light just as it fell dark - windows are plain glass set in whitewashed walls (the tower and flag just visible).
April 24, 2025 at 5:26 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
Got home after a run - ready to settle down with MOJO’s interview with Jarvis Cocker whilst listening to the cover CD - and Pulp’s new single “Spike Island” was on radio 2. #EasterMondayTreat #Pulp
A screenshot from BBC sounds - with the Radio 2 logo - Richie Anderson sitting in for Sara Cox with an image of Pulp’s Spike Island single The cover of the latest MOJO magazine with a photo of Jarvis Cocker and a CD entitled “forty odd years”.
April 21, 2025 at 4:50 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
May Pope Francis rest in peace. On Easter Day he spoke of the resurrection of Jesus as the basis of the renewal of hope that peace is possible - evil no longer has the upper hand: “Love has triumphed over hatred, light over darkness and truth over falsehood. Forgiveness has triumphed over revenge.”
"Urbi et Orbi" - Easter 2025 | Francis
Urbi Et Orbi Message of His Holiness Pope Francis - Easter 2025
www.vatican.va
April 21, 2025 at 9:20 AM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
#HolyWeek in images.

From Friday’s performance of “The Messiah”, to #PalmSunday liturgies and “Time for Jesus” in the evening: moving and intense start to Holy Week.
The high altar at St Mary’s with a red frontal with palm branches in front of it - a cross with a purple robe draped over it and a crown of thorns stands on the foreground
April 19, 2025 at 8:39 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
Taken after evensong last night. The glow of candles in the stillness and beauty of this ancient place where we add our praise & prayer to those which have echoed down the centuries. Our stories held within God’s story. This is precious. There is consolation in this #sacredspace #tinyjoys
The inside of St Mary’s church in Hendon taken after evensong. The lights have been turned off so it’s lit by the glow of candle light alone. You can see the outline of the pulpit and chairs, the medieval arches and the small windows above.
February 24, 2025 at 2:55 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
Some moments from this week - #tinyjoys if you will. I saw my spiritual director and spotted this apt linocut: “A Kind of Prayer” by David Frazer. It kinda reminded me of my dad who used to kneel at his bed to pray before sleep
A Kind of Prayer by David Frazer. It depicts a man kneeling on what looks likes pebbly beach. We see the soles of his feet - his clothes baggy and head bent forward. Lots of horizontal lines make up the sea or sky
February 1, 2025 at 11:49 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
Some images of this week beginning with a view from the northern line: it’s much maligned but most of the time an effective bit of TfL. Beautiful sunset the tube emerged from
the tunnel at Golders Green #tinyjoys #northlondon
Sunset through the clouds - yellows, pinks, oranges and purples - with trees in the foreground. Taken from northern line tube train window Sunset through the clouds again - minutes later so less yellow and more pinks and purples - with buildings and cranes in mid ground. Taken from northern line tube train window
January 24, 2025 at 3:56 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
A mug of daffodils #tinyjoy
A blue mug with some unopened daffodils with seashells in the background and a window looking out onto trees
January 13, 2025 at 4:09 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
A worth while long read @madsdavies.bsky.social offering a nuanced reflection.
madsdavies.bsky.social madsdavies.bsky.social @madsdavies.bsky.social · Jan 10
I have a long read this week, looking back at Justin Welby's time as Archbishop of Canterbury. Quite hard to summarise an eventful 12 years. I'm sure others would have different emphases or readings
www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/202...
Justin Welby: his time as Archbishop of Canterbury
Madeleine Davies looks back over the Welby years
www.churchtimes.co.uk
January 13, 2025 at 4:01 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
Today’s been the epitome of “the net of alien, sword-set beauty” [Rowan’s poem, Advent, in Epiphaytide] #frost
A photo montage of sunrise across a frosty garden with bare trees on the left and frost on autumn leaves and ivy leaves on the right
January 11, 2025 at 5:01 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
Short paper deadline SST is next week: a nudge to colleagues in church contexts as well as academy to submit a proposal re #church #theology #ministry It’s a rare space for conversation on topics from #mission to #ecumenism. Danny and I would love to hear from you.
Church, Theology and Ministry Convenors: Julie Gittoes and Danny Pegg This seminar provides space for participants to reflect on the life and ministry of the church - within a particular denomination or tradition or from the perspective of the development of ecclesiology as a doctrine. This might include work on ministerial practice and orders, questions relating to worship and witness or concern for mission or ecumenical relations. We particularly welcome papers from those in ministry, including ordinands, as well as students and those working within the academy from a variety of backgrounds. Selection criteria for abstracts: • Commitment to theological engagement with, and resourcing of, the life and ministry of the church; • Clarity of thesis as well as coherence and rigour of the argument; • Potential to contribute to the field through research and reflection on practice - including papers which are
January 4, 2025 at 11:00 AM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
This time last eeek ie as walking around a misty rec in Kington. A bit of a contrast today on a sunny/frosty morning in Hendon. Spent some time listening to birds - including watching this robin #tinyjoys
A stretch of green grass with a large bare tree in the for ground and a row of trees in the distance with a bright blue sky The grass of a park with a cluster of bare trees in the background. The sky is blue and cloudless Bare branches of a tree with a robin perched on one of them mid song
January 3, 2025 at 12:27 PM
juliegittoes.bsky.social
Photos from my kitchen window 24 hours apart: January days - come rain, come shine. Trying to maintain a discipline or habit of getting outside #tinyjoys
Bare winter trees with an evergreen shrub in the foreground and grey skies through a rainy window. Bare winter trees with an evergreen shrub in the foreground and blue skies through a window.
January 2, 2025 at 2:39 PM