Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.10, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Attention Seekers Learning to look. Looking to learn. ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://attentionseekers.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [The Kin-dom of God](https://attentionseekers.org/2026/04/the-kin-dom-of-god/) - In a world increasingly shaped by division and fear, what if the Church is called to tell a better story? Paul explores the Bible’s vision of the kin-dom of God—a new family drawn from every nation, reconciled in Christ, and called to live that future into the present. - [Spiritually Turned Out: an invitation to divine dance](https://attentionseekers.org/2026/03/spiritually-turned-out-an-invitation-to-divine-dance/) - Emma shares thoughts on how to move together, learning to be more in step with God. - [Sticks and stones](https://attentionseekers.org/2026/01/sticks-and-stones/) - Emma shares thoughts on how words shape us. - [The Ligament of Peace](https://attentionseekers.org/2026/01/the-ligament-of-peace/) - Peace, Paul suggests, is not glue that hides the cracks, but a ligament—stretching, straining, holding us together while we learn how to move again. - [Church in Three Dimensions | Part 1: Church as a Gift](https://attentionseekers.org/2026/01/church-in-three-dimensions-part-1-church-as-a-gift/) - The Church is both more fragile and more precious than we often admit. Perhaps that’s because it was never meant to be our project, but God’s gift. - [Christmas Trees: An Advent Journey | Part Two: Tender Hope for Fragile Lives](https://attentionseekers.org/2025/12/christmas-trees-an-advent-journey-part-2-tender-hope-for-fragile-lives/) - A reflection on the Hiroshima survivor trees, Isaiah’s “tender shoot,” and how hope grows quietly in dry ground — unnoticed, resilient, and alive. - [Christmas Trees: An Advent Journey | Part One: Hope for a World Cut Down](https://attentionseekers.org/2025/12/christmas-trees-an-advent-journey-part-one-hope-for-a-world-cut-down/) - In this first of three reflections for Advent, Paul considers what Advent means in a world that feels cut to the stump. Part 1 of 3: Hope for a World Cut Down If you look around at the world right now, optimism feels like a distant memory. At the turn of the millennium, many of - [Doomscrolling is Out. Enter the Newsnami.](https://attentionseekers.org/2025/05/doomscrolling-is-out-enter-the-newsnami/) - There's a lot of bad news out there. How do we stay afloat when the waves keep coming? - [Remember Who You Are](https://attentionseekers.org/2025/03/remember-who-you-are/) - Paul reflects on the paradox of Ash Wednesday, that we are both dust and beloved. - [A friend’s eye is a good mirror](https://attentionseekers.org/2025/03/a-friends-eye-is-a-good-mirror/) - Emma shares insights for churches in Ireland gleaned from paying attention to friends beyond these shores. - [Rumours of Light ](https://attentionseekers.org/2024/12/rumours-of-light/) - The opening of John’s gospel provides some of the richest poetry in all literature. As an erstwhile English teacher, I am drawn back time and time again to the complex layering of metaphor as John urges us to begin to conceptualise this miracle of miracles – God made flesh. In the beginning was the Word, and - [How not to be afraid of the dark](https://attentionseekers.org/2024/11/how-not-to-be-afraid-of-the-dark/) - I need to start with an apology: the Attention Seekers haven't been paying much attention lately. At least, not on this blog. Truth be told, our attention has been paid elsewhere as we put down roots in a new home, a new church family and a new role for me. But we're gearing up to - [Little Liturgy for Lent (6 of 7): The King Does Come](https://attentionseekers.org/2024/03/little-liturgy-for-lent-6-of-7-the-king-does-come/) - Little Liturgy for Lent (6 of 7): The King Does Come - [Little Liturgy for Lent (7 of 7): Take Up Your Cross](https://attentionseekers.org/2024/03/little-liturgy-for-lent-7-of-7-take-up-your-cross/) - Attention Seekers is a project that is about practicing presence in the world – of being alert and attentive to the mystery of existence all around us. The Season of Lent offers a unique opportunity in the church calendar to practice this sort of intentional attentiveness. And so, instead of posting a series of Lenten reflections as we did last year, - [Little Liturgy for Lent (5 of 7): Out From the Cover of Darkness](https://attentionseekers.org/2024/03/little-liturgy-for-lent-5-of-7-out-from-the-cover-of-darkness/) - Attention Seekers is a project that is about practicing presence in the world – of being alert and attentive to the mystery of existence all around us. The Season of Lent offers a unique opportunity in the church calendar to practice this sort of intentional attentiveness. And so, instead of posting a series of Lenten reflections as we did last year, - [Little Liturgy for Lent (4 of 7): Imperfect Peter](https://attentionseekers.org/2024/03/little-liturgy-for-lent-4-of-7-imperfect-peter/) - Little Liturgy for Lent (4 of 7): Imperfect Peter - [Little Liturgy for Lent (3 of 7): "The Cup of Joy"](https://attentionseekers.org/2024/02/invitation/) - Little Liturgy for Lent 3 - "The Cup of Joy" - [Little Liturgy for Lent (2 of 7): "The Surprise of Being Loved"](https://attentionseekers.org/2024/02/little-liturgy-for-lent-2-of-7/) - Attention Seekers is a project that is about practicing presence in the world - of being alert and attentive to the mystery of existence all around us. The Season of Lent offers a unique opportunity in the church calendar to practice this sort of intentional attentiveness. And so, instead of posting a series of Lenten - [Little Liturgy for Lent (1 of 7): "Choose Quiet"](https://attentionseekers.org/2024/02/little-liturgies-for-lent/) - Attention Seekers is a project that is about practicing presence in the world - of being alert and attentive to the mystery of existence all around us. The Season of Lent offers a unique opportunity in the church calendar to practice this sort of intentional attentiveness. And so, instead of posting a series of Lenten - [REVIEW: I am the Clay](https://attentionseekers.org/2023/11/review-i-am-the-clay/) - Emma reviews Chaim Potok's novel, I Am The Clay, and ponders how a good story can help us see more clearly one another's lives. - [Remembering Mary Rose](https://attentionseekers.org/2023/09/remembering-mary-rose/) - Paul reflects on his friend and co-worker, Mary Rose Gibson, who died on 21st September 2023, after a short illness. [This tribute was given at the “Friendship Club” at Kirkpatrick Memorial Presbyterian Church.] Before I had even met Mary Rose, she gave me a gift. An hour or two before my first staff meeting on - [Was it something I read? (Or, why the interpretation of Scripture matters and how we can do it better.)](https://attentionseekers.org/2023/07/was-it-something-i-read-or-why-the-interpretation-of-scripture-matters-and-how-we-can-do-it-better/) - Paul reflects on “Let Justice Roll”, the 2023 conference of The Centre for the Study of Bible and Violence. This year the conference was held in partnership with Christ at the Checkpoint, a community of evangelical Christians based at Bethlehem Bible College who explore what Christian discipleship looks like amidst the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. - [REVIEW: Small Things Like These](https://attentionseekers.org/2023/05/review-small-things-like-these/) - Emma reviews Claire Keegan's Booker Prize nominated Small Things Like These, a novella about one father's encounter with one of Ireland's infamous Magdalene laundries. - [The Last of Ourselves](https://attentionseekers.org/2023/04/the-last-of-ourselves/) - Trusting God with the last of ourselves... Emma concludes our Lenten series with a meditation on the seventh last saying of Jesus. - [Thirsting for the Kingdom](https://attentionseekers.org/2023/04/thirsting-for-the-kingdom/) - What are we thirsting after? Paul considers this question by listening to the fifth and sixth last sayings of Jesus on the cross. - [God-forsaken Questions](https://attentionseekers.org/2023/03/god-forsaken-questions/) - Is it part of Christian faith to accept the inexplicability of evil? Paul continues his Lent reflections by contemplating the fourth last saying of Jesus from the cross. - [Behold Ohana](https://attentionseekers.org/2023/03/behold-ohana/) - This third Lenten reflection comes on the week when Paul attended the funeral of a former student. How does Christ want us to respond to sudden loss? - [Paradise Regained](https://attentionseekers.org/2023/03/paradise-regained/) - Transhumanism promises paradise. But where does this leave God? Paul reflects on the second of Jesus’ last sayings from the cross. - [We do not know what we are doing.](https://attentionseekers.org/2023/02/we-do-not-know-what-we-are-doing/) - Paul begins a series of lenten reflections on the last words of Jesus spoken from the cross. - [Dog Days of Winter](https://attentionseekers.org/2023/02/dog-days-of-winter/) - A poetic reflection on the quiet beauty of an aging pet. - [Prophetic Dreaming (Or, In Defence of Dreams)](https://attentionseekers.org/2023/02/prophetic-dreaming-or-in-defence-of-dreams/) - Reflecting on the great democratisation of dreaming foretold by the Prophet Joel, Paul ponders how the Spirit might enable us to dream God's dream for Belfast and beyond. How might God use our troubled history to demonstrate the power of His grace? What version of Northern Ireland does the world need? - [“I write myself into being.”](https://attentionseekers.org/2022/12/i-write-myself-into-being/) - Emma reflects on the writing process and shares some poems from covid days. - [Swords into ploughshares, gas canisters into Christmas baubles...](https://attentionseekers.org/2022/12/hello-world/) - Paul reflects on the hope of Christmas in light of his recent experience in Bethlehem. ## Pages - [About Us](https://attentionseekers.org/about/) - Learning to look. Looking to learn. "This is an interesting planet. It deserves all the attention you can give it." Marilynne Robinson This blog is not a vanity project. We are attention seekers, yes. But not in the usual sense. Rather, we are seekers of attention. Or, to be more precise, seekers of lost attention. I suspect - [The Attention Cupboard](https://attentionseekers.org/blog/) - [Subscribe](https://attentionseekers.org/subscribe/) - Sign up below if you would like to receive our blog posts by email. All attention seekers are welcome! (If you don’t receive an email upon signup, check your junk folder!) ## Categories - [Uncategorized](https://attentionseekers.org/category/uncategorized/) - [Theological Reflection](https://attentionseekers.org/category/theological-reflection/) - [Israel-Palestine](https://attentionseekers.org/category/israel-palestine/) - [Christmas](https://attentionseekers.org/category/theological-reflection/christmas/) - [Israel-Palestine](https://attentionseekers.org/category/theological-reflection/israel-palestine-theological-reflection/) - [Personal Reflection](https://attentionseekers.org/category/personal-reflection/) - [Poetry](https://attentionseekers.org/category/personal-reflection/poetry/) - [Biblical reflection](https://attentionseekers.org/category/biblical-reflection/) - [Peace and Reconciliation](https://attentionseekers.org/category/biblical-reflection/peace-and-reconciliation/) - [Joel](https://attentionseekers.org/category/biblical-reflection/joel/) - [Acts 2](https://attentionseekers.org/category/biblical-reflection/acts-2/) - [Lent](https://attentionseekers.org/category/biblical-reflection/lent/) - [Luke 23](https://attentionseekers.org/category/biblical-reflection/luke-23/) - [John 19](https://attentionseekers.org/category/biblical-reflection/john-19/) - [Matthew 27](https://attentionseekers.org/category/biblical-reflection/matthew-27/) - [Mark 15](https://attentionseekers.org/category/biblical-reflection/mark-15/) - [Suffering](https://attentionseekers.org/category/theological-reflection/suffering/) - [Luke 29](https://attentionseekers.org/category/biblical-reflection/luke-29/) - [Review](https://attentionseekers.org/category/review/) - [Hermeneutics](https://attentionseekers.org/category/theological-reflection/hermeneutics/) - [Contemplative](https://attentionseekers.org/category/contemplative/) - [John 1](https://attentionseekers.org/category/biblical-reflection/john-1-biblical-reflection/) - [Global Church](https://attentionseekers.org/category/theological-reflection/global-church/) - [Genesis 3](https://attentionseekers.org/category/biblical-reflection/genesis-3-biblical-reflection/) - [Lent](https://attentionseekers.org/category/theological-reflection/lent-theological-reflection/) - [Justice](https://attentionseekers.org/category/theological-reflection/justice-theological-reflection/) - [Isaiah 11](https://attentionseekers.org/category/biblical-reflection/isaiah-11/) - [Isaiah 53](https://attentionseekers.org/category/biblical-reflection/isaiah-53/) - [Advent](https://attentionseekers.org/category/theological-reflection/advent/) - [Ephesians 2](https://attentionseekers.org/category/biblical-reflection/ephesians-2/) - [The Church](https://attentionseekers.org/category/theological-reflection/the-church/) - [Ephesians 4](https://attentionseekers.org/category/biblical-reflection/ephesians-4/) - [Christian Unity](https://attentionseekers.org/category/theological-reflection/christian-unity/) - [Ephesians 3](https://attentionseekers.org/category/biblical-reflection/ephesians-3/) ## Tags - [Biblical reflection](https://attentionseekers.org/tag/biblical-reflection/)