Ruth Harley

@ruthh.bsky.social

1404 Followers 645 Following

Vicar in Newcastle. PhD student at York St John: feminist ecclesiology and women's vocations. Apparently I'm "surprisingly orthodox"!

Fluffy white clouds in a blue sky, with a horizontal stripe of upside-down rainbow across the middle.
A calico cat and a black and white cat lying on a patio staring into the camera.
A small quantity of runner beans, courgettes, tomatoes and strawberries.
An altar in a modern church building, with a large icon of Christ in front of it, the gold paint reflecting the sunlight.
A calico cat and a black and white cat sitting on the floor and looking at the camera.
Four small jars of homemade plum jam.
A calico cat lying down on an open ring binder full of interview transcripts, surrounded by highlighters and post-it notes.
A lesbian priest goes to Pride “Are you a real priest?” You dance towards me shimmering with sequins and sass, and courage that comes hard won. “Will you bless me?” And something dancing in your eyes that looks like longing, long denied. I raise my hand. Around us hands raised with the beat of defiant joy. I raise my hand: “The blessing of God…” more than almighty, more than holy, wild and free and dancing out of reach, weaving us into the crowd. This blessing bounces off a glitter ball, refracted with the light, broken shards of glory clinging to our clothes, snagging on fishnets, sliding over slicked-back hair, landing lightly on tattooed biceps, scars, jackets worn like armour. It follows me home, this blessing, trailing after me as if reluctant to leave the party, follows me to the altar with the dawn, dancing through stained glass: cracked beauty on immaculate linen. I raise in my hands sparkling silver and bread: “this is my body.” In my hands, my body, this body, the blessed and broken meet: the pulse of last night’s music echoing into shining silence. Yes: I have never been more real. Ruth Harley
A large picture of a seaside scene, with lots of different objects/creatures/people drawn/painted/stuck on by people of a wode range of ages.
A calico cat balancing on the edge of a bath.
Poster for 'Come And Craft' at St Wilfrid's Church, Newbiggin Hall, 10.30-12 on Thursday mornings during the school holidays
A plate of toast, salad, pate and chutney and a glass of water on a table.
An A3 paper sign, handmade by children, which says "The Church" in large letters. It is decorated with pictures of crosses, flowers, hearts, a chalice and ciborium. It also features the words "Jesus" and "Father, Son and Holy Spirit" and lots of colourful swirls.
A fan, a rosary, and a packet of Starburst sweets.
A chalk board outside a modern church says: Songs of Praise Strawberries and Cream HERE TODAY
A view along a river through woods.
A large and complicated mind map.
Five pages of scruffy handwritten notes, spread out on a wooden floor.
A wheelbarrow full of weeds, brambles, etc in front of an empty flowerbed.
The blessed sacrament in a gold monstrance on an altar, with a wooden carved Christus Rex behind it.
A calico cat sitting on a blue wheelie bin and looking smug.
A climbing rose with large yellow blooms.
A copy of 'Easy Pruning: Simple Steps to Success' with a wild garden border in the background, including a large.shrub which clearly needs pruning.
An artichoke plant in a pot, and a small.pile of purple flyers, on a concrete doorstep.
Some people browsing a wide array of plants outside a modern church building.
A black and white cat sleeping with her head and front paws on a knitting group pattern.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, for forty days we have been celebrating with joyful hearts the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, his bursting from the tomb and his defeat of the power of sin and death. He appeared to his disciples many times and told them about the kingdom of God. Today we recall how he left this earth and returned to his Father, ascending into heaven to take his throne over all dominions and powers. Trusting in his reign over all creation, and submitting to his kingly yet loving rule, let us hear the story of his parting.
Poster advertising Ascension Day eucharists: 9.30am St Wilfrid's Church (Trevelyan Drive NE5 4DA) followed by coffee 7pm St Peter's Church (Druridge Drive, NE5 3LP) followed by drinks and nibbles
A large patch of bluebells in a garden, with overhanging weeping willow and copper beech above and other foliage in the background.
A pinkish sky above Newcastle Castle, viewed through the arches of the railway station.
A priest with a calico cat lying across her neck and shoulders like a scarf.
A calico cat and a black and white cat on stairs, both staring at the person coming up the stairs.
Sea with blue sky above.
Outdoor Easter garden, including small white stones with writing on.
An Easter garden made up of many pot plants, under a modern wooden altar.
A large paper banner reading "Alleluia" coloured in by children using a variety of bright colours, attached to a modern font.
A lit paschal candle with a design of a cross, loaves and fishes. In the background, an altar with an alpha and omega altar frontal, a wooden sculpture of Christus Rex above it, a large display of white and yellow flowers, and a fabric banner of Our Lady.
A wooden carving of two Roman soldiers nailing Jesus to the cross. One has a hammer those above his head, and his other hand holding Jesus' feet in place. The ither is holding Jesus' upper arms.
An outdoor Easter Garden, very overgrown and with some dead plants and rubbish.
Interior of a modern church building with huge palm branches tied to the ends id the rows of chairs, and leaning against the high altar. A large cross is veiled with sackcloth.
A view across a wide bay from a pebble beach.
Several vegetable beds, some with string marking rows of seeds.
A yellow tunnel, with a black and white cat looking into one end, and a calico cat looking into the other.
Text of the poem "Don't Hesitate" by Mary Oliver. Full text here: https://allpoetry.com/contest/2848587-Mary-Oliver-Poem--Don-t-Hesitate--
A black and white photograph of a female preacher in early 20th century dress.
A copy of "Lentwise: Spiritual Essentials for Real Life".
On a wooden table top: a cup of tea, and assortment of packets of seeds, a guide to the Northumberland Coast Path, and a secondhand copy of Mary Daly's "Wickedary".
A baking tray full of palm crosses.
A box of scratch art notes and a copy of Mary Daly's "Outercourse" on a dark green desk.
A red door with glass panels, on which are displayed posters for a number of events.