Reflections

Hoping you enjoyed a blessed and peaceful Christmas.  There has been so much to be thankful for in the life of our parish church, some of which you may well have been involved with or been a part of.  This includes the plethora of children’s/family events, All Age Christingles, along with vibrant and exciting school services in … Read more

As I write, Advent is just a week away, and I’m looking forward to all that we share together during this season at All Saints and Christ Church. This includes decorating our own Christmas tree, which takes pride of place in the lounge window, along with our unusual nativity set.   It’s an African baked clay … Read more

Our news tells us day after day of war zones, retaliatory action, suffering people groups, political bargaining, changing weather patterns and disasters, and uncertain futures, to name a few examples.   All these things cause us to be understandably fearful and uneasy if we’re not careful.  Equally, though, we do also need to hear and be assured … Read more

Can I echo others’ thanks for the support so many gave during the recent successful Heritage weekend centred around All Saints Church in the heart of your community? Thank you! This kind of broad, welcoming series of events does, of course, take massive coordination and group effort, and it humbles me to see how so … Read more

So many sights, smells, sounds and images can help us remember past times or bring memories of our childhood to mind.  This happened to me today as I sat outside listening to the sounds around me.   Yes, there were birds chirping and a distant aeroplane, but gladly, there was no noise of cars or motorbikes on … Read more

Don’t you just love this time of year (June)? We are now, at the time of writing, on the longest day of the year, which I always remember as my late paternal grandmother’s birthday. This year, I have a growing sense of interest in the idea of ‘rewilding’.  Why do I mention this now…well in three … Read more

What would you consider a great find?  Perhaps you’re into metal detecting or going along to auctions/car boot sales in the hope of stumbling across something unique and collectable.   Many things we may see as having great worth, however, might also be someone else’s cast-offs.  I suppose the overall benefit here is that items get re-used or … Read more

…….For those of us who have read the Bible, we know that this is no surprise, for the fool continues to build on the sand, whilst those who hear and act build on solid ground…….. [to be continued] Is anyone ever satisfied today? Does anyone ever have enough? The reality is that most of us … Read more

Does the future sometimes give you cause for concern I wonder, as we continue to see alarming reports of conflicts, disasters (man-made and natural), flooding, drought, hunger…the list goes on?  Perhaps you are understandably so engrossed in getting through the present with whatever pressing needs and challenges you may be facing that you have little time … Read more

Just before my father died in April 2021, we were in conversation about the state of the world when he said, ‘I/we didn’t fight in WW2 to end up with what we have ended up with in this country’.  My response was that I agreed wholeheartedly with him, and it has got worse, in my opinion. … Read more