Looking over the wreckage Dear friends “If you want to make God laugh,” said Woody Allen, “Tell him your plans.” This is true for institutions as well as individuals. Lanercost Priory in north Cumbria was one of the smaller religious houses, and thus one of the first plundered (or, reformed, if you are an ardent monarchist) by the agents of Henry VIII,…
The future of warfare Dear friends, One of the most memorable Dr Who adventures from my childhood was Terry Nation’s “Genesis of the Daleks”. Tom Baker, as Dr Who, complete with floppy hat and flowing scarf, finds himself on the planet Skaro, where two civilisations are locked in perpetual battle, both under huge concrete domes, hurling missiles at each other across the…
Tail End Dear friends, A wonderful English idiom for “the last bit”, we (happily, unless you are winter lover) reach the dog days of January, knowing that whilst February’s arrival does not necessarily auger any improvement in the weather, nevertheless the days lengthen, and the month ahead is often strangely short, hastened by the school half term and the opportunity presented by…
Light and darkness Dear friends This rather bleak and storm swept week in January holds two rather different commemorations. Thursday (25th) is the feast of the conversion of St Paul, knocked to the ground by a divine revelation on the road to Damascus, whilst about the business of destroying early Christian communities, who at that time were worshipping as either house-churches or…
Life on Fire Dear friends, Spare a thought for the people of the Reykjanes peninsular in Iceland, as the anticipated eruption has finally come to pass. You may be wondering why some volcanos are cone shaped, some explode, some have loads of gas, and some, like in this part of Iceland, just seem to crack open the earth in great fissures. The…
High Water Dear friends, The level of the Thames begins to fall, as a vast volume of storm water moves through and away from our area. Some recording stations have monitored levels almost a metre above the normal peak. Flood plain fields are awash, and riverside properties in Wallingford have flooded. Only the bird life rejoices, as their aquatic habitat is suddenly…
Happy New Year Dear friends, Whether you celebrate much on New Year’s Eve, or go to bed early with a good book and a cup of cocoa, there remains, always, the feeling of a corner being turned, at least for a while. The old diary is put away, sometimes with a look through, and the realisation that, despite everything that has happened,…
War and Peace on Earth Dear friends, Please join us at our Christmas services, when we will lift our voices in song and in prayer, to praise God for the birth of the one called The Prince of Peace. The only way the noises of war may be stilled is for the songs of peace all around the world to become louder,…
Carols and Christmas Services edition. Dear friends, Have you noticed how Advent always speeds up? The third candle is to be lit. Churches are being decorated, and carol services approach. Musicians and singers rehearse, sermons are crafted. The church heating is fixed and the fire extinguishers receive their annual service, happily unused since the engineer’s last visit. I look forward to seeing…
Coffee, Carols, and the Christmas List Dear friends, Checkendon church is hosting a community coffee (and mince pie) morning this coming Saturday from 10.30am in Checkendon Village Hall. Do pop in for a free coffee and mince pie. Its a great chance to catch up with your neighbours, and take a few moments in the maelstrom. There’ll be a model railway, a…