Remembering the fallen Dear friends, This coming Sunday we will hear again the names of those in our communities who gave their lives for our freedom. The uniformed organisations will gather at Checkendon war memorial (the Lychgate), we will stand in silence for two minutes at 11am and the Last Post will sound. Then, in the church, colours will be presented, and…

A blessing on dystopia? Dear friends, One of the seminal films of the 1980’s was Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner”, starring Harrison Ford, with a soundtrack by Vangelis. Scott gave us a vision of a completely urbanised globe, a vast metropolis with layer upon layer of habitation, where hyper modernity lived side by side with urban collapse, and bio engineering was done in…

Dear friends, The murder of Sir David Amess has shocked and horrified us all. Whether you wish to see it as a racially motivated attack, or a religiously motivated one, or an act of political terror, what is clear is that is a profound assault on the political mechanisms of our country. It has exposed the increasingly vitriolic nature of our society.…

A Cold Snap? Dear friends, It is clear that fuel poverty is going to be vying with the flu as the big issue for the coming cold months. Most at risk are the elderly, and those who live alone. For those of us who can remember the “oil crisis” of the 1970’s, and subsequent economic upheavals, this “gas crisis” also exposes the…

New season, new jab! Dear friends, Let’s give thanks for all those in the healthcare sector, where the pressure is relentless. Do say thank you at your next opportunity, whether that is in the hospital, at the surgery, or even the surgery car park. Let’s keep up our own best practise too in infection control; with ventilation, hand washing, and mask wearing…

Give thanks Dear friends, Come celebrate the Harvest! Whether in person at church, or online in the evening, do take a moment this coming week to thank God for his provision for you and your family. At Checkendon, we’ll be collecting for The Ways and Means Trust, our local mental health charity, and for Water Aid, the global development agency. Frances and…

Ring out the Bells! Dear friends, It is great not only to celebrate our return to church with song, but also to hear the church bells ring out once again. Listen out for the bells this coming Thursday, and Saturday, as we celebrate the marriages of Joshua Stitt to Annabelle Riches, and also Samuel Knight to Alexandra Merson. If you would like…

New glory to cover old pain Dear friends The weekend past was poignant; I have in my files twenty year old copies of the Times from 12th September 2001. When I am in danger of forgetting of the dreadful reality of those days I read them through again. I read Bart Gelman from the New York Times and remember that I shared…

Here comes the sun! Dear friends, The irony of the sun disappearing almost the moment the schools broke up, staying away for the whole of August, and then “returning to work” along with pupils, parents, teachers and just about everyone else has not been lost on me. I do hope that even if you are surrounded by ferocious to do lists you…

Turn on the light Dear friends How are you keeping? Safe and well, I hope. August has been a month of gloom, not only in terms of the UK weather, but also on the international stage. It would seem hard won freedoms, so precious to our society, are not so highly prized in others. This should come as no surprise; other people…