Useless Friends Not that any of us need any of these, but you’ll find some in the Old Testament. The expression “Job’s Comforters” means exactly this, the word “comfort” being used in an ironical sense rather than a literal one.  The book of Job (pronounced “Johb”) is a philosophical study disguised as a play or drama. It is a reflection on the…

Pencil Pot Prayers Dear friends, Even in these electronic times I still have need of a pencil pot. It is a cheap, plastic, multi chambered affair which acts as a repository for, yes, pencils, but also highlighters, thumb drives, and the increasingly precious loose change. A couple of palm crosses from last Lent tower over the whole edifice, reminding me of the…

Suicide in Scripture Dear friends, There are two instances of suicide in the Bible. The death of Saul, Israel’s first king, is recounted twice, the first time at the end of the book of 1 Samuel. A great battle on Mount Gilboa is coming to a terrible end, with the defeat of Israel, and the routing of her armies by the Philistines.…

Harvest Thanksgiving Dear friends, By the time you have finished your breakfast you will have depended upon half the world. Coffee from Africa, or Latin America, Tea from India, bread using strong flour from Canada, an orange from Spain – every breakfast table will be different, but it will have this common thread. We all depend upon a global harvest, every single…

The Rock of Refuge Dear friends, Grey skies, pouring rain, and nothing on the radio save political woes. We vote for a different tune but find the song remains the same even though the choir has been changed.  The prophet Jeremiah knew the agony of life shattering disappointment when he said “the summer is ended, the harvest is over, and we are…

A Safe Space Dear friends, Our country prides itself on its love of animals. However this is, at best, patchy, and at worst, two faced. In our leafy lanes you will see dogs who are doted on, and well cared for. You will also see dogs crammed into a van and walked in far too large groups to be safe for passers…

Abiding Astonishment Dear friends, We know instinctively that collaboration is preferable to conflict, and that mutually respectful partnerships can often lead to innovation. One of the many reasons that we work together as a team of churches here in Langtree is that we can share lessons learned, and that we can also offer one another support and mutual care. I have recently…

Tax – to pay or not? Dear friends, Jesus famously once got into a row about taxes. The Roman Empire paid for itself by imposing levies upon the lands it conquered, arousing no little ire in the conquered peoples who were possibly less enthusiastic about the Roman empire than the Romans themselves. Some Jewish leaders, fed up with Jesus’ popularity with the…