One unnaturally born was how St Paul described his status as the Apostle to the Gentiles. All the other apostles had been with Jesus during his time on earth. They had walked, talked, eaten, travelled and ministered with him. Importantly too, they had been called by Christ to follow, and been witnesses to his resurrection from the dead. St Paul could say…
Dry January Dear friends, Uncle Steve, just outside Tunbridge Wells, is without water again. A combination of very hard frost, ageing pipework, a few power cuts have caused a domino effect, and the network is down. An outraged customer base are blaming ineptitude at Southern Water, but actually their overall performance is moving in the right direction. Few are addressing the elephant…
The Tyndale Bible Dear friends, A very happy new year to you all. In amidst all of the celebrations and prophecies of doom there is one anniversary this year which is worthy of note, because it is foundational for the English speaking world. For 2026 marks the 500th year since the publication of William Tyndale’s translation of the Bible into the English…
A Happy Place Dear friends, What makes a place “happy?” What makes somewhere good to live? Do you have a “happy place” in your life? Unsuprisingly, there are a number of common factors which promote “contented living” in a given location. Neighbours who are friendly, and who will hold onto your parcel when it has been misdelivered, or even pop it round.…
FOMO/NOMO Dear friends I can’t begin to count the number of Black Friday offers I have missed out on. What a terrible person I must be, as I am not in the least bit bothered. Phrases like “LAST CHANCE!” “special early access!” “exclusive discount deal!” “It’s HERE!” and “NOW’S THE TIME!” shriek at me from my inbox. I must confess a few…
Howard’s Tears Dear friends, Can you remember who taught you to read? Can you remember the first book that really caught your imagination? There is, really, nothing in the universe like a good book. Character, plot, and the opportunity for freedom, within a world of your own imaginative creation, guided by of the author’s script. The ability to read (and write) are,…
History calling Dear friends, As weary and battered Palestinians trudge back up the road to their shattered cities, as green masked gunmen emerge from dark places to strut their stuff, as emotionally shredded Israeli hostage families weep with joy, as The President parades and preens, we wonder, “is this it?” Is this dreadful and appalling mess what history really looks like? A…
George’s Gift Dear friends, One of the items I needed to clear from my metal trunk (in order that it could be used as a “treasure chest” in church on Sunday) was an old pharmaceutical chemistry text book. This was published exactly a century ago, and became such a standard work that it was still, just, in use at University entry level…
Days without hate Dear friends, We live in febrile times. The sheer number of people who turned up for Saturday’s march in London is a wake up call to those in mainstream politics; that there are many who are disenfranchised, and who feel ignored, taken for granted and generally left out. America’s more extreme version of the culture wars took a violent…
Missing the joke Dear friends, As a young curate in the Bradford Diocese back in the early 90’s, there would be the occasional Diocesan Conference, when all the clergy would be required to attend some large venue, and be engaged with speakers, workshops and such as deemed to be beneficial, and sometimes restorative, by the movers and shakers of the day. One…