Hey Alexa ! Dear friends Whether we like it or not, AI (“Artificial Intelligence”) is already all around us and here to stay. It is on your phone, making suggestions for the next word you might need as you type a text or message. It is on your computer, underneath the “voice to text” function that learns not only how you speak…
Our summer fades Dear friends, The record breaking blast of heat, which turned the outdoor chillies red, and kept the blackberries, courgettes and tomatoes in full production, is, to some relief, draining away. Harvest celebrations are on the horizon, and the change of season is properly here. Autumn will not be resisted. The fierce heat has shocked some trees into shedding their…
Built to last Dear friends, The ancient city at Caesarea – on the mediterranean coastline in Israel – is not only a scenic place to visit, with its Roman aqueduct, Crusader walls, and long sandy beach. It is famous for several historical reasons. One of these being that it was one of the first archaeological sites to confirm that Pontius Pilate was…
Moments of Wonder Dear friends, It could be the glory of a sunset, filling the horizon across warm seas, that compels you to stop, and for once just look. It could be the surprise of a new song, or piece of music, that invokes a tear, a memory, or reminds you of a special person. It could be something very small that…
Congratulations Dear friends, It is a season for celebration. In a time when our news media delights to share nothing but bad news, there is yet much to rejoice in, and thank God for. For example, how about Nigel Dunstan and Alison Mitchell, who are getting married this coming Saturday at Checkendon Church? Or Geoff and Debi Hornsby who on Sunday celebrated…
A rolling stream Dear friends Many journeys are made in the course of our lives. Some we plan, carefully, methodically – tours, holidays, and the like. Some are part of the routine of our being – to our workplace, to the shops, to the garage or to a family member. Some journeys are made in hope, others in anticipation, expectation or even…
The earth shook Dear friends, …but it was not for the Lord’s return, rather the sound check for the PA system ahead of the CheckFest on Saturday. A small event this time last year, with one band, a bar and some food, grew to two bands, and more stalls, a larger bar and an almost exponential increase in the numbers attending, much…
Unsteady State Dear Friends The bubblings over of the inner tensions in Russian government should warn us not to assume that the war in Ukraine is something contained, or bounded. Our lives continue to be profoundly affected by the economic aftershocks of the conflict; fuel prices rises threw petrol on inflationary fires already started by the pandemic; hurried re-armament by western nations…
From the heavens Dear friends, Many congratulations to Rachel Carter and Edward Hildred, who became Mr and Mrs Hildred at Checkendon church on Saturday. A very cheerful service, with the bells ringing, and organ playing, and in wonderful serendipity, the Red Arrows flying overhead as we started, seemingly adding Checkendon at 1502hrs into their flight plan back from trooping the colour. Heaven…
Nil by mouth Dear friends, It has been an unusual week of “firsts” for me; some new experiences of pain, a night sat in A&E (while various tests were underway), anasthaesia, surgery, some different pain, and the strange gift of convalescense. Hats off to the staff at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, who treated me, and my appendix, with humanity and compassion. The…