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Thy Kingdom Come (TKC), to be held this year 29th May to 8th June, is a global ecumenical prayer movement that invites Christians around the world to pray, from Ascension to Pentecost, for more people to come to know Jesus. “This year we’re very excited to be celebrating the 10th year of Thy Kingdom Come!”...

Aldhelm is the saint for you if you are intelligent but unconventional. Aldhelm was born in 640, into a family closely related to Ine, the King of Wessex. Educated at the monastic community in Malmesbury in Wiltshire, he went for further study in Canterbury. He proved a brilliant student and was sent back to Malmesbury...

This month, 1700 years ago, one of the most important meetings in the history of the Christian Church began in the Bithynian city of Nicaea. It began in May 325 and went on until the end of July 325. The Council of Nicaea was convened by the Roman Emperor Constantine, and he had an urgent...

The Bishop of London has warned of the ‘serious risk’ that people would opt for ‘assisted dying’ because they felt they were a burden. She said the risks of this happening would be multiplied by the pressures on the NHS and social care – if the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill comes into...

He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” (Jonah 4:2) I...

In May we observe Mental Health Week, at a time when sadly many of us, as a nation, are struggling. Roughly one in four of us now experience a mental health problem every year. According to the Health Foundation, for young people aged 10–24 a staggering 45% are experiencing mental health disorders. While the medical...

For more than 75 years, Christian Aid has been working with some of the world’s most vulnerable communities in 29 countries in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean. This annual week invites Christians in the UK to help fundraise for the work by holding community events and taking on individual challenges....

Augustine, a 6th century Italian prior, holds a unique place in British history. He became the ‘apostle to the English,’ although it was with great reluctance. In 596 Augustine was chosen by Pope Gregory to head a mission of monks whom he wanted to send to evangelise the Anglo-Saxons. Augustine was not a bold man,...

It was: 1700 years ago, 20th May to August 325 that the First Council of Nicaea was held in what is now Iznik, Turkey.  It was the first ecumenical council of the Christian Church. 1300 years ago, on 26th May 725 that the Venerable Bede died. This English Benedictine monk, historian, linguist, translator and teacher...

Following the government’s recent welfare reform announcements, The Archbishop of York, The Rt Revd Martyn Snow, and Canon Alice Kemp have each expressed their views on the potential impact of the proposals. Archbishop Stephen acknowledged the fiscal challenges faced by the government but emphasised the importance of addressing the underlying causes of ill health and...

This month we remember St Barnabas, whose real name was Joseph, a wealthy Levite from Cyprus. However, he was better known by his nickname which means ‘Son of Encouragement’ (Acts 4:36). Throughout Acts we see him encouraging others in different ways. Barnabas was an example of generous giving (Acts 4:36-7), when he sold property and...

John Calvin was a towering figure in the Reformation. His influence on Protestant theology is still felt today. Calvin was born in Picardy, north-east France in 1509, and went on to study law in Orleans, Bourges and Paris, where he absorbed the great humanistic and reforming movements of the time. Then, in his mid-20s, Calvin...