Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

– the enjoyment of romance If you have been hurt in your search for romantic love, Gabriel Possenti (1838-62) may be a good saint for you. Because Possenti, born to the governor of Assisi, began by having it all. He grew up doing the mid-19th century equivalent of eBay, nightclubs, cinema and online dating, only...

Where can family-minded birds raise their young these days? As our gardens and parklands become smaller and tidier, too many natural nest sites – such as holes in trees, old buildings and unkempt hedgerows – are rapidly disappearing No wonder that our sparrows, greenfinches and swifts are in precipitous decline, and that one in four...

Some time ago a scientist was invited to speak at the Dewsbury Women’s Institute. He spoke about his research on polymers, hoping that the women of this Yorkshire mill town would connect with his desire to develop new fibres. One person in particular, a woman called Betty who had worked in a mill since the...

It seems that keeping your heart reasonably healthy may not take a lot of time. Researchers at the University of Sydney have found a link between short but intense bursts of activity and a significant drop in heart disease among people who otherwise engage in little activity. Sedentary women who did just 3.4 minutes of...

There is a story of two men talking about their new vicar. One says to the other, “This new one’s not a patch on the old vicar. With the old one preaching I was asleep in five minutes. With the new one it takes all of ten.” Some churches in times past employed ‘sluggard-walkers’ who...

Observations on Love… Marriage is more than finding the right person; it is being the right person. – Anon ‘One plus one equals one’ may not be an accurate mathematical concept, but it is an accurate description of God’s intention for the marriage relationship. – Wayne Mack Marriage is the ultimate invitation to growth in...

Hearing A tiny lady was the guest preacher. A few minutes into her sermon, she paused and said: “Can you all hear me at the back?”  A kind voice replied: “We can hear you fine. But sadly, we can’t quite see you.” ** Church service An auntie took her very young niece to church. When...

Woodcarving isn’t as straightforward as it seems. You don’t begin with a block of wood; you begin with a piece of paper. The first step is to draw a plan of what you want to carve, and only when you’ve got that right do you start to shape your piece of wood. The carver then...

– and poet If we were to name someone prominent from the 17th century, we might mention Rembrandt or Shakespeare. It is unlikely we would remember George Herbert. However, he was a prolific writer, a gifted speaker and musician. His hymns are still sung today. Herbert was born into a wealthy family in Mid-Wales on...

Making the Most of Your Church Wedding Surviving Separation and Divorce – Dealing with Divorce Day-to-day Prayer Book of Days – With Saints Through the Ages Waking the Women – Faith, Menopause, and the Meaning of Midlife 100 Ways to Get Your Church Noticed (3rd edition) Marriage – 6 Gospel Commitments Every Couple Needs to...

“Where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19-21) I cannot count in church. I do not know why, but I cannot. I mean that, when I am at the front and leading a service, I try to add up how many people there are in the congregation. We...

Anna Prayer for February 2025 The Gift Nunc dimittis A Book of Joy Disturb us, Lord Come reign in me ** Anna (Luke 2:36-38) All those years in the temple, In waiting widowhood. All those years Worshipping, wondering, What had it all been about? Seven years of marriage Then this lifetime alone, And yet There...