Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

** Ecumenics of a crisis During a recent gathering of local faith leaders, the church caught fire. The Methodists gathered in the corner and prayed. The Baptists cried, “Where is the water?” The Anglicans formed a procession and marched out. The Quakers silently praised God for the blessings that fire brings. The Lutherans posted a...

Does this summer spell the end of school, college, or even a job, for you? Then congratulations are in order: you have completed a significant step! Now it is time to consider your next step. The dictionary defines ‘step’ as a physical movement that advances you in a desired direction. You take a ‘step’ forward...

The Church of England’s Chief Education Officer, Nigel Genders, received a CBE in the recent King’s Birthday Honours. As Chief Education Officer and Chief Executive of the National Society, Nigel has for the past nine years led the work of the Church of England Education Office, which serves the church’s ministry with children and young...

The Rectory St James the Least My dear Nephew Darren Your suggestion that every month at clergy meetings, someone should review a book of theology they have been reading, was bound to be greeted with uneasy resistance. It would mean that the majority would have to start opening books, rather than just occasionally dusting them....

Here you can download ALL of the High Days for July in one document.

Most Christians in the UK have heard of the Church Mission Society or CMS.  Far fewer have heard of the Revd Henry Venn (1796-1873), whose father, the rector of Clapham, founded CMS in 1799, and who himself became the greatest missionary strategist of the 19th century. Not that Henry Venn ever became a missionary himself;...

If you are thinking of turning your back on wealth and privilege, in order to do something you feel God is calling you to do, St Theobald (1017 – 1066) may be the saint for you.   He was born into an aristocratic family at Provins in France.  But he became a hermit with a fellow...

Do you ever admire relief workers?  Those hardy folk who regularly appear on our TV screens, actively seeking out the disease-ridden, starving, destitute people of the world, instead of avoiding them, as most of us try and do. John Francis Regis (1597 – 1640) could be a patron saint of relief workers.  It all began...

Thomas, one of Jesus’ 12 apostles, was an impulsive, confused, honest sceptic.  Jesus could understand and work with such a man.  Thomas’ impulsiveness was evident when Jesus prepared to visit Lazarus in Bethany.  It was a dangerous trip to make, because of the Jews, but Thomas urged his fellow disciples: “Let us also go, that...

St. Elizabeth of Portugal (1271 – 1336) could be the patron saint of all well-to-do women who have compassionate hearts.   As wife of Denis, the King of Portugal, Elizabeth became a byword for her acts of piety and charity to the poor.  She founded convents, hospitals, and shelters for prostitutes.  After Denis died she became...

These days, lawyers and politicians are held in the lowest esteem by the public, along with tabloid journalists and estate agents. St Thomas More was both a lawyer and politician, who is today much admired for holding steadfastly to his faith-based principles. He lived in dangerous times, when anyone, even queens, who displeased King Henry...

Have you ever noticed how life-enhancing good ministers are? St Boisil (d.c.661) should be their patron saint. He did nothing spectacular, but he did everything that mattered. Boisil was a monk who became abbot of Melrose, in the Irish monastic tradition.  Boisil knew about God – he had spent years in study, and this earned...