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Quite frankly, this hermit was about as weird as they come. But he loved God, and God blessed him, strange though he was. So perhaps Simeon Stylites (390 – 459) should be the patron saint of all REALLY eccentric people. Simeon was the son of a shepherd on the Syrian border of Cilicia. He joined...

On 6th January we celebrate Epiphany – the visit of the Wise Men to the baby Jesus. But who were these Wise Men? No one knows for sure. Matthew calls them ‘Magi’, and that was the name of an ancient caste of a priestly kind from Persia. It wasn’t until the third century that they...

Magi from the East – it isn’t a lot to go on. The Magi had originally been a religious caste among the Persians. Their devotion to astrology, divination and the interpretation of dreams led to an extension in the meaning of the word, and by the first century the Magi in Matthew’s gospel could have...

The story of the coming of the Magi grew in the telling. By the 6th century they had acquired names: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. By medieval times they were considered to be kings. Whoever they were, we do know from Matthew that they brought three gifts to Jesus. What about their gifts of gold, frankincense...

Call for action to free Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe The soaring cost of heating our church ‘Truth is under attack’ BBC chief tells church service Week of Prayer for Christian Unity – 18th to 25th January The young pray and worship more than you think Place2Worship, please! “I wish we could wave a wand and all the...

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The Bishop of Chelmsford, Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, is calling upon the British Government to repay its £400-million debt to Iran, and take immediate action to secure the release of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe was first jailed in Iran five years ago, accused of crimes that involved plotting against the Iranian government. Last year she lost...

Many saints have fed the poor, but not many were interested in actual food production.  Nathalan (died c.678) was, so perhaps he might be the patron saint of anyone who produces food – and gives most of it away to those in need. Scotland in the 7th century must have been a hungry place, especially...

Courage, vision and leadership are found in the most unlikely of places. Mary Slessor was born in December 1848 into a wretchedly poor family. Her father was an alcoholic who lost his job as a shoemaker. Mary was the second of seven children, and in 1859 they moved from Aberdeen into the fetid slums of...

Here is some chilling news about the church’s heating and electricity bills: they could be doubling this year. The energy crisis is hitting the UK hard, and churches are not protected by the domestic energy cap. That could leave many churches in the same plight as St George’s in Rugby, which fears it will have...

Looking to the New Year From the Vicar Reflected Faith Series – Taking Down Christmas There’s more with us than with them!! The reality of faith in God Christian Basics Get fit for 2022! God’s fragrance – do people catch a whiff of it on you? ** Editor: Canon Paul Hardingham considers 2022.   Looking...

The month of January is named after the Roman god Janus, who is depicted as having two faces. As we look back on a difficult year dominated by the pandemic, how should we look forward to 2022 with fresh hope? The apostle Paul writes: ‘But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining...