Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

Pray Prayer – of thanks for Candlemas and the Presentation at the Temple The Gift Flame of a Candle Disturb us, Lord Come reign in me The Boffins and the Technocrats ** Pray (Mt 6:5,9) When you pray… Words and wisdom of Jesus – He doesn’t say, if or in case, He says, when… you...

Isaiah is often regarded as the greatest of the prophets. His name means ‘The Lord saves’ and he began his 50-year ministry in 740 BC when King Uzziah died (6:1). Many scholars challenge the claim that Isaiah wrote the entire book, however there are striking verbal parallels between chapters 1–39 and 40–66. Isaiah spoke during...

**. ** It hurts A little girl told her mother one day before lunch that her stomach was hurting. Her mother replied: “That’s because it’s empty, you have to put something into it!” That evening the minister and his wife came for dinner. The minister looked a bit rough and explained that his head was hurting...

Remember the Winnie the Pooh stories? And Kanga’s insistence on Baby Roo’s taking his Strengthening Medicine? It’s ‘really quite a nice taste when you get used to it’, she explained, although I’m not convinced Baby Roo always agreed. It can be helpful to think of Lent as a sort of medicine; an opportunity to strengthen...

Gypsies, Travellers and Roma don’t often get a mention in General Synod. But seven years ago, this month (Feb 2019), they gained an unexpected ally: the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell. For Stephen Cottrell introduced a debate calling for more pastoral care and compassion for the estimated 200,000 Gypsies, Travellers and Roma living in the...

– the chosen one       Have you ever been in the position where someone is desperately needed – and you fit the bill perfectly? It is almost as if all your miscellaneous qualifications that never made much sense before now make PERFECT sense. And you sense that you have been chosen by God for the...

The Rectory St James the Least of All My dear Nephew Darren You closed your last letter with the remark that it was time to retire to bed with a cup of cocoa. That may be all very well for the pious intensity of a theological college – although a stiff whisky was always acceptable...

Have you ever had to hurry to make it to safely across the street because the pedestrian crossing light is about to turn red again? If so, you are not alone. A recent study has found that pedestrian crossing timings are simply too brief for many elderly people and especially those with mobility problems. The...

Fifty years ago, on 23rd February 1976, the artist L S Lowry died of pneumonia. He was known primarily for his bleak industrial landscapes of north-west England, populated with matchstick men, but he also painted original and striking seascapes and impressive portraits. Laurence Stephen Lowry was born on 1st November 1887 in Stretford. His father worked for...

– 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...

So says several Church of England bishops. They believe that increasing numbers of people have been turning to the Christian faith. The Bishop of Rochester, Jonathan Gibbs said: “Something is going on. Or rather, God Himself seems to be up to something – way beyond what we as Christians have been doing to share the...

As the post-Christmas bills continue to pile up, many of us feel under financial pressure. It can be a lonely time, but you don’t have to face it alone. For Christians Against Poverty (CAP) have launched a new Five-Step Guide which is a roadmap to get you from financial worry to a fresh start.  In...