Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

Here is a story that went on to change many lives: ‘There was a knock at the door. Pete slowly opened his front door, and the stranger standing before him said in a quiet voice, “Please sir, do you have a bed for the night? I’m homeless.”’ Those words, spoken 20 years ago, stirred such...

and his ladder to Paradise Is there something down at, say, B&Q, which reminds your friends of you?   John Climacus (d 649) had a thing about ladders.  He was a monk in Palestine who was only seen out at the weekends (at church, not B&Q); during the week he prayed and wrote in solitude. He...

Editor:  Finally, if you want to generate some local stories, how about the following?  Why not ring round and invite three or four people in your church to share ‘A day in my life under lockdown’? – get them to send you 100 words of how they are spending their time at home, and what...

Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani has become the Church of England’s Lead Bishop for Housing,  to spearhead the Church’s efforts to help ease the UK’s crippling housing crisis. Bishop Guli, currently the Bishop of Loughborough, will take up the new role later this year when she becomes Bishop of Chelmsford. The new post will involve leading efforts...

Hymns for seasoned citizens The Old Rugged Face Precious Lord, Take My Hand, And Help Me Up It is Well With My Soul, But My Knees Hurt Nobody Knows the Trouble I Have Seeing Amazing Grace, Considering My Age Just a Slower Walk With Thee Count Your Many Birthdays, Name Them One by One Go...

Truth at risk of being auctioned to the highest bidder – Archbishop Sir Keir Starmer praises churches Follow a new pilgrim path ‘Being there’ for prisoners during Covid-19 The British Church in 2021 The Church, China and Hong Kong ** Editor:  The Revd Peter Crumpler, a Church of England priest in St Albans, Herts, and...

Truth is becoming a commodity, up for auction to the highest bidder, says Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell in a recent article published in Radio Times. Lamenting the decline of truth in public life, the Archbishop explains “The echo chambers of social media and the fake news that often goes with it have led us...

Christianity has provided a blueprint for social improvement, according to the Labour Leader of the Opposition, Sir Keir Starmer. Writing in a recent issue of Church Times, he said, “For all the loss and difficulty, we should not let this year be defined by pain.  Throughout the pandemic, we have also seen the best of...

1          Brigid of Ireland – Abbess of Kildare, c 525 2          The Presentation of Christ in the Temple/ Candlemas 3          Anskar – Archbishop of Hamburg, missionary in Denmark/Sweden 3          Blaise – bishop of Sebastea 4          Phileas – Christian bishop/martyr of Egypt 6          The Martyrs of Japan – courage amidst persecution 8          Kew –...

– compassion and love Brigid, you could say, was the female Patrick of Ireland. Historical facts about this first abbess of Kildare (d.c. 525) may be scarce, but her ‘Lives’, written from the 7th century, tell many anecdotes and miracles which over the centuries have become deeply rooted in Irish folklore. Brigid came from a...

In the south of England, a new pilgrim path is emerging. Winding through downland, weald and shoreline for 250 miles, the Old Way from Southampton to Canterbury is derived from the oldest road map of Britain: the Gough Map, c.1360. Like the Santiago de Compostela in Spain, this ancient route has lain dormant for years....

– the Presentation of Christ in the Temple In bygone centuries, Christians said their last farewells to the Christmas season on Candlemas, 2nd February. This is exactly 40 days after Christmas Day itself. In New Testament times 40 days old was an important age for a baby boy: it was when they made their first...