Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

Any other year, unexpected freedom from end-of-term lectures and exam timetables would surely be cause for celebration. But this year, many students’ terms have ended with a tremendous anticlimax. Spare a thought for those who, whether they’re sixth-formers or prospective grads, will have no summer term, no celebration party, no opportunity to hug their friends...

Planted in the love of the Father In the Day of Trouble St Sofa’s Titwillow Shield me The cattle grazing ** Planted in the love of the Father Planted in the love of the Father You can grow, dear one, You can grow. Watered by the spring of the Spirit His fruit you’ll show, His...

Editor: This month includes the following special days.  As saints’ days do not change from year to year, these have appeared on this site before.  The one with the asterisk is new to the site this year. 1          Justin Martyr – first ever Christian philosopher 2          Erasmus – a good saint for when you’re...

…. the first ever Christian philosopher Justin Martyr (c. 100 – 165), is regarded as the first ever Christian philosopher. He was born at Nablus, Samaria, to parents of Greek origin, and was well educated in rhetoric, poetry and history before he turned to philosophy. He studied at Ephesus and Alexandria and tried the schools...

Lockdown, you and IT Looking for Hope Amongst the Clutter Just a pint of social media for me, please Run run run! We can claim the gift of sleep Where are our fathers? How do you feel about your health? What kind of stress do you have? Sweet dreams? Upset?  Chill out… In danger from...

All in the month of JUNE JUNE 1940 – a month to remember Charles Dickens – prolific writer with a social conscience The day they first climbed Annapurna Discovering the Great Barrier Reef – the hard way! Dandelions! Remember traffic jams? Beware soft drinks No plastic please, we’re the National Trust Keep an eye out...

How are you getting on with technology?  The coronavirus pandemic has driven hundreds of millions of us to use it more than ever, as we sit at home in frustrated isolation. If you are used to digital meetings and Zoom, it is not a problem, but for millions of grandparents wanting to see their families,...

In this strange locked down season, because of the coronavirus pandemic, I’ve noticed a change in the type of pictures posted on social media. In place of the look-here-at-me selfies are snapshots of buds opening to display the colours of spring. Such hopeful images counterbalance gloomy statistics in the news media. There are also more...

… a good saint when you’re all at sea Do you like messing about in boats? If so, then you’ll have heard of St Elmo’s Fire. It is the light that is sometimes seen on mastheads of boats after storms at sea. St Elmo is another name for St Erasmus, a fourth century Syrian bishop...

Christians and the bubonic plague of London Blessed are the truth-tellers (during the pandemic) The Valley of Dry Bones has a future hope From the Vicar Jesus calming the storm of Covid-19 ‘How long, O Lord?’ – the lament of Psalm 13 A prophet for our time of testing – Isaiah Learning to trust in...

… defying the Kabaka The Ugandan Church had dozens of martyrs within just ten years of Christianity arriving there. At first, it had gone so well:  the first Anglican missionaries arriving in Uganda in 1877 were welcomed by the Kabaka (king) of Buganda, Mutesa. Mutesa also welcomed the Roman Catholics and Muslim Arabs, and, being...

It was: 250 years ago, on 11th June 1770 that English explorer Captain James Cook discovered the Great Barrier Reef off Australia when his ship ran aground on it and was severely damaged. 200 years ago, on 19th June 1820 that Joseph Banks, British naturalist, died. He was President of the Royal Society for 41...