Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

In years gone by, the rules surrounding April Fool were this:  between midnight and noon on 1st April, everyone is ‘fair game’ to be made a fool of.  It is the morning of the practical joke.  But the aim is not just to discomfort the victim: he must be tricked into taking action himself, sent...

Murky crimes committed by various church leaders, local shops in trouble, roads needing repair, and hospitals in a sorry state…. wanting to retire, but the law said no… it seems that Hugh of Grenoble was dealing with 21st century problems in the 11th century. Born at Chateauneuf in 1052 as the son of a knight,...

The Contemplative Response Faithful Grandparents The Sacred Art of Joking Recovering from Depression Locked in Chase The Lion The Identification Principle ** The Contemplative Response – leadership and ministry in a distracted culture By Ian Cowley, BRF, £8.99 Here is wisdom and sustenance for all Christians who struggle to maintain a still, quiet centre in...

Egg Church notice:  This being Easter Sunday, we will ask Mrs Cusworth to come forward and lay an egg on the altar. ** The bishop’s visit A bishop was visiting a small church in his diocese for Easter.  He wanted the young people to understand what he had to say about the Good Shepherd, so...

By Ian Cowley, BRF, £8.99 Here is wisdom and sustenance for all Christians who struggle to maintain a still, quiet centre in the midst of a 24/7 contemporary culture shaped by worldly ambition, consumerism and information overload. Cowley explains: “I find that three particular words – achieve, acquire, indulge – seem to point to the...

By Anita Cleverly, BRF, £9.99 Here is a call for grandparents to understand and step into the hugely influential role they can play in the lives of their grandchildren. Arguably, there has never been a more important time to find meaningful ways of passing on faith from one generation to the next, and Anita believes...

Ever wonder where the prayer … ‘May I know thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, and follow thee more nearly, day by day’ comes from?  Richard of Chichester, a bishop in the 13th century, wrote it. He began life as Richard de Wych of Droitwich, the son of a yeoman farmer.  But Richard was...

By James Cary, SPCK, £8.99 Every few weeks a politician, pundit or soap star causes a media storm by making a gaffe or tweeting a joke that some people do not find funny. Comedy is very hard to get right and yet we think it’s important to have a sense of humour and not take yourself too...

All in the month of APRIL The mysterious, tragic death of Jill Dando Happy Birthday, Manchester City! The extraordinary success of Robinson Crusoe Where did the Easter Bunny and Easter eggs come from? Easter trivia quiz Old as taxes ** Editor:  We continue our column that looks at memorable dates in the month (this time,...

By Katharine Smith, SPCK, £9.99 Depression is a devastating illness, both for those affected and for their loved ones, and the road to recovery can appear very long and winding indeed. However, for those who are slowly feeling their way towards a life of greater equanimity, this encouraging book will prove a reassuring. A complete...

Leaving England to live in Spain was popular long before the TV show ‘Location Location Location’ became popular.  Back in 1350 Vincent Ferrer’s parents had left England to settle in Valencia, where their son Vincent was born and grew up.   In 1367, when he was 17, Vincent felt called by God to become a monk,...

It was: 300 years ago, on 25th April 1719 that Daniel Defoe’s novel Robinson Crusoe was published. 125 years ago, on 16th April 1894 that Manchester City Football Club was founded.  It was a reorganisation of a church team that was established in 1880, initially as St Mark’s (West Gorton), and, from 1887, Ardwick Association...