Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

Did you know that mince pies have been traditional English Christmas fare since the Middle Ages, when meat was a key ingredient?  The addition of spices, suet and alcohol to meat came about because it was an alternative to salting and smoking in order to preserve the food. Mince pies used to be a different...

Lord, as I enter into the fast-paced season ahead, help me walk slowly and quietly.  Let me stop and listen to the angels sing of the greatest news ever told.  Let my heart, mind and soul join the chorus. “Glory in the Highest!! The Messiah has been born!” Among all the bright sparkling lights and...

Church of England prayer apps were used more than five million times over the last year as a record number of people sought Christian contemplation and reflection online, according to new figures published today. Apps allowing users to pray the ancient ‘Daily Office’ of morning, evening and night prayer were used 4.2 million times on...

‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’ (Isaiah 9:6) Approaching Christmas, we are very aware of the political and economic uncertainties that face us. The prophet Isaiah...

Did you know that it is a family in Wiltshire, the Parkers, who claim to own the world’s oldest artificial Christmas tree?  It was bought in 1886, and is still put up every year.

Staff and volunteers at night shelters are being urged to be on the lookout for signs of exploitation among guests in a campaign recently launched by the Church of England’s anti-slavery initiative. More than 1,000 posters and other materials aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of modern slavery amongst homeless people have been distributed...

No one is really sure, but a story is told of St Nicholas, a bishop who lived in the 4th century, who may have started the custom by accident.  St Nicholas was of a wealthy family, and of a generous heart.  As Christmas approached one year, he wanted to help a poor family whom he...

Did you know that the word ‘mistletoe’ means dung on a tree?  The Anglo-Saxons thought that mistletoe grew in trees where birds had left their droppings.  Mistel means dung, and tan means twig.

Away in a manger the baby lay, No blankets or pillows – just some hay. Shepherds watching their flocks by night Angels appear midst blinding light. Wise men travelling from afar Following a guiding star, Herod filled with rage within Planning to kill this new born king. What can this mean for us today? Just...

‘It’s gonna be a lonely Christmas’. The pressure to have fun with friends and family is real over the Christmas period.  In fact, over nine million people in the UK say they’re always or often lonely. (Red Cross). When Mary became pregnant with Jesus, she probably felt very alone. Her situation would be seen as...

There are two early stories that mention fir trees.  The first involves St Boniface, who went to Germany in the 8th century as a missionary and found people sacrificing a child to their god under an oak tree.  Boniface was appalled, and rescued the child. He then chopped down the oak tree and found a...

The Church of England has partnered with Cornerstone, the mobile infrastructure services company who own and manage sites for Telefónica (O2) and Vodafone, to help deliver improved connectivity in areas currently suffering from poor mobile phone coverage. Cornerstone has entered into an agreement with the Church of England under the recent Electronic Communications Code to...