Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

Ever wonder why Jesus was born when He was?  The Bible tells us that “when the time had fully come, God sent forth His Son…” The Jewish people had been waiting for their Messiah for centuries.  Why did God send Him precisely when He did? Many biblical scholars believe that the ‘time had fully come’...

Loving, generous Father, This Christmas, please help us to keep you at the centre of our preparations and celebrations. May our thankfulness for the gift of your precious son, Jesus, motivate all that we think and say and do. May the joy of His coming shine from us and attract those who don’t know what...

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...

What a dilemma for a slimmer Eating all that Christmas fare, Getting fatter, what’s it matter? It’s only once a year.   Now the party has begun, Crackers and cheese and party hats Turkey with trimmings, presents with ribbons, Figgy pudding – do we still eat that?   Food a-plenty, plates all empty Waistbands bursting,...

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.

The Visual Christmas Story My First Christmas Activity Book  And the Star Shone Brightly Bible Puzzles for Fun Really Useful Guides: Colossians and Philemon Follow the Star Christian Music – a global history (revised and expanded) The Last Journey – reflections for the time of grieving God’s Biker – motorcycles and misfits My Country Wept...

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.

How to survive Christmas When people want your money for their charity Learn a poem by heart this Christmas – and stay sharp Don’t cook and sleep at the same time Shared meals are more fun Taking yourself on holiday Beware of selfies The loneliness of our young people Yo-yo dieting is ‘worse for your...

Attackers recently ransacked, looted and burned a church in the Kossey district of Niger’s capital Niamey, leaving the building a charred shell, its floor covered with debris and broken and blackened musical instruments. Niger’s tiny Christian minority make up less than 1% of the population, but it had traditionally lived peacefully and unthreatened alongside the...

Advent’s upon us once more! A season to fast, and adore Our Jesus who came Salvation to gain And worship, as shepherds before. But is it a season of hush? Or Christmas commercialised mush? We miss Advent’s joys Buying trinkets and toys For Advent’s the season of rush! Nor is it a season of fast...

God’s Special Gift From the Vicar God with us Emmanuel means ‘God with us’ An On-Going Story The hour-glass of Christmas ** Editor:  The Rev Paul Hardingham considers the unthinkable God’s Special Gift For those of us about to spend Christmas with a new child or grandchild, we will know how very special the arrival...

“A cold coming they had of it at this time of the year, just the worst time of the year to take a journey, and specially a long journey, in.  The way’s deep, the weather sharp, the days short, the sun farthest off, in solstitio brumali, the very dead of winter.” It was 1622, and...