Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

Do you, or don’t you?  Many of us feel reluctant to admit that we would like to do it, even if usually we do not.  Have a snooze after lunch, that is. A 20-minute nap seems to work wonders – many studies find that people awake feeling refreshed, with their energy levels renewed and with...

Love the flowers in your garden just now?  Why not preserve them?  The art of preserving flowers was very popular in Victorian times, and it is still good fun. It is an inexpensive hobby, for all you really need are some small flowers, some paper and a weight. Start with something simple like buttercups, daisies,...

The Truth of the Ascension From the Vicar The Beatitudes: ‘Blessed are those who mourn’ Exam time The call to maturity What’s in your name?  Looking up into Heaven The story behind the hymn: ‘Alleluia, Alleluia! Give Thanks to the Risen Lord’ ** Editor:  The Rev Paul Hardingham considers a much-neglected event… The Truth of...

Cathedrals to mark moon landing anniversary Knife Angel sculpture installed at Coventry Cathedral Funding cuts putting children at risk, says charity Church of England appoints champion for lay ministries Bishop and MP welcome marriage registration changes by Parliament Response to Royal College of Physicians announcement on assisted dying Bishop backs call for rural strategy Celebrations...

Editor:  As the Church’s year does not change, much of this material has appeared before.  The item on Comgall is new. 1                      May Day 1                      Philip the Apostle/James the Less 2                      Athanasius 8                      Julian of Norwich 9                      Pachomius New*10          Comgall 14                    Matthias the Apostle – called by lots 16                    Caroline Chisholm 19                    Dunstan...

‘While He was blessing them, Jesus left them and was taken up into heaven.’ (Luke 24:51). The Ascension is a hugely neglected festival, which deserves to have a bigger place in our church life. How do we understand it? The Ascension tells us that Jesus is in control: ‘Jesus has gone into heaven and is...

May is the month when the ancient pagans used to get up to ‘all sorts’!  The Romans held their festival to honour the mother-goddess Maia, goddess of nature and growth.  (May is named after her.)  The early Celts celebrated the feast of Beltane, in honour of the sun god, Beli. For centuries in ‘Olde England’...

The Ascension is a hugely neglected festival, which deserves to have a bigger place in our church life. How do we understand it? The Ascension tells us that Jesus is in control: ‘Jesus has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand’ (1 Peter 3:22). Jesus occupies the top spot in the universe; the...

Space suits, meteorite fragments and a giant sculpture of the moon are to be displayed in one of the Church of England’s ancient cathedrals as part of celebrations to mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. A lit art installation, Museum of the Moon, by artist Luke Jerram, with detailed NASA imagery of the...

Is there someone in church whom you respect for their spirituality and common sense combined – someone you feel easy about approaching to ask questions?  That person’s patron saint should be Philip. Philip came from Bethsaida, and was a disciple of Jesus from early on.  He knew how to lead others to Jesus – he...

The Beatitudes, at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-12), present the values of the kingdom of God. In ‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted’ (5:4), Jesus appears to be saying ‘Happy are the unhappy’!! It’s not wrong for Christians to be sad or grieve, as we can...

One thing for sure:  the apostles were not self-obsessed.  In fact, many a church historian has wished that they had left us just a few more personal details about themselves in the New Testament.   James the Less is an excellent example. This is the name we give to James the son of Alphaeus, but –...