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Preparing the way for the Messiah John the Baptist is famous for baptising Jesus, and for losing his head to a woman. He was born to Zechariah, a Temple priest, and Elizabeth, who was a cousin of Mary, the mother of Jesus. John was born when his mother was advanced in years, and after the...

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked,...

On the one hand, bananas offer good things. They count as one of your five a day, carry only about 90 calories, and are packed with the essential mineral potassium (good in lowering blood pressure.) But they are not perfect… So, here are some pros and cons of bananas: Pro:  High in potassium, good for...

Psalm 51:2; ‘Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.’  Psalm 51 is the most personal, the most passionate and the most profound prayer for forgiveness found anywhere in the Bible. Without any introduction, explanation or excuse, the Psalmist cries out, ‘Have mercy on me, O God.’ Jewish and Christian scholars...

What is your favourite British car?  Think of the Land Rover, Aston Martin, McLaren, Bentley and Rolls Royce. Then think of the Mini. That is what a group of judges for the Auto Express did recently, and they chose the Mini. Their verdict?  “Put simply, we reckon no other British- built vehicle better represents the...

When many of us think of a ‘Maximus’, we remember the popular film Gladiator and Russell Crowe starring as a Roman general who ends up as a slave successfully defying the Emperor. But Maximus of Turin, the first Bishop of Turin, also led a tumultuous life in fighting evil. He had seen violence and suffering...

Discipleship: Start This Way: Beginning to live as an everyday Christian disciple Raised Forever – Jesus’ resurrection and ours Would you like to know about God Making the Most of Your Church Wedding God, AI and the End of History – The Exiled Church – Reckoning with secular culture ** Discipleship: Start This Way: Beginning...

Counting steps has, for many of us, become a part of our lives. We feel triumphant when we hit 10,000, and guilty when we notch up less than 2,000 a day. But daily steps, which are really no more than regular daily exercise, are not just a gimmick. Medical research has found that your daily...

So says a coroner, following a spate of four deaths caused by drivers who, in one case, could barely see his own steering wheel. Dr James Adeley, the senior coroner for Lancashire, has said that letting motorists self-certify their fitness to drive is the ‘laxest system in Europe’, and is highly ineffective. And, until it...

Our next hymn A visiting minister, seeing the list of hymns chosen for the Sunday service, sent a message to the organist to say that the last hymn (519) did not suit his sermon, and so he wanted it replaced by 213. The organist’s message replied: ‘In this church the organist chooses the hymns and...

A recent study has found that as many as one in three teenage girls do NOT feel safe in school, which is a significant increase since lockdown. What is called ‘declining emotional engagement’ among secondary school girls has become a ‘pressing issue’ for the English school system, says a report carried out by the International...

St Peter, ‘the Rock’ The two most famous apostles are remembered this month, for they share a feast day. St Peter (d. c. 64AD), originally called Simon, was a married fisherman from Bethsaida, near the Sea of Galilee. He met Jesus through his brother, Andrew. Jesus gave him the name of Cephas (Peter) which means...