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12th August will be the first total solar eclipse in mainland Europe since 1999. And many churches in the UK see it as a big opportunity for outreach. On 12th August, the Moon will pass between the Earth and the Sun, blocking sunlight for over two minutes. Some areas like northern Spain, Greenland and Iceland...

The British Veterinary Association offers these tips: Make sure all pets always have access to fresh water to drink, adequate ventilation, and shade from direct sunlight.  Don’t exercise dogs in the hottest parts of the day, especially older pets, flat-faced breeds or dogs with known heart or lung problems. Stick to early morning or late...

In the church year, we are now well into that long season – it seems to go on forever – variously called ‘Trinity’ or ‘Ordinary time’. Each of those labels tells us something about the approximately six months between Pentecost and Advent Sunday. ‘Trinity’ reminds us that with Pentecost, God has made Himself known to...

31st August is the feast of St Aidan, who brought Christianity to northern England.  He is a strong contender for the title of the first English bishop. Not that honours meant a great deal to this austere but captivating character. In 635 he came to Northumbria at the invitation of the local ruler, Oswald.  Oswald...

Recommendations are now being accepted for the person who will be nominated as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in May 2027. The Moderator will act as the Church’s ambassador during the following year, visiting presbyteries, meeting Church members in a variety of settings, and representing the Church at public events....

Raymond Nonnatus (1204 – 40) is a good patron saint for anyone who does not take life for granted. The account of his own life begins with the story of how his mother died just before his birth, and of how Raymond was somehow extracted from her dead body just in time to save him.(‘Nonnatus’...

See then that ye walk circumspectly, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.  (Ephesians 5, 15-16) There is something that really irritates me in church. The clock is wrong. It is always five minutes fast. I do not mean the clock in the tower, that has not worked for years. There is a wall...

Swansea Minster will host Gaia, a touring artwork by UK artist Luke Jerram, from 12th to 31st October. Gaia is a six-metre sphere created from detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface. The huge installation will be suspended inside the Minster, offering visitors the experience of seeing the planet floating in three dimensions. Jerram has...

The colourful peacock butterfly is our favourite, according to a recent poll. The butterflies, with their striking colours and ‘eye-spots’ designed to fend off predators, beat 59 other British species in the vote run by Butterfly Conservation. More than 20,000 votes were cast across the UK, with a rainbow of colourful species making up the...

Almost half the world’s population, 45% of us, live in cities of at least 50,000 people. A third of us, 36%, live in towns of 5,000 to 50,000, and the remaining 19% of us live in rural areas. The population in the UK has dropped -3.2% since 2020. The decline has happened in England and Wales...

This month the Church remembers the beheading of John the Baptist – a good time to think of all those who engage in the work of the gospel, regardless of their personal safety…  I have found the paradox that if I love until it hurts, then there is no hurt, but only more love. –...

Sundays of the Month Editor:  We thought you might find it helpful to know what the Sundays of each month are called… 5th July             Fifth Sunday after Trinity 12th July           Sixth Sunday after Trinity 19th July           Seventh Sunday after Trinity 26th July           Eighth Sunday after Trinity ** High Days and Holy Days for July...