Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

There is a story of two men talking about their new vicar. One says to the other, “This new one’s not a patch on the old vicar. With the old one preaching I was asleep in five minutes. With the new one it takes all of ten.” Some churches in times past employed ‘sluggard-walkers’ who...

Observations on Love… Marriage is more than finding the right person; it is being the right person. – Anon ‘One plus one equals one’ may not be an accurate mathematical concept, but it is an accurate description of God’s intention for the marriage relationship. – Wayne Mack Marriage is the ultimate invitation to growth in...

Hearing A tiny lady was the guest preacher. A few minutes into her sermon, she paused and said: “Can you all hear me at the back?”  A kind voice replied: “We can hear you fine. But sadly, we can’t quite see you.” ** Church service An auntie took her very young niece to church. When...

Woodcarving isn’t as straightforward as it seems. You don’t begin with a block of wood; you begin with a piece of paper. The first step is to draw a plan of what you want to carve, and only when you’ve got that right do you start to shape your piece of wood. The carver then...

– and poet If we were to name someone prominent from the 17th century, we might mention Rembrandt or Shakespeare. It is unlikely we would remember George Herbert. However, he was a prolific writer, a gifted speaker and musician. His hymns are still sung today. Herbert was born into a wealthy family in Mid-Wales on...

Making the Most of Your Church Wedding Surviving Separation and Divorce – Dealing with Divorce Day-to-day Prayer Book of Days – With Saints Through the Ages Waking the Women – Faith, Menopause, and the Meaning of Midlife 100 Ways to Get Your Church Noticed (3rd edition) Marriage – 6 Gospel Commitments Every Couple Needs to...

“Where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19-21) I cannot count in church. I do not know why, but I cannot. I mean that, when I am at the front and leading a service, I try to add up how many people there are in the congregation. We...

Anna Prayer for February 2025 The Gift Nunc dimittis A Book of Joy Disturb us, Lord Come reign in me ** Anna (Luke 2:36-38) All those years in the temple, In waiting widowhood. All those years Worshipping, wondering, What had it all been about? Seven years of marriage Then this lifetime alone, And yet There...

The Rectory St James the Least My dear Nephew Darren I was quite happy to see the young person from your church whom you are encouraging to get ordained – even though we did not entirely see eye to eye. When I answered the door to someone dressed in T-shirt, jeans and trainers, I naturally...

The National Society for Education has published its response to the Department for Education’s Curriculum and Assessment Review, calling for a long-term vision for reform that places equity and aspiration at the heart of education. The response advocates for systemic changes, to ensure that “all children flourish, regardless of their background or circumstances.” Key proposals...

Our historic canals are in danger of disappearing. Caught in a ‘perfect storm’ of extreme weather events and funding cuts, the canals could be facing irreparable damage to huge stretches of their waterways. The Canal and River Trust (CRT) warns that even the historic sections of the Grand Union Canal and the scenic Oxford Canal...

– vicar and poet  On this day the Church Calendar celebrates George Herbert. For those who are muttering ‘never heard of him’, just think of the hymn ‘Let all the world/ In every corner sing’, which he wrote, along with several other hymns which are still popular, even if they are well over 300 years old....