Month: February 2026

It must have seemed such a good idea. One of the winners at the recent BAFTA ceremonies was a film about a Tourette’s sufferer, John Davidson. Tourette’s Syndrome takes different forms, but in some cases in can cause sufferers to shout out obscenities and profanities. Unfortunately, a microphone was put in front of Mr Davidson and, when two black actors appeared on stage, the Tourette’s struck and he shouted out a racial insult. The actors, whilst clearly surprised, responded with professionalism and carried on. The situation was exacerbated by the BBC not editing out the offensive word, either at the time or for some hours after the programme was made available on their website. For the most part, the criticism has been at the BBC, who have apologised. However, some of have suggested that Mr Davidson should not have been invited, as the slur could damage the well-being of those who heard it. It is of course easy for myself to comment, as someone not directly involved. However, Jesus had much to say about the primacy of love and on the price of being one of his followers. I am not always easy to love; I am grateful for those who have the grace to put up with my foibles and who forgive my misdeeds. It cannot always be easy, but the is the way of the cross is the risky path of perseverance.

Rev David Poyner

Yesterday (Thursday 20th) I marked the second day of Lent by having a cooked breakfast at Ditton Priors, a meal at the Pheasant at Neenton then tea and biscuits with friends. Tomorrow I will have a (large) cooked breakfast at the Down. Some people give up chocolate or alcohol for Lent; I am giving up dieting. 

Fasting has always been considered to be a useful spiritual discipline, albeit one I have never attempted. My excuse is that we all have different spiritualities; we can chose practices that work best for us. The big idea behind Lent for people of faith is that it is a period when we reflect on our core values; what we believe and what that should mean for us. In some form or other, that involves stripping away the undergrowth of our lives to see more clearly what is beneath. Even if people have no conventual religious faith, self-examination is still important. All can learn from Lent and what fasting or other forms of discipline are meant to encourage.

Rev David poyner

I have just had to check whether or not the Church of England does officially celebrate St Valentine’s Day. We do; hooray! However, it is to commemorate Valentine as a martyr from Roman times, not the patron saints of lovers. The church website offers the following as to how that came about:

“The present-day ‘retail custom’ of sending cards and flowers declaring love only clouds the commemoration and may owe its existence to John Donne [poet and Dean of St Paul’s]. Donne wrote a marriage song for Princess Elizabeth, the daughter of James I who married Frederick V, Elector Palatine on St Valentine’s Day in 1632. His marriage song merged the religious commemoration of Valentine with fertility symbolism. The spring mating rituals of birds and possibly the pagan Lupercalia festival also add flavour to the reasons behind the current celebration of the day. Extract from Saints on Earth: A biographical companion to Common Worship by John H Darch and Stuart K Burns”.

Whilst I am all in favour of historical accuracy, I suspect most people will find more resonance in the association of Valentine with their beloved than the martyr(s) from the time of the Roman Empire. Sometimes there is room for both myth and reality.

Rev David Poyner

Shortly  before Christmas I took a break from carol services to go to Belfast in Northern Ireland; it was hosting a meeting of the British Pharmacological Society and I was going to present some new findings from our research. I grew up in the 1970s, when the news was all of “the troubles”, the feuds between Loyalists and Republicans, conveniently badged as Protestants and Roman Catholics. The violence is now over, but this was my first visit to a place in some ways I knew well from those old broadcasts. I have to say I was very impressed with what I saw. On the journey from the airport to the city, I did see an Irish flag flying in estate in a town on the bus route, but that was the only glimpse of the past. Belfast was a very friendly, vibrant, multi-cultural city; at least in the centre, it seemed to have completely moved on. Of course, in the space of a short visit, I am sure I did not get a complete picture. But I loved the cathedral, that made me so welcome at one of their lunchtime communion services (and which manages with just two full-time clergy, unlike some places…). And I really loved the First Presbyterian Church, a Protestant church, where the guide and caretaker, so enthusiastic about it, is a Roman Catholic. Change can happen, the Kingdom of God does come.

Rev David Poyner