-
Realistic Resolutions
It is traditional for any vicar to write something in January about New Year resolutions. Every year I have the same problem, because I have never made a resolution for the New Year; how can I improve on my current state of perfection?…. The truth is that I do not make resolutions because I know
-
A Merry Christmas
How is the Christmas season going for you? In the Church, we talk a lot about hope in the run-up to Christmas and the birth of a saviour. However, I often speak of hope as being something in the far distant future and welcoming a saviour implies we have things we need to be saved from.
-
What is Power?
It has been another bruising week for the Church of England, as more revelations have emerged of abusive behaviour from vicars and calls for resignations. For the victims of abuse, the news must have been particularly hard to bear. Over the next few days, I will be standing in pulpits talking about good tidings in
-
The Power of a Symbol
This week, I have been attending a meeting of the British Pharmacological Society (BPS) at Harrogate. I teach and research pharmacology, the science of how drugs work and have been a member of the BPS for over 25 years. The society organises a large meeting every year just before Christmas; there are talks about matters
-
Be Careful What You Wish/Pray For
I was scrolling through a friend’s facebook page, looking for profound reflections I could pass of as my own in my next sermon and found this. There may be something here about encouraging us to think carefully about what we actually need, although the real reason I am re-posting it is because it made me
-
30th November 2024 – The Momentous Vote
The House of Commons have now voted to legalise assisted dying. The very fact that was a free vote indicates the complex moral issues around this issue. Earlier this week, in a Thought for the Day, the Rev. Sam Wells gave a very balanced account of the different Christian perspectives around the issue; he presented
-
Our Volunteers
Earlier this week, I thanked one of our volunteers who helps tidy the church. I was struck by her reply; she described helping as a “pleasure and a privilege”. The work of the church relies very heavily on unpaid volunteers. This week, in addition to the volunteer cleaners at Billingsley, I have welcomed a group from
-
A Safe Church
I cannot remember the last time the BBC led their news with a story featuring the Church of England and the Archbishop of Canterbury. Unfortunately…. As I followed the news, I realised I knew some of the victims, from 40 years ago when we were students together. I had no idea what they had been
-
Loving our Neighbours
The people of the USA have made their choice and we have had the speeches, both of victory and defeat. President-elect Trump has called for healing, but for me, the most profound speech came from the soon-to-be-outgoing President, Joe Biden. The result was clearly a blow for him; he had already been humiliated in that debate and
-
The Faithful Departed
I write this article on 1st November, All Saints Day when the church remembers what might be called the “heroes” of faith, although some had darker sides to their nature. Tomorrow we have All Souls Day, when the focus becomes broader and we recall all those who have died in faith. I can relate to these
Benefice of Highley with Billingsley, Glazeley and Deuxhill and Chelmarsh
Knowing Jesus and Making Him Known
