Having returned from a lovely few days in The Peak District, we set about doing all that was necessary for our last week in the Haldon Team of eight churches and today’s Farewell Service. House moving plans in place (and no, we’ve not packed yet, to answer all those who Read more…
Whether it’s in the speaking or in the writing, I have often encouraged people not to compare themselves with others. Regularly using two favourite quotes to emphasise the importance if not doing so: ‘It is a mistake to compare the outside of other people’s lives with the inside of our Read more…
A friend has come to stay. We first met in 1988 when they wrecked my life. Since then, we’ve met just once, a few years ago. So it was a surprise to meet them again, if I’m honest. But there again, given what happened, perhaps it wasn’t. The very first Read more…
What do Mother Teresa, the current Archbishop of Canterbury, Pope Francis and me have in common? Umm… best let the Pope answer that one, methinks: ‘Who among us has not experienced insecurity, loss and even doubts on their journey of faith? Everyone! We’ve all experienced this, me too… It is Read more…
A reflection for the fourth week of Advent: Love ‘There’s a power in love. There’s a certain sense in which when you are loved, and you know it, when someone cares for you, and you know it, when you love and you show it – it actually feels right,’ as Read more…
A reflection for the third week of Advent: Joy It was his first ever Valentine card. He was 17, she was 15. As the school library assistant, he’d watch her sit down and open her books. She’d given him a nickname he liked. Had he believed in it all back Read more…
Sometimes I wonder why I bother going to church. Being a lay minister and married to the vicar has something to do with it, I guess… ‘It’s nothing more than a religious social club,’ as a normally mild-mannered, retired priest put it recently. Like many organisations made up of fallible Read more…
‘Hello. We are expecting you.’ The words on arriving for a long overdue retreat were both welcome and unexpected. For me, retreats are often for taking a break. To get away from it all – whatever ‘it all’ means. The pandemic had already put paid to three and the last Read more…
Have you heard the one about the rock star, the actor and the bishop? To be honest, I’m not really a fan of autobiographies but in recent weeks I’ve ended up reading three of them. Now, lest you think poorly of the all-male choice (yes, I do need to read Read more…
It’s very easy to focus on problems, isn’t it? Just like I did in the last blog post! Indeed, it seems to take far more effort to ‘count our blessings’. Within the events of the last few weeks, some of which were described in that last post, God has also Read more…