Autumn Leaves I think one of my favourite times of year is the autumn, when the leaves turn and start to fall. Autumn’s an oxymoron really, as it’s the ‘end’ of a ‘never-ending’ circle of life, as we await the spring and the new life it brings. For us too, life can sometimes seem to […]

Reformation 500 The 31st October 2017, will mark 500 years since Martin Luther nailed his “95 These,” to the door of All Saints Church in Wittenberg Germany, so triggering the process, that would lead to The Reformation. Not that he set out to do this in the beginning. He was a Catholic priest and Augustinian […]

Harvest Home and Fidget Pie Harvest celebrations are one of the worlds oldest festivals, predating Christianity and celebrated by the both the Ancient Greeks and the Romans. In Britain the first corn was cut at Lammas Time, on the 1st August. It was originally a pagan festival, but gradually it developed into a Christian one, […]

RETUNING Dear Readers, I write this on the hottest day of the year, reflecting that this is weather for the beach and not for dog collars and work. Still, not long now until a week away in France and an opportunity to recharge the batteries after a full and eventful year. Though in terms of […]

The Coming of the Spirit   The feast of Pentecost comes 50 days after the Passover and, due to the favorable June weather, Jerusalem was filled with pilgrims. The disciples were there; huddled together in one room, back to the number 12, having replaced Judas with Matthias. They were doing what Jesus has asked them […]

Polly Wolly Doodle all the Way! The 14th – 20th May, marks Dementia Awareness Week in the UK, all of which has got me reminiscing about conversations with my Mother, when she still had the ability to speak. I can remember in the early days of her dementia, that we would have the liveliest conversations. […]

STATIONS OF THE CROSS The Stations of the Cross are a traditional Christian devotion, begun by the Franciscans in the 17th century, to help pilgrims engage and meditate on the Passion of Christ. There are 14 stations or pictures in total, which begin with Christ being condemned to death and journey through to him taking […]

Women’s World Day of Prayer The Women’s world day of prayer (WWDP) is unique. It is the largest ecumenical movement in the world, being the only one where Orthodox, Protestant, Catholic and Evangelical Christians come together to worship and pray for mission. The movement’s particular focus is upon the experience of women and children throughout […]

The message for our Homebased Congregations in Leigh Greetings to everyone reading this at home. I hope that you are keeping warm and feeling encouraged as the evenings slowly lengthen, and the snow drops can be seen in the garden. I also like to buy my first bunch of daffodils on the 1st February, to […]

The Global Village of 100 People Thank you to all the people that contacted me following last month’s editorial on counting our blessings. Several of you had visited the Eden Centre, and suggested that I look at the piece on global statistics where patterns of inequality are pictured as a global village of 100 people. […]