What do you think of when you think of May 4th? Bank holiday? Star Wars? Well, I was surprised to discover that 4th May is National Firefighters Day. St Florian (250-304 AD) was a commander in the Roman army in present day Austria, serving under the Emperor Diocletian. One of his responsibilities was the organisation of…
On Monday afternoon some of us from the circuit had a trip to the cinema to watch Ryan Gosling’s latest film ‘Project Hail Mary’. I’m not a great sci fi fan, but this is more of a film about camaraderie lightly hidden in a plot of pending inter galactic disaster. One isolated human having to…
Easter Sunday was a very yellow day for me. As we travelled to church, we saw beautiful daffodils on the verges and also some delicate lemony primroses. Inside the church, the different yellow and golden shades seemed to stand out in Easter banners and decorations. Fuzzy chicks and eggs again glowed yellow. I must just…
There seems so much suffering in the world, it can be overwhelming. Why does a loving God allow it to happen? It’s probably the greatest reason why people say they refuse to believe in God. Atheists may think that believers have never really faced the problem of suffering – if they did, they would give…
I was walking back from shopping the other day. As I’ve said before, I don’t drive and one advantage is the people I make contact with as I’m walking. On this particular occasion, I had three encounters. The first was a young beautiful Asian lady who asked for directions. The second was a middle aged…
People who know me, will know that I don’t drive and I never have. Last Saturday, I was walking to my nearby supermarket, dragging my trolley behind me. I walk alongside the river, so it’s a nice walk with swans and ducks to entertain me but this morning it was quite damp and foggy in…
So, Mothering Sunday is 15th March this year – the day after Pi (π) Day. This is an annual celebration of the mathematical constant π (Pi) and is observed on March 14th since 3,1 and 4 are the first significant figures of π and it was first celebrated in the USA who tend to note the dates…
If you are following the Methodist Lent liturgy or even the lectionary readings for this Sunday, John 4 – the woman at the well – will be a prominent part of your worship. This story is amazing – that Jesus, a Jewish male rabbi should even speak to this outcasted woman went against every cultural…
‘Playing fast and loose’ apparently is an allusion to an old cheating game once practised at fairs. A belt or strap was doubled and rolled up with the loop in the centre and placed on the edge of a table. The player then had to catch the loop with a skewer while the belt was…
Traditionally Shrove Tuesday (Mardi gras) is the day that Christians eat up all the rich foods (including pancakes) before the forty day season of Lent starts on Ash Wednesday. This year is special as the celebrations of Lent, Ramadan and the Lunar New Year all coincide – a rare occurrence that won’t happen again until…