Twenty years ago, we went for our first family holiday to the Lake District. We had always gone to the seaside before, but a change was needed, and we were anxious that the idea might backfire on us. In hindsight it was a huge success; this year we are all going to Cumbria together, accompanied…

I went to sleep on a train the other day; there is nothing unusual in that. On this particular occasion it was a hot afternoon, the train was very busy and when I woke up with a start (as you do). I had no idea where I was despite only having dropped off for a…

The Norwegian city of Tromsø is home to the world’s most northerly cathedral. We visited it a year ago and were stuck by the simplicity of the architecture of a building set in a harsh environment. Well beyond the Arctic Circle, the Arctic Cathedral speaks of the Glory of God in ways that differ greatly…

‘We believe that Christ gives his Church a government distinct from the government of the state. In things that affect obedience to God the Church is not subordinate to the state, but must serve the Lord Jesus Christ, its only Ruler and Head. Civil authorities are called to serve God’s will of justice and peace…

Held together in the Body of Christ through the freedom of the Spirit, we rejoice in the diversity of the Spirit’s gifts and uphold the rights of personal conviction. For the sake of faith and fellowship it shall be for the church to decide where differences of conviction hurt our unity and peace. We commit…

According to Saint John’s Gospel (2:1-12) Jesus began his Ministry when he was ambushed by his mother at a wedding, and despite his reluctance, performed a miracle, turning water into wine. He thought the time was not right, but Mary had other views. The last act of fellowship Jesus enjoyed with his Disciples before his…

As a parent I often worried about who our children were mixing with. As a child my parents worried about the company I kept. Friends and contacts can broaden our minds, lead us into crime or hold us back from being who we really are. Relationships can make us or break us. That may sound…

Jesus told his disciples that he had far more to tell them than they could cope with [John 16:12-15]. He went on to say that after him, the Spirit, also part of God and equally reliable, would keep on revealing new snippets of truth as appropriate and as individuals needed or were ready for them.…

We have arrived in the season of Pentecost. What began as a record in the Acts of the Apostles continues still as the acts of the People of God, empowered by his Spirit. Sometimes, I think, we forget that faith itself is ours because of the Holy Spirit’s work; it cannot be forced by an…

The recent Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla provoked debate over the use of a form of oath of allegiance to the King. People were divided about what they thought; some opinions were strong. In his digital sermon for the Ipswich Methodist Circuit the following day, the Reverend Ian Gardner asked the pertinent…