I recently had an interesting conversation with two colleagues who, like me, are beginning their retirement. The point for discussion was legacy folders and documents, both the physical sort and the electronic ones. For me, pressing delete on many hundreds of documents and even more emails was easy, but I am stuck with the bottom…

Looking back just over a fortnight I am still thinking about something that happened, almost unnoticeable but significant. I prepared a short address for the Remembrance Sunday Service that included a reflection on the Latin words from which are derived the word ‘Armistice.’ On the Friday night I turned up at the Church to rehearse…

A kind friend recently found a very old photograph of herself with my late sister. It was taken in 1976 and gave me a flash back into what seems like a former life. In the hope that other family members may like to have a copy too, the photograph has been on a journey to…

When you are just able to walk and learning about the interesting things in the world, progress is slow, not necessarily because of physical capability but because there are so many distractions. That is my interpretation of going for a walk with my grandson. Thinking about it, much of what I do in my life…

Read – Mattew 16:1-4 We arrived in Devon recently for a short break and upon arrival, we were greeted by a wonderful sunset over the sea. The ancient saying, quoted by Jesus in today’s reading implied pleasant weather and that was what followed for more several days. I have been thinking about signs in a…

­Matthew 14:34-36 34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognised Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all who were ill to him 36 and begged him to let those who were ill just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched it…

Read: Matthew 13:36-43 It is bewildering to wonder why good and bad people are able to co-exist in the world. I am writing this on the day following the cold-blooded assault on the worship of people in a Manchester Synagogue on the Jewish Holy Day of Yom Kippur. Today’s reading from the gospel sheds light…

Read: Matthew 12:46-50 While he was still speaking to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” And stretching out his hand toward his disciples, he said, “Here are my…

Geoffrey Chaucer’s works from the fourteenth Century give us the origin of the phrase, ‘mighty oaks from little acorns grow.’ We usually take that as an encouragement to have high expectations even of things that have humble beginnings. A recent expedition to the park at Helmingham when the gardens were closed because of adverse weather…

Read: Proverbs 26:12-17 If you find honey, eat just enough – too much of it, and you will vomit. (Verse 16) A local plumber who we use when things get wet where they should not get wet or dry when they should be wet also keeps bees as a hobby. Recently we acquired a replacement…