A happy New Year wherever you are. To be happy is to feel, show or cause pleasure or satisfaction according to the Cambridge Dictionary. That is fine but what are the ingredients for happiness? Walking along the beach at Southwold in the sunshine just ten days before Christmas seemed to be a perfect moment to…
Joy to the World!, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=56347 [retrieved December 13, 2025]. Original source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/babasteve/31844535845/. It is a privilege to write today and to wish you all a joyful Christmas. A fortnight ago tomorrow I enjoyed a performance of Handel’s Messiah at The Royal Festival Hall.…
Moyers, Mike. The Lord is My Light, from Art in the Christian Tradition, a project of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library, Nashville, TN. https://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=57135 [retrieved December 7, 2025]. Original source: Mike Moyers, https://www.mikemoyersfineart.com/. For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live…
As I write this, we have just had an Advent Prayer Day for the churches in the Northern Mission Area of the Ipswich Circuit. There were some beautifully thought through and obviously helpful prayer stations devised and set up by various friends. The atmosphere was special and spiritual. I have just searched the internet for images of ‘prayer aids;’ the search returned…
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…