Just over a year ago I wrote about the end of an era as our cherry tree had to be felled because it was diseased. I was upset then but did not anticipate the unintended consequence of there being more sunlight and space for the buddleia beside and beneath it. With the shade gone what…

Read Acts 6:7-16 When I was growing up in church at home, somehow, we never sang John Mason’s magnificent hymn, ‘how shall I sing that majesty.’ (Singing the Faith 53). The first time I ever heard it was on a recording of a songs of praise service where it was sung by a large congregation…

Read: John 20:24-29 Some of the decisions we make in life come easily and others are hard work. Some judgements require evidence but others are instinctive. All of us will be used to the variety of choices we must make: the road to take, food to eat, things to read or clothes to wear are…

Read: Acts 2:14-21 We have become used to having a mobile phone within reach for much of the time. When I was growing up it was decided that ‘we children’ needed to learn to use the telephone, in case of an emergency. Making a call involved going to a different room, dialling a number and…

Read: Revelation 4:1-11 Church buildings often tell stories of the life a community both now and in the past. For a visitor, a few moments spent in a church may make immediate connections with the life of a place, more than a museum ever will. The first question on approaching a place of worship may…

Read Ezekiel 36:22-28 God did good things for Israel, not because Israel deserved their treatment but because God was demonstrating his own grace so that through, and in some ways in spite of the chosen people, others would see his goodness and marvel. On holiday recently on Shetland (you may suffer more references in weeks…

Read: John 20:19-23 When we were children, we could not sleep for excitement before going away on holiday. Now I am not a child I still sleep fitfully if I am looking forward to a special day, and important event or, yes, going on holiday. In July 2020 as the first Covid restrictions eased we…

Read: Acts 1:1-11 I cannot imagine what it is like to stand on top of a really tall mountain; one of those where oxygen is needed and there is real danger because of the altitude. Apologies for the pun, but it must be breathtaking. Whenever people set out on a dangerous adventure it is natural…

Read: 1 Corinthians 12:27-31 Many years ago, my boss asked me to give oversight of a factory in Northern Ireland. It was geographically absurd and so far out of my skill set as to be risible. It would be ‘good for my development,’ was the strapline! In fact, there was no one else; I did…

So, we planned our walk carefully. The taxi dropped us exactly where we wanted to be dropped. The valley was spread out below us and it was a beautiful morning. Peaceful in the sunshine, nothing could go wrong – until we started for the path descending through the trees and down the contours to the…