Several of our neighbours in this part of Ipswich have left the Christmas lights outside their homes, not only attached to the building, but switched on during the evenings.  Under normal circumstances I would have been moaning about this practice as it is tradition to remove all Christmas decorations by twelfth night, (three day ago…

You can’t go far in reading the Bible without coming across encouragement or a command to show gratitude to God – being thankful.  As early as Chronicles (16 : 34), for example, we read – ‘Oh, give thanks to the Lord for he is good…’ Do you tell God in your prayers that he is good…

Recalling undertakers I have known, there was one who went appropriately by the name of Mr Death, but who pronounced his name rather less ominously as Mr De’ath. But more significantly, I remember one saying in my hearing: “I wish these ministers didn’t keep harping on about the resurrection at the funeral service. The mourners…

Our fast-moving world demands immediate service—instant car-phone communication, 20 minute pizza delivery service, fast broadband and so the list goes on. Waiting is grating. As a result we don’t have time for breakdowns, recuperation or repairs. If something goes wrong, we want a quick fix so we can be on our way. If stores can’t give…

Reflection on Matthew 2; Verse 10 “When the Wise Men saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his Mother; and they knelt down and paid him homage. Then, opening their treasure-chest, they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Have…

During the on-line service on 3rd January, Rev Joan suggested that we obtain a star word  to use as a spiritual focus during the year.  The word I settled on was µWriteµ.  I pondered where that word would lead me – do I write letters, emails, a book? There are so many opportunities and I…

The need to try to alter the words of traditional hymns so they are less divisive sometimes works well and sometimes leads to nonsense. One of my Christmas favourites, which is certainly good for singing right through to Epiphany, is Edmunds Sears’ It came upon the midnight clear. The original refers to ‘man at war…

I watch a TV programme on Christmas Eve where they started by playing the final part of the same programme a year ago.  Cast your mind back to the end of 2019 and you will remember a general election during Advent which returned a Conservative majority government who promised to “get Brexit done!” and the…

Jonah really welcomed that great weed  – or gourd in some translations – which gave him some shade while all around was exposed to blistering sunshine.  At least we’re told he was grateful for it.  But he just accepted it was there – he hadn’t planted it, he didn’t water it or do anything to…

I’ve been seeing lots of people posting on Facebook recently about roll on 2021. Also, they have been putting ‘can we just write this year off?’ I have also seen people who have been positive saying what they have learnt something new and all the new things they have done.  It got me thinking: How…