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…

If there is one thing positive to take from this grueling year of global pandemic, it is the amazing ways that people have responded to the needs of others. Volunteers have come out of the woodwork to feed the hungry, comfort the lonely, clothe the naked in a very practical demonstration of Matthew 25 :…

Recently, clutching my letter telling ‘to whom it may concern’ that I work in the food industry and therefore should, in the words on my passport, be permitted to ‘pass freely without let or hindrance’, I was let out on an excursion to Scotland. The purpose of the trip was not exciting; an insurance property…

I’m sure many of you will have received the annual letter from friends.  I’m sure that many will share a similar flavour this year, with the tone being set by a roundup of the woes of the year.  Through advent and on towards epiphany, as our hopes have been building, there is a much more…

About halfway through a rehearsal conducted by Sir Michael Costa, with trumpets blaring, drums rolling, and violins singing their rich melody, the piccolo player muttered to himself, “What good am I doing? I might just as well not be playing. Nobody can hear me anyway.” So he kept his instrument to his mouth, but he made no…