Following retirement from his post as England manager Sir Gareth Southgate was asked what he would do next. He said that he wanted to spend time thinking about that, and shortly afterwards he was asked to give the Dimbleby lecture in 2025. As I listened to him delivering that lecture, I felt it was a most…
This week, our Bite Sized service reflects on John 4: 23-24.
Several years ago, I recall singing a hymn that included a phrase about prayer, “Take it to the Lord and leave it there.” For some time, I assumed it meant that having prayed about something once, it was no longer necessary to ask God again. This misunderstanding came to mind during a recent daily Bible…
The 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, 19th July 2026 Lectionary Readings: Isaiah 44 v 6-8; Psalm 86 v11-17; Romans 8 v 12-25; Matthew 13 v 24-30, 36-43. Who is Jesus? Matthew has followed last week’s parable about farming with another, in this week’s gospel reading. I think Matthew is trying…
On our recent trip to Italy, we stayed in Sorrento, the home of limoncello. (Lemon flavoured digestif). The UK supermarkets would have us believe that lemons are all, more or less, a standard size with shiny yellow peel. However, the lemon groves that adorn the Sorrentine peninsula produce some fruit the size of melons, with…
These Alone Are Enough Take my heart, O Lord, take my hopes and dreams Take my mind with all its plans and schemes Give me nothing more than Your love and grace These alone, O God, are enough for me Take my thoughts, O Lord, and my memory Take my tears, my joys, my liberty…
Today’s thought for the day is brought to us by Sue Griffiths www.ellel.uk “The Most High … is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful”. Luke 6:35-36, NIV I am reading Luke’s Gospel at the moment, and every morning as I read, I am being bowled over by…
No worries – it was news to me too: It’s ‘Don’t stand on a bee day.’ Be (!) pollinator aware. I would like to think that a church community is like a bee colony. Bees are critical for pollinating flowers allowing the production of fruit and seeds. Christians too, spread the Good News to others…
Read John 6:41-51 Have you ever worked for one of those managers who says, “My door is always open,” yet when someone actually needs to speak, the diary is full, the meeting has moved, or the moment never quite arrives? A parent may tell their children, “You can always come to me,” but then the…
One of the distressing items that sometimes comes up on the news is a report on a medical facility where standards have fallen far short of what is required and harm has occurred to individuals whilst they are vulnerable, sick and in need of professional care. This “thought” is not intended to undermine the serious…