My mobile phone dictionary has several definitions for the word, “resolution” but the most relevant is “the act of determining”. Around this time of the year, it was not unusual for someone to ask, “Have you made any New Year resolutions?” and some would list a few and others just one. For many years, mine…

For the last two years my family have done a “secret Santa.” For anyone who thinks this is a cruel way of celebrating Christmas with young children, it’s actually a system where a group of people decide to rationalise spending on gifts at Christmas. Names are drawn at random and in “secret” and you buy…

Last week, I had to take my car to the garage for a check. Since the car needed to stay there all day, I decided to walk back home. That walk turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It gave me the opportunity to notice things I had overlooked countless times while driving. I…

I know Christmas Day has been and gone but I still have carols flowing through my mind. One of my favourites, which I had never heard until I moved to Felixstowe 9 years ago is, 222 in Singing the Faith by John Bell.     “Who would think that what was needed      to…

Like Janus, the Roman God of beginnings and endings, who gives his name to the first month of the year, this is a time of looking back and forward.  Below is the Ipswich prayer that has been regularly used by many Ipswich churches throughout 2024: Lord God, we thank You and praise You for all…

A Happy Christmas. In a recent Thought Christine O’Neill reminded us of the words of the Gloria. An ancient and beautiful hymn of praise to the glory of God. I wonder what the Shepherds really saw in the night sky when Jesus was born? It may have been indescribable but it was summarised as the…