News (Page 225)

Incomprehensible language

As a preacher, the temptation to use phrases like ‘we all know the story’, or ‘of course it is widely accepted that…’ has to be resisted. Not everyone knows, or has heard, or is on the same wavelength as I happen to be at the moment. Straplines in advertising or colloquial catch phrases take on…

Lectionary Reflections – Sunday 31st January 2021

Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time               Year B                                                 31st January 2021. Lectionary Readings: Deuteronomy 18 v15-20.                   A prophet like Moses. Psalm 111                                           Praise the Lord for all that he has done. 1 Corinthians 8 v1-13.                      Honouring God instead of Idols. Mark 1 v21-28                                   A man with an evil spirit. Wisdom and good sense. The Psalmist…

Do not fear

25th January Isaiah 41:10 “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you.” A lot of what we have been feeling, saying and doing over these past few months has been driven by fear. That may not be altogether a…

Country Show

The village country show has been a part of our British culture for several generations I love the Kilnsey show (Pictured above) held in upper Wharfedale on the Tuesday following the August Bank holiday each year.  It is everything a country show should be, local businesses selling their huge range of wares from food to…

Relationship with God

You may well remember (or perhaps not so well) the maths lessons at school when you began to learn about graphs with an x axis and a y axis, thus y axis|||||__________________        x axis These two axes, when joined, are used to represent the relationship between two variables, speed and time, for example. But enough…

Humpback

The song of the humpback whale is one of the strangest in nature. It is a combination of high-and low-pitched groanings. Those who have studied the humpback whale say their songs are noteworthy because these giants of the deep are continually changing them. New patterns are added and old ones eliminated so that over a period of…

Tea

As some of you will know I like a variety of teas and, usually drink it black so I can taste the tea.  I have green tea with lemon for breakfast, Lady Grey for lunch and green tea in the afternoon.  Perhaps you are thinking “Ugh” or what has that got to do with a…

Walnut Tree

A sad thing happened this week and as I look out into my garden, I feel bereft. Our walnut tree which has been there since we moved here 28 years ago (and a lot longer) had to be removed. It had developed a sickness which meant if left it could have been unstable. As I…