News (Page 260)

London Bridge

William Cowper, though a Christian, had sunk to the depths of despair. One foggy night he called for a horse drawn carriage and asked to be taken to London Bridge. He was so overcome by depression that he intended to commit suicide. After two hours of driving through the fog, Cowper’s coachman reluctantly confessed that…

Waiting for buses

I have never really felt comfortable catching buses.  It is probably that as a child I never had to use them, and by the time I was a young adult and working but had not yet passed my driving test and had to use them they worried me.  Then of course there were the odd…

Through a glass darkly – Review

Through a glass darkly : journeys through science, faith and doubt – a memoir  by Alister McGrath  Hodder & Stoughton, 2020 225 pages  ISBN 978 1 529 327 601 also available as an ebook Alister McGrath takes us through his life’s journey from an ardent atheist as a teenager and a temporary flirt with Marxism leading…

Joan’s Jottings for February

Lent begins in the middle of February. Our theme for Lent this year will be God’s Promises focusing on the many promises that God has made to us. Beginning with God’s covenant promise to Noah, we will trace the Biblical story through to Christ’s death and resurrection which ultimately fulfilled those promises. We will begin with a short service on Ash Wednesday 17th February.

The best of all ..

“The best thing of all is God is with us.” These were the last words of John Wesley as he lay on his death bed. The reality of God’s presence was what he held onto in his final moments. We are fortunate to have the legacy of those words, as it is not only at…

Phylacteries and Tassels

In Matthew 23:5 we read ‘‘Everything they do is done for people to see: they make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long”. Jesus was warning about the long noisy prayers of some Pharisees whose heartfelt faith he was questioning. Several years ago, when our children were quite young, Harry Chicken gave…

One small acorn

One small acorn fell to the groundLanding softly without a soundFrom that one acorn an Oaktree will growSpreading vast branches as on and on it will go Just as life itself evolves round and roundAll things nature will thrive and aboundIt will go on and on making changes on the wayNothing stays the same year…

Candlemas

THE PRESENTATION OF CHRIST   (CANDLEMAS) Master, now you are dismissing your servant in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.  Luke 2.29-32. Candlemas is traditionally a…