This thought was first published in December 2021 I was writing Christmas cards today. Having lived in many locations I know many people and it seems quite a chore. I remember a conversation with an elderly lady from our Church here. The lady died some while back but I remember so well something she once…

The Methodist Church has produced resources for Advent entitled “Out of the Ordinary” and Advent 1 centres around a box of Christmas decorations. In our house the Christmas tree generally doesn’t go up until the weekend before Christmas. There is that moment when you get the box or bag of Christmas decorations out. Ours is…

The great plan at the beginning of this year was that I would retire next summer when my appointment at Ipswich comes to an end.  Having had a three-month sabbatical earlier this year, I came to the conclusion that I’m not ready to hang up my dog collar yet, so decided to offer for a…

The temperature has dropped and we have been given warnings of snowfalls on their way. I love to look at snow and all the beautiful patterns which it makes. Another of God’s wonderful creations. It’s so clean and bright and white but in my mind it’s treacherous. I’m terrified of walking in the snow when it’s…

Recently the Christmas lights were switched on in the centre of my home town, heralding the start of late-night shopping. If they accidentally get left on during the day, it takes a while to notice – until the electricity bill is received! But because during the day, we have light, the light from the decorations…

How many times, I wonder, when on our holidays or out for walks in the country, do we stop and look at the alluring site of the babbling brook. Running water, stones, riverbank plants and trees and the buzzing of insects. Tranquil and lovely. Many years ago, a little willow sapling began its journey to…