It`s sometimes said that if you want to gain some better perspective on life – especially if you`re a bit down in the dumps – then the best thing to do is pay a visit to the children`s ward of the local hospital. Whether or not that does the trick, the point is that from…
Last Tuesday was St. Thomas`s day. Among the many things we remember about Thomas is his honesty and that occasion he said to the Lord, “We don`t know where you are going, how can we know the way”. In response to his uncertainty; his confusion in matters of life and death, the Lord (memorably) replied….…
If you`re one of those people who notice such things… you`ll be aware that a few weeks ago we changed what we might call, the `colour scheme` here in Church. So, for example, the frontal on the Altar – the clergy robes and so on have now moved to Green. They`ll stay like this now…
Among the stories my Father told me about his National Service was his account of what happened when his group of recruits reported for duty. The Officer in Charge decided that he would sort them out according to their religious affiliation. Apparently, it was very simple. Firstly, there were the Catholics. Then there were the…
That story of the child Samuel in the Temple (1 Samuel 3.1-20) is to my mind a very attractive one. I suppose this is because from an imaginative point of view it`s very easy to simply be there in that darkened place… and to envisage the yes, almost comic scene of that little boy dashing…
Last Saturday I had other things to do and so I didn`t get to see the Royal Wedding at Windsor. But during this past week, several people told me to take a look at the Sermon given by the American Bishop; which I duly did. And what struck me about it (and it`s not for…
Homily given at the Memorial Service for George Alfred Henderson at St. Mary`s Church in Windermere 23rd May 2018 I once had conversation with `George Alfred` in which we laughed about today. I thanked him for giving us so many things to smile about. So many things in fact that now moment has come I…
I took the liberty this morning of changing the Gospel reading that was set for today, simply because I wanted us to reflect on these words spoken by John the Baptist: “John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am…
My first memory of that Old Testament passage from Ezekiel (37.1-14) is from the days when I was a student. I recall, late one evening sitting with the Chaplain and some other students in a darkened Chapel and as part of our worship the Chaplain read this passage in the most imaginative, moving and vivid…
The Sunday service ended and my colleague did the usual thing of standing at the door to greet people as they left. And a man came up to him and said: “That was all very nice Vicar but of course now it`s time to get back to the real world.” Not the subtlest of comments…
In my early years I grew up on a Council Estate in Derbyshire. It was quite a close-knit community; where people, shall we say, took an active interest in everyone else`s business. And curiously, one of my most vivid memories is how every so often the word would go around that one of the neighbours…
The thing which has most occupied my thoughts and reflection during Holy Week and into this Easter season has been the distinct sense in which the people we hear about in the Gospels are in so many ways simply out of their depth. This is especially true, as I was reflecting on Good Friday, of…
