It is the 31st August 2022. Tomorrow, 1st September, is an important date for me. Tomorrow marks the date when I will begin a new chapter in my life. For the past 14 years, I have been serving in Pier Avenue Baptist Church in Clacton on Sea. This new chapter is going to be written […]
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Re-use
I seem to have spent a lot of time at the local rubbish tip recently. After 14 years living in the same house, we moved home a few weeks ago. I always thought that we were not too bad when it comes to hoarding rubbish. Moving opens your eyes to the reality of just how […]
Sorry, my mistake
At first, I was shocked. The sight of a Cabinet Minister making a rude gesture to a crowd of people. Surely, she should have known better. But, it was her response that most interested me; “I should have shown more composure but am only human” (Andrea Jenkyns) What we, the general public, don’t know is […]
Which way Lord?
A Greek Philosopher called Heraclitus is quoted as saying; The only constant in life is change At some level, he is right. We are all in the process of change because, every day, we are one day older. Our bodies never stop changing throughout life, and even beyond (bit morbid – sorry!). Some changes we […]
Betwixt and Between
I am living in strange times at the moment I have this sort of feeling that I am neither here nor there Let me explain. After 14 years of living beside the seaside in Sunny Clacton on Sea, I am about to move. It’s a big thing. I will leave my job, my home, my […]
Lectio Divina – Good Shepherd
Yesterday, I spent a bit of time sharing about Lectio Divina. Sacred Reading. It is a way of reading the scriptures and allowing them to speak into your heart. One writer describes this way of reading the Bible as “Reading with God.” For me, Lectio is a way of listening with the heart and praying […]
Do You See?
The story itself is a firm favourite of many. It is a favourite of mine. The two disciples taking an unplanned walk towards a place called Emmaus. As they take their heartbroken walk there must have been feelings of disillusionment, depression, doubts all mixed in with the fear that the authorities were coming for them […]
The Writing Group
Recently, I have joined a writers group. We meet monthly via zoom. We have the opportunity to share experiences, learn from one another and read our work for others to comment on. Over the past two sessions I have been learning about “flash writing.” You have 10 minutes to write a piece. The organizer uses […]
A Thought From Penhurst
I have just come back from a wonderful retreat. If you ever get chance, I would recommend a visit to the Penhurst Retreat Centre. The setting is amazing. The food, terrific. The welcome warm and friendly. This was my first visit to Penhurst and I was soon made to feel like ‘one of the family.’ […]
Keep Me Out Of Your Way
The scene is a hot, dry and dusty roadway leading toward a small Middle Eastern village on the borders of Samaria. Jesus is on his way toward Jerusalem. People are crowded around him and his disciples. The sound of their questions, the urgency of their pleas fills the air; hands reach out, touching Jesus, hoping […]