Last night I was invited to an online Zoom meeting, finding myself alongside eight members of five other churches in and around Belper.  So long as there are Christians locally with […]

With workmen on site, it’s hard to relax.  I feel the need to be vigilant, to make sure the work is being done to a satisfactory standard.  I need to feel happy […]

A neighbour was having some jet washing done on his drive at the beginning of the week.  It seemed a good opportunity to get ours done as well. Over time moss […]

I spent time yesterday afternoon cleaning out my summerhouse.  I generally vacate it in the last days of October.  I do have a heater in there, but by October it’s getting too […]

Lent blog: 11 – SPRING IS HERE! Today, St David’s day, is the officially the first day of meteorological spring.  Catkins have been out for some while.  But as I went […]

“Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem” (Mt 20:18)  Extract 2. In our Lenten journey towards Easter, let us remember the One who “humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on […]

A few years ago, I had an appointment with a GP at the surgery where I was registered.  The computer screen was slightly angled, and this enabled me to see some […]

Two of my parishioners are in hospital, on the same ward.  Alas, I am unable to visit them.  I have to say that on the two occasions in January I visited this […]

Prophets are sent in every generation.  Their role is to read the signs of the times.  To interpret these to the people.  To point out matters of great importance which we neglect at […]

I felt really distracted today as I was trying to pray.   In many ways it couldn’t be helped.  The time I normally prefer to pray was taken up by an appointment.  By […]

At the point of writing, I haven’t heard in detail about the Prime Minister’s road map for exiting lockdown.  Just snippets here and there during the course of Monday (22nd February) plus […]

I argued in my previous blog that we can’t be neutral in the Christian life without going backwards.  So, maintaining our freedom means actively choosing to go forwards.  We do this by […]

Extract 1.  “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem” (Mt 20:18)  Dear Brothers and Sisters,  Jesus revealed to his disciples the deepest meaning of his mission when he told them of his […]

Freedom to someone under the yoke sounds bliss.  Freedom from oppression.  From having to do what someone else says.  Freedom to be yourself and choose what you want to do. But what do you want […]

I had slipped somewhat from my commitment to meditate twice a day.  Hard to put my finger on just when it happened, but Lent comes as an opportunity to reclaim a […]

I seem to have spent a lot of time sorting things out lately.  First there were all the things at the Presbytery at Ripley to go through in May 2019.  So that […]

When my computer isn’t responding properly and nothing I try seems to work, I press the restart button.  Often it seems to help and the problem is overcome. I’m challenged by […]