26th June 2020 Helen and I were totally overwhelmed by the kindness we were shown last Sunday, as we marked twenty years of ministry here at St Stephen’s and St Wulstan’s. I’m only sorry that we didn’t get to share that day with you all in person. I trust that time will come. It prompted
Read more19th June 2020 What are you learning from lockdown? The importance of washing your hands? How to have a Zoom meeting? What social distancing means? Perhaps you’ve taken up a new hobby, or learned to bake your own bread? Maybe you’ve learned something about yourself? Some novelists were asked what they’ve learned. Mark Haddon says
Read more12th June 2020 What can I possibly say about the appalling and unacceptable murder of George Floyd? I don’t know enough about racism, or about the United States, or about how their police works. At the same time, I can’t say enough; there’s just too much to say. And anything I do say will
Read more2nd June 2020 It would take something dramatic to shift the coronavirus pandemic from its top spot in the news headlines. Sadly it was the tragic death of George Floyd in Minneapolis that did it, along with the rioting that has followed in numerous US cities. You’ll probably know the story. He was a
Read more29th May 2020 Did Dominic Cummings break lockdown rules when he went to stay in County Durham? What about driving to Barnard Castle to test his eyesight? You may have noticed, there are strong feelings on all sides. Was he doing what any father would have done? Should he resign, or be sacked? Is
Read more8th May 2020 This weekend we are celebrating the 75th anniversary of VE-Day (VE standing for ‘Victory in Europe’). You may be able to remember VE-Day itself. You may take part in some celebrations – at a suitable distance of course. 8 May 1945 was when the fighting in Europe finally came to a halt
Read more1st May 2020 If you’re a Christian, you cannot lose. The bad things in your life will turn out for good, the good things in your life cannot be lost, and the best things in your life are still to come. I think that’s how I heard Tim Keller summarise a sermon by the great
Read more23 March 2020 New situations require new words. And we’ve learned some new words these last few weeks, with the new situation we find ourselves in with coronavirus – phrases like “self-isolation” and “social distancing.” And we’re finding it hard. It’s not hard to learn the words, but it’s hard to do the isolating and
Read moreDear Friends, What would Jesus say about the coronavirus? It’s a good question to ask about anything, and a useful way of sharing the faith: “What would Jesus say?” It sounds like a tricky question to answer in this case. It’s not as if we can look up the word “coronavirus” in a concordance or
Read moreDear Friends, With coronavirus grabbing the headlines daily, we are forced to think about sickness more than we usually do. I have found myself turning to The Order for the Visitation of the Sick in The Book of Common Prayer. Dwelling on its words is like taking a walk in the mountains: it is a
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