My children don’t let me get away with anything. I occasional proffer the opinion that things were much better in my 20s than they are now. As a result, a couple of years ago one of them gave me an 800+ page book “The Better Angels of Our Nature” by Steven Pinker. I started reading […]
Building on the past, in the present, for the future In the second part of a preparation for our Stewardship Programme, this is a reflection on what a local Church of England church is about. I still find it so powerful just sitting in any of our three beautiful churches, feeling over 1000 years of […]
Everyone living in Slindon will, hopefully (!) receive a letter towards the end of August inviting you to take part in St Mary’s stewardship. (If you come to St Mary’s but don’t live in the Parish, you should also receive one.) If you do not receive one, please just ask Peter and, if you would […]
Despite all its frustrations, and sometimes worse, I do love the Church of England. People sometimes ask me why I feel so strongly about it and I want to link my answer to an initiative we are having in September. I have loved the way in my lifetime the church has understood it is there […]
Almost every commentator I read across the political spectrum agrees on one thing: that our society is increasingly fractured and fragmented. I have been intrigued for sometime about the connection between this and a growing secularisation – a movement that led to the statement “the death of God”, which reached its high water mark at […]
If you go into Chichester cathedral you will see the beautiful Chagall window. If you go into Coventry cathedral you will see the awe-inspiring tapestry Christ in Glory by Graham Sutherland. If you go into countless country churches (including our three) you will see wonderful stained glass and many small details of beautiful carvings. And […]
The Old Testament book of Ezekiel is not an easy read! I find most of it very tough going. His is one of the three major prophetic books in the Old Testament, (the others being Isaiah and Jeremiah). The book of Ezekiel includes, though, one powerful story and one, justifiably, famous saying. The saying is […]
A printable PDF version is available: click here Highlights Background: The PCC of St Mary’s with St Margaret’s is an excepted charity which has the responsibility of co-operating with the incumbent in promoting the mission of the church in the ecclesiastical parish of Slindon and Eartham. It does so according to the doctrines and practices […]
Lent is a time to be honest with God about our weaknesses and our need of His strength. So, it is a serious time. Easter, though, is a time of hope – so a joyful time. But it is a hope not based on a fairytale where everything comes right without a cost. That is […]
A question for Lent: How do we see human nature? Or, in the title of a novel I am trying to read by David Szalay – “All that man is”. I ask because the traditional way faith speaks about this is now very different from how much of society sees the question. We are encouraged […]