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Today is St Valentine’s Day, which is a fitting harbinger of the season of Lent, when we remember Jesus’ self-sacrificial love. You may like to find out more about this day – for example at  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine%27s_Day We all know about Shrove...

The Extraordinary revealed in the Ordinary.   “And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.” (Luke 2v25).   For many years, when I...

“Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” (Matt 12 v2). A star, a new star was in the sky. It was moving. A star to be followed. A star was seen in the sky, many miles from Bethlehem; but for those...

A Thought for Christmas.   We must receive and send hundreds of Christmas cards in our life time. Some of them we remember for the image, or the greeting. Some we do not. Of all the cards I have received there is one which has stayed in my mind….. for its...

JOY All ready for Christmas, whatever that will mean in this strangest of years. Even if we are unable to celebrate in the usual ways surrounded by families and friends, there is still much to make a joyful noise about! We read in the great Psalm of Thanksgiving,...

LOVE We probably all remember the hymn: Love came down at Christmas Love, a lovely love divine Love was born at Christmas Stars and angels gave the sign.   It isn’t as though love had not existed before Jesus was born, of course, so why do we celebrate Love...

PEACE Like most people, I expect I’ll receive a number of Christmas cards on the theme of Peace, usually with a picture of a dove. Yet Christmas is for many usually quite a noisy affair. So why do we celebrate Peace during Advent, and what has it to do with doves? In...

HOPE Advent Sunday is always the fourth Sunday before Christmas, so this year it falls on 29th November. The word Advent comes from the Latin word meaning arrival, and our season of Advent looks forward to celebrating the arrival (or birth) of Jesus. In many churches,...

“He went a little farther, and fell on the ground, and prayed that if it were possible, the hour might pass from Him.” When Jesus came to perhaps the darkest moment of His life, he took His 3 chosen friends with Him…… but only so far. Coming to the garden of...

During the past months of lockdown and restrictions on our freedom to move about, to BE visitors and to receive visitors,  it would not be surprising if we had found it hard to rejoice in the day that lay before us.   And yet that is just what the verse from...