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Spring will soon be upon us! The Vernal equinox this year is 20th March – less than two weeks away. Days will become longer than nights. A range of traditions are attached to this time: the first sowing, letting cattle out onto the fields, honouring the fertile earth...

It appears that many people have used the periods of lockdown to de-clutter their homes.  We all tend to hold on to things for which we have no further use. Sometimes these are things which have some emotional significance for us, so it can be important to hold on to...

Eaten any chocolates recently? There is some evidence that perhaps a majority of people have been more self-indulgent than usual during Lockdown, particularly with more home-drinking. Now we are well into Lent, this might be a good opportunity to consider what we...

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...