The area around our church includes a neighbourhood which in the past has been rather dilapidated. Now, it has been regenerated and revamped with a community centre at its heart. Some of the terraced houses have been removed and the … Read more

I shop at the nearby supermarket, and sometimes, I have a quick gander at what they have in their garden department. Recently, I saw some plants that were looking all dried out and lifeless. So, because they were reduced in price, I … Read more

I have a guitar bought years ago with money that my father gave me some time before he died. I cherish it because it serves as a remembrance of his love for me. Like the guitar that I bought and wrote about in `June … Read more

Recently, we had a high-pressure weather system over the United Kingdom. It is a good time to set our barometers when there is a reliable, consistent pressure over the mainland. I understand that mercury barometers are highly … Read more

I have variable-focus lenses in my glasses to help me with the flitting about from close range on the computer or fixing stuff, to afar off focusing out of the window or in the garden, looking up at the clouds in the sky or the military … Read more

I am a SciFi fan. I remember watching Men in Black where "K" (Tommy Lee Jones), one of the agents in a black suit, jumps up and down waving his arms and shouting, "Eat me!" to a very large alien. The alien obliges by swallowing him, … Read more

Recently, I have been updating regular PresbyCan Prayerline requests with the aspiration of raising awareness of the suffering of the people of Ukraine since February 24, 2022. I do not know how many have engaged with God on behalf of my … Read more

In my laissez-faire relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I sometimes find myself becoming passive, content with acknowledgment of — rather than a relationship with — the very Being Whom I profess to follow. Life proceeds … Read more

I have been saying the Lord's Prayer for more decades than I like to admit — more than six now. In its original form, it was passed on to the disciples for their training. Hence, it also holds true for us, as modern-day disciples. Like … Read more

There was a time, before I trusted in Jesus' knowing better than myself, when everything worldly seemed up for grabs. It was a time of exploring our coming-of-age freedoms. For me, this included a girlfriend. Latterly, I realized that … Read more

New global weather patterns make their presence felt and impose the requirement to change the way that we do life or else suffer the consequences: drought, wildfires, floods, and landslides, in addition to war, famine, and plague. … Read more

On the first Saturday of this month, after a year off, I was again being dressed up as Father Christmas, although this year, his white beard was more mine than in past years, and it seems that he gets a little less spritely every year … Read more

Informed by the news media these days, I am led to be praying for the nations of the world where bad things are happening, trusting that God has got this. Today, I felt the need to pray for my own nation, England. It seems to me that … Read more

Recently, I listened to an episode of the BBC series, A History of the World. It described an amazing sculpture, The Throne of Weapons. In 1992, an Anglican bishop, Rt. Rev. Dinis Sengulane, one of Africa's greatest peacemakers, … Read more

The festival of Sol Invictus, the "Unconquered Sun", on December 25th, was a time when the sun god, Sol, patron of Roman soldiers, was feted. It was a celebration inaugurated by Emperor Aurelian in 274 AD. Houses were decorated with … Read more

I saw an advertisement recently on a recycling website for a television sofa where the spelling was out of place. It read, "Loves Eating". They had put the space after the "s" instead of before! A simple mistake to make, but it made me … Read more

I was slow in getting out of bed, shuffling my feet towards the kettle. I had a headache. With the kettle warming up, my youngest daughter demanded that I make her a packed lunch for her to consume. I was not at my best, and I was left … Read more

I chat with God. I talk; He listens. It is called prayer. Thankfully, as I talk, I do not get to see His facial expressions, the odd shake or nod of the head, the smiles, the sadness, the waving of the arms, and what I think must be an … Read more

It was a sunny day, and I was finally on my own for a while. So, here I was, hiding from the sun in the garden under a new parasol. You must understand that it was just to test it out to see if it was functional, because when I had found … Read more

I have been working on the driveway outside the front of the house. This means tapping away at the gravel with a pickaxe, spade, and rake to remove the weeds. As a result of the enormity of the task, it is more than I can do in one go. … Read more

In Douglas Adam's 1982 novel, "Life, the Universe and Everything", he describes how a spacecraft managed to land in the outfield of a cricket match without being seen, because the spacecraft had switched on its own invisibility field … Read more

In the five years since we moved to our house, I have pruned, dug up trees, and replanted or planted anew bushes, plants, and trees. I am not an inborn gardener — unlike my mum who was — but I must have gleaned something from helping … Read more

I had a telephone call today from a friend. He was suffering with a return of anxiety stimulated by the necessity for a colectomy and other things. He needed to talk to someone about his situation, and as his old mentor, I was the person … Read more

I have been busy. I have had to replace worn out parts in various household appliances, alongside the general duties and the usual chores. Things get to a certain age, and either you throw an item away as beyond mending and get a new one, … Read more

Recently, we have had a period of eased lockdown at our church. These were socially distanced events with simple acts of worship from the front, without congregational singing, and a family-based talk. Nonetheless, it was a consolation to … Read more

I have been preoccupied with the purchase of a replacement car, as the current one has now done 92,000 miles. During the initial process of putting my toe in the water, I cried out to God, firstly, to find what I thought was the right … Read more

As I made a cup of tea to start the process of waking up, this song jumped into my brain: Nothing's too incy-wincy for His care Nothing's too big, big, big for His power Nothing's too teeny-weeny for His care. – Doug Horley I wrote … Read more

Ever since I was a small boy with a telescope, I have loved the mystery of astronomical science and the universe. Scientists now understand that gravity can bend light, space, and time, which was only discovered and verified in the early … Read more

Recently, I was asked to reflect upon what we understand by the Sabbath day today. From the seventh day of the creation story in Genesis, what are God's intentions in instituting the day of rest for humanity? To cut the theology short, … Read more

On several occasions this month, I have had an automated telephone call saying, "Thank you for making your purchase of a mobile phone with …". It goes on to say that if the item is not my purchase, all I have to do is to press "1" on … Read more

Last summer, I repaired the broken glass on the fence side of the greenhouse. This required taking down the neighbouring fence to gain access to the panes. In so doing, I closed the entrance for the mice that set up home in the cold … Read more

The last year has been a productive time for me. I have managed to fulfil many of the tick boxes mentally listed, partly because I have had the family at home to embolden me to keep going, just knowing that they are around to call if I … Read more

I have an aging car with an old battery nearing its expiry date. Via a connector in the boot, I have attached a trickle-charge solar panel in the tailgate window to keep the battery charged up as high as it will allow. This way, the car … Read more