Posts from November 2025

Dearest friends, This Sunday we will light the first candle of five on our Advent Wreath, but why do we do this? Whilst lighting candles to represent the light of God in the world is a very old Christian tradition, the idea of an Advent Candle Wreath is a relatively modern one.  In fact it only goes back to the early 1800s and – no big surprise here – comes from Germany (as indeed most of our modern Christmas traditions).…

Dearest friends, I write this from the clergy conference in Walsingham with the Bishop of Oswestry and my brother deacons and Priests. It has been a week of ‘hope’. It’s been encouraging to see so many parishes that are flourishing and growing, and speak to so many Priests who see so much to be thankful about. I am thankful for you. I am thankful for the energy and enthusiasm, for the love you show me and my family, and for…

Dearest friends, When we think of Jesus as King I often wonder if we are missing a great deal of His teaching.  Jesus told us time and time again that He wasn’t the King that the Jewish people were expecting – coming with horses and chariots to free them from the rule of the Romans. He entered Jerusalem in triumph on Palm Sunday not with horses and chariots – but on the back of a donkey.  So why then do…

Dearest friends, War is just about the worst thing that we humans practice on each other. The moment we declare war on each other the rules of decent human love go out the window.  We dress this up by saying there are rules of war, that you can do this – but you can’t do that. You can arrest a soldier but you mustn’t mistreat him. It’s of little comfort when the aim appears to be to kill as many…