Dear Reader Today is the day we call Maundy Thursday of Holy Week. It is the day we remember Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, an act of humility and servitude. It is a day when we consider a new commandment. Most of us if asked, ‘how many commandments are there?’, would probably say ‘ten’ and you would be correct in part. There are, however, more than ten commandments if you look for them. The ten commandments are known theologically as the decalogue. The word ‘Maundy’ is believed to come from the Latin......

Read More

Dear Reader One of the easiest things to give away and one of the hardest things to accept is ‘advice’. The ‘I know’ factor is often evident when you want to make a suggestion. Isn’t it the case, sometimes at least, that we receive a curt reply when we attempt to give a bit of ‘advice’ or just pass on some information? There are times when we simply don’t want to be told, and we or others stubbornly will not be told. It’s usually at that point, listen out for it, that......

Read More

Dear Reader, As we continue with our daily thoughts we remember all who are suffering directly and indirectly from the Coronavirus. We remember them in our prayers. Particularly we pray for our Prime Minister in hospital and all our politicians in their daily tasks in these unfamiliar and difficult times My purpose in sending you these ‘Daily Thoughts’ is to help keep a sense of continuity and togetherness in our current separation and hopefully, we will all be more appreciative and stronger in time. My thoughts too are for our families. Especially......

Read More

Dear Reader Everyone likes a good seat. I’m thinking of the theatre, cinema or anywhere that gives a good view in comfort, to hear and watch the show. It’s really annoying, though, when you’re about to park yourself in an empty seat and before doing so ask the daftest question,’Excuse me but is there anyone sitting here?’. Then comes an even dafter answer, ‘Yes! there is actually, but they’ve just nipped out to the toilet’. The seat is obviously empty or mysteriously occupied by an invisible individual who is still there but......

Read More

Dear Reader Who would have imagined that just a few short months ago while the country was embroiled in Brexit negotiations (sorry to revive that troublesome word), party political campaigning and canvassing for a general election and all that happened as a result, we would all be facing this new and threatening global crisis? Previously the entire country was split. There were remainers and leavers and all sorts of nasty things were said and done. All that has now been superseded though, by a united country with the single aim of getting......

Read More

Dear Reader Most mornings these days I have to check what day it actually is. Today doesn’t feel like a normal Saturday and for that matter, all the other day are kind of weird as well.  Quite apart from ‘social distancing ‘, I’m experiencing the effects of social deprivation (lack of personal contact), how about you? There is a saying that says ‘Absence makes the heart grow fonder’.   It does, but by contrast, however, I believe that for some people, being cooped up day after day with the same folk will......

Read More

Dear Reader Yesterday I asked you to look at a coin and note the letters on the reverse side (tails) I should have said the obverse side (heads) I clearly don’t know my heads from my tails. Isn’t it amazing to observe the better side of human nature? The kindness, generosity and dedication of so many individuals and groups in this time of crisis is truly wonderful. Last night we stood in the garden and clapped in appreciation at the many workers who in normal times would barley receive a second thought.......

Read More

Dear Reader To begin and as an illustration, take a coin in your hand, and if you are able to look at the letters on the reverse (tails) side, you should see the letters, DG  REG  FD  along with the date and monarch. In doing this it might help to enter into the scene of our passage today. It’s a bit of fun too and If you do this simple thing you will never forget this story. I won’t tell you just now what the letters mean.   Perhaps though, you might......

Read More

Dear Reader ‘All the worlds a stage, and all the men and women merely actors. (William Shakespeare) You may ask ‘have I lost my marbles’ quoting Shakespeare early in the morning? Well actually no!  I’m no dafter today than I was yesterday. I think!! Being locked in, however, nobody would know. Jesus was confronted regularly and engaged in some serious arguments with a bunch of actors who preceded Shakespeare by a long time. These actors were religious and Jesus called them hypocrites. That’s what the word ‘hypocrite’ actually means. (check it out)......

Read More

Dear Reader The term ‘social distancing’ is for us all, relatively new, and it will remain in our vocabulary for a long long time to come. It will forever be recorded in human history in a way that other global events have. The concept of social distancing, however, is not new and is in fact ancient. In Jesus’ day people followed the ancient Levitical laws, which meant that anyone showing the symptoms of dreaded diseases were required to keep their distance. Familiar???? There were ten suffering lepers regarded as unclean and necessarily......

Read More