The word ACTS is frequently used as a way of remembering four essential parts of prayer Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication. Last month I touched on the idea that prayer is essentially a loving relationship with God so adoration is a good starting point. Evelyn Underhill wrote, “Adoration is caring for God above all else”...
The carol "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" is based a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. During the American Civil War, Longfellow's oldest son, Charles Appleton Longfellow, joined the Union cause as a soldier without his father's blessing. Charles soon got an appointment as a lieutenant but was severely wounded in battle. Coupled with...
At the time of going to press we have no idea what Christmas will be like this year. Some time ago we realised we might not see our grandchildren over Christmas so when we did some essential childcare, we decided to have a "mini Christmas" well in advance - just us and our two grandchildren....
In August this year, the field behind our home was brown, stunted, and often only partially grown. Most years at this time it is a glorious golden harvest field. Yet the farmer gathered what he could, prepared the ground and re-sowed in September. His life time in farming gave him perseverance and hope. Next year’s...
December Magazine 2020 We might think that this is “the Christmas we did not expect!” The year has taken us through many twists and turns, but none so unexpected as the pandemic. How this impacts us during December we wait to see. ‘Unexpected’ is a theme that runs through the tale of the very first...