asadmin

Among the many changes to our lifestyles during the pandemic a few years ago, one which probably very few of us missed is the frequency of trips to the petrol station.  The lockdowns dramatically reduced our mileage, and suddenly what for many of us was a weekly chore became perhaps every month or even two … Read more

In 2015 a stretch of the newly resurfaced A303 in Wiltshire had to be replaced.  The problem was invisible to the naked eye, but fundamental: the resurfacing had used poor quality stone which couldn’t withstand the weight of traffic.  And so, the roadworks began all over again! In today’s passage St Paul continues the building … Read more

The diversity of the worldwide church is extraordinary.  Every culture and every society is included.  In fact, in every country in the world there is at least one follower of Jesus – and for many, following this path to life comes at great personal cost. The same is true of our buildings – look around … Read more

It’s easy to over-complicate faith.  As we’ve journeyed through the wonderful presence and work of the Holy Spirit over the last few weeks, we’ve uncovered some glorious truths.  We’ve seen how the Spirit has been around for eternity, co-existing with the Father and the Son in a beautiful relationship of mutual love.  How the Spirit … Read more

When St Paul wrote his letter to the Ephesians it was still possible to walk around the glorious Second Temple in Jerusalem.  Begun by Zerubbabel in 538BC, it was finally completed by Herod the Great (king at the time of Jesus’ birth) more than 500 years later, and its dimensions were vast for a complex … Read more

For many hundreds of years, a wax seal has been used to mark letters of importance.  A seal indicates both the sender and the authority attached to the contents of the letter.  You may be surprised to learn that the practice is still in use today.  For example, when Harry and Meghan got married in … Read more

On Albert Bridge which crosses the River Thames in Battersea, near where we used to live, you’ll find a plaque: ‘All troops must break step when marching over this bridge.’ The story behind this is that in 1831 the Broughton Suspension Bridge (now in Salford, Manchester) collapsed as a troop of 74 men marched across.  Investigations … Read more

How do you test the value of anything?  It’s a good question to ask, and nowadays we have lots of clever analytical tools to do just that for almost any type of situation.  But Jesus’ answer to this question was disarmingly simple: look at the fruit it produces.  Is it good or bad?  Is there lots … Read more

When I was a student, I used to earn my money in the long summers working for a builder.  Sometimes the work would be nice and easy – glossing outdoor window frames in the sunshine, with factor 15 and the radio on.  Other times the work would be much harder.  My least favourite job of … Read more

How do you imagine heaven?  For many of us, it’s hard to shake that idea of sitting on a cloud, maybe wearing a halo, quite possibly getting a bit bored. This is not the bible’s view of heaven!  The great story of Scripture is that, at the end of time, heaven and earth come together … Read more