Dear Friends

This is the piece that I always knew I would have to write one day, from the moment I arrived in 2005. My official designation is Itinerant Presbyteral Minister. The ‘Itinerant’ bit is significant. That means it is expected that every so often we will move to another Circuit and we must be prepared to do that. Some Ministers however are less itinerant than others! I have been with you for 12 years and I sincerely hope I have not outstayed my welcome and beg your forgiveness if I have.

Dear Friends

There was an interesting programme on Radio 4 the other day. As usual, because I was driving in my car, I heard neither the beginning nor the end of the programme, only a tantalising portion somewhere in the middle. The programme was about the significance of chaos. The theory being put forward was that chaos is good, that most of the major advances of human progress have followed times of upheaval. Alongside this was the suggestion that with too much peace and prosperity human beings just become fat and lazy. Interesting! Whatever the theory, I am still worried about Trump, Putin, Brexit, Isis et al and am rather fond of the peace and prosperity we, as a nation, have enjoyed for several decades now.

Dear Friends

Last night we went to see the film, I Daniel Blake. The film is set in Newcastle and follows the struggles of 2 adults on benefits. Daniel Blake is a widower who having worked his whole life as a proud and skilful joiner, has suffered a heart attack and is unable to get back to work as soon as he would like. Consequently, he finds himself stuck in a labyrinthine, bureaucratic, soulless system feeling as though he is going round and round in ever decreasing circles and getting nowhere. Katie has been moved from London with her 2 children to the North East because her local Council can’t find her affordable accommodation in the capital.

Dear Friends

Have you been to your local supermarket and bought any ‘wonky veg’ yet? If not, why not? ‘Wonky veg’ is the supermarkets response to a growing realisation among the general public that up to 40% of a crop of vegetables can be disregarded because it does not meet the aesthetic requirements of supermarkets. We have come to expect our fruit and veg to be uniform and unblemished. I grow all kinds of fruit and veg in my garden and when I pick it and bring it into the kitchen it never looks quite as good as that bought from the supermarket, sometimes the slugs have had a nibble, sometimes it is discoloured and I always struggle to gather fruit and veg that is uniform in size. Strawberries are a great example, you have to leave them long enough to ripen but the longer you leave them the more open to attack and disfiguration they are. But, if you get things right in the garden even though fruit and veg doesn’t looks as good it certainly tastes better.

Dear Friends

Dutch inventor Cornelius van Drebel is supposedly the inventor of the submarine early in the 17th Century. This, I’m sure you will agree, was an idea ahead of its time. I’m always on the lookout for new ideas; but not just any new idea. It has to be an authentic idea. In other words it has to be something that is practical, workable and of its time, what I like to call an elegant idea. When I learn of a good idea that I think will work the feeling I get is almost that of a light bulb switching on in my head! I love good ideas! I need you to know that, so that the next time I bring a bright idea to Church Council, you do at least know it is something that I have thought about!

I am writing this 2 days before Rachel and I are married. I want to begin by saying, on behalf of Rachel and myself, a huge thank you for all the love and support we have felt from our Wesley family as the day has approached. It is an amazing privilege to feel part of a family of faith and prayer. One of the moments that I am looking forward to on Saturday 18th June is listening once again to the reading of 1 Corinthians 13. When the Apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Christians in Corinth he was writing to a bunch of people who were trying to outdo each other in the manifestation of spiritual gifts…..holy one-upmanship! So he writes to remind them of the supremacy of love and so we are bequeathed these amazing words that have become so familiar.

Dear Friends

Are we living at the start of a new ‘age of electricity’? Electrically powered vehicles are becoming increasingly common on our roads, solar panels on house roofs are everywhere and we don’t have to drive too far into the countryside before we see some wind turbines. The renewables revolution is beginning to catch on and technological advances in electricity storage will, I suspect, continue to add impetus to the move away from fossil fuels.

Dear Friends

Life is full of mysteries, here are just a few:
If money doesn't grow on trees then why do banks have branches? 
In a cinema which arm rest is yours?
Why are there no 'B' batteries?
When does it stop being partly cloudy and start being partly sunny?

Stephen Hawking, the world renowned theoretical physicist and cosmologist, in an interview to mark his 70th birthday, stated that as far as he was concerned, women were a complete mystery. Many women might say the same about men!

Dear Friends

It snowed on the 14"‘ January. It wasn't a snowstorm of epic proportion but it was enough to bring traffic to a halt in Heworth and Windy Nook. I was attempting to make my way from home to Wesley for the 9.30 prayer meeting and found myself trapped by the ensuing grid lock. I didn't make it to Low Fell and eventually at 10am l turned round at Windy Nook School and headed home.

Dear Friends

Jesus was born into a troubled, fractured, politically and ethnically divided world. We recognise from his life that he was the fulfilment of ancient prophecy that foretold the coming of the Prince of Peace. Throughout that life he taught about peace and lived a peaceful life whilst remaining aware and alert to those people and forces that sowed division, hatred and injustice. He said, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers’ and ‘if someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also.’ Whilst being put to death as an innocent man he prayed forgiveness for his executioners.