-
Continue reading →: Asses and Bishops
Drama, colour, pantomime and subversion could be found in several of the ceremonies and liturgies of the medieval church. Processions, in particular, attracted these elements. Good examples are Corpus Christi processions or, in some places at the Feast of the Flight to Egypt, which became known as the Feast of…
-
Continue reading →: A school of love, a place of peace
Love, welcome and acceptance help nourish hope and faith for us all. In my personal experience communities, among them some churches, which have enriched my life, and in which I have been able to give, are those in which I have felt valued and appreciated. For me these have often…
-
Continue reading →: Becoming an Armiger
Ever since school days I’ve had a passing interest in heraldry. Indeed I was a founder member of the Barnard Castle School Heraldry Club (a very short lived organisation!) A while ago I made application to the College of Arms, the heraldic authority for England, to be granted permission for…
-
Continue reading →: Seeing stars
Every Christmas I remember the Christmases I experienced as a prison chaplain. I smile when I think of the carol services at wich prisoners would insist Jingle Bells be enthusiastically sung, the simple hand made gifts some prisoners would give to chaplains, the brave faces of prisoners who had no…
-
Continue reading →: Are LGBT people really welcome in the C of E?
I was recently tentatively asked if I would be willing to take a funeral. The discrete enquiry came from the husband of a man who lives hundred of miles from me. He had accompanied and lovingly cared for his husband through the months leading finally to his death. I was…
-
Continue reading →: St Lucy’s Day Quiz
Here’s a Quiz for St Lucy’s Day (13th December) which I prepared for a social gathering a few years ago: See how you do in it. 1. St Lucy died in Syracuse in the fourth century – where is Syracuse? 2. In Christian art what is St Lucy depicted…
-
Continue reading →: Good reads from childhood
Sorting out some of my books (a lovely and recommended self created task) I recently came across a book which made a wonderful impression on me as a child, and it still remains strong in my memory. The book isn’t particularly well known, and so the impact must have been…
-
Continue reading →: Church of England’s major data breach
I’ve mentioned here about serious abuse which I suffered at the hands of a priest in the Church of England. When it was reported many years ago the bishop involved instructed myself and friends who knew of it never to speak to anyone about what happened. There was an implied…
-
Continue reading →: Remembering a friend’s suicide
I recently travelled by train from York to Manchester. I was in everyday clothes – not dressed as a priest. Opposite me a couple in their 30s were sitting. Both were dressed in black, both had several tattoos and several piercings. It was impossible not to hear their conversation. The…
-
Continue reading →: Nelly’s Secret Lover
Preparing to lead worship at St Columba’s, Warcop in Cumbria, recently, I noticed in the church vestry a striking photograph of what appeared to be a significant lady. Mark Blackett-Ord, churchwarden, told me the lovely story behind it. Eleanor (Nelly) Breeks was born in 1838 in Warcop. Her family was…
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
A Retired Rector's Reflections 