They had been in lockdown for some time. They were locked down because they feared for their lives. But when…
Easter Reflection 2020
Easter is a time of celebration and fresh beginnings. In the northern hemisphere spring is taking hold: trees and plants…
Preventing people from praying in churches removes a source of healing and well-being
I live in a small village on Exmoor, Somerset, with a very fine thirteenth century church at its heart. In…
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Letter to my Member of Parliament
I am writing for three reasons. First I would like to congratulate you on your election as MP for Bridgwater…
Visiting the Gardens of Eden
Recently I visited the Gardens of Eden. It was a remarkable experience. Leaving behind a cold, wet, dreary Britain depressed…
The Mission of Music and of the Rural Church
In the Great Hall of Crowcombe Court, an eighteenth century country house located in the lee of the Quantock Hills,…
Fed up with Brexit? Look to the Angels.
It’s Michaelmas and it’s an uncertain time. In medieval times, Michaelmas saw the seasons shift from harvest into later autumn. …
Music to die for? Lessons from the Top 10 Music Choices at Funerals
‘Hymns drop off top 10 funeral music choices in favour of Ed Sheeran’ screams the title of an article in…
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Easter Reflection 2019
The Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris has been badly damaged by fire over the last few days. Pictures from…
Walls and Gates. Boundaries and Barriers. Leave and Remain.
Over the coming days, in preparation for Good Friday and Easter, many churches will be echoing to the sound of…
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Brexit: Now is definitely not the time for Reconciliation.
Three years ago, after a long and bruising referendum campaign, voices across the faith and political spectrum were calling for…
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Three Cheers for the NHS – Views from an Intensive Care Bed
It all happened so quickly. A persistent temperature developed into a pain down my right side and I was becoming…
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World War 1 Centenary Commemorations – Afterthoughts
We Remembered Well But Who Was Excluded? The Commemoration of the centenary of World War 1 (WW1) caught the imagination…
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Austin, the Alamo and Today’s Battle in Texas
Our children help us see the world through different eyes. Our daughter works in Austin, Texas, and two visits to…
The Royal Wedding and the Balm in Gilead
There was the blazing colour of it all, reflected in the people, the clothes and the ceremonial; there were the…
Bishop Brian Castle 