Paul Hardingham continues his new series.
What’s the Big Idea? An Introduction to the Books of the Old Testament:
1 and 2 Samuel.
1 and 2 Samuel was originally a single work, which focuses on Samuel, Saul and David, around 1,000 BC, mid-way between Abraham and Jesus. It was Samuel who established the monarchy in Israel after the period of the judges. He was commanded by God to give the people a king, although their request is seen as a rejection of God’s rule over Israel (8:7).
The people simply wanted to be like other nations, however their king was still subject to God’s law and the word of the prophet. Although Samuel anointed Saul, he soon showed an unwillingness to submit to these requirements, leading to his rejection as king (15:23). God chose David as Saul’s successor, and 1 Samuel depicts David’s years of waiting until the right time arrived to claim the throne.
2 Samuel depicts David’s rule, in which the nation prospers and its enemies are defeated. The promise of the perfect king is fulfilled in Jesus Himself, as David’s descendant. The second half of the book depicts the darker side of David’s reign, describing his weaknesses and failures, including his adultery with Bathsheba and the rebellion of his son Absalom.
Nevertheless, David remained a man after God’s own heart: ‘The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.’ (1 Samuel 16:7). The characters in this book are not always great examples of faith, however, ‘They do not show us how we should live but how in fact we do live, authenticating the reality of our daily experience as the stuff that God uses to work his purposes of salvation in us and in the world.’ (Eugene Peterson).
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Prospect of winter energy bills causing anxiety for millions, says Archbishop of York
Millions are looking ahead to this winter with ‘fear and anxiety’ about the cost of heating their homes, the Archbishop of York has said as he backed the recent launch of a campaign to provide a network of warm spaces for people who struggle to pay their energy bills.
Archbishop Stephen Cottrell is encouraging churches to consider getting involved in the Warm Welcome campaign, a network of venues from community centres to churches providing warm spaces over the winter for people struggling to heat their homes
.
Archbishop Stephen said: “Sadly, what began as a cost-of-living crisis has simply become the new normal for many.
“Millions of people will look ahead to this winter with fear and anxiety, wondering how they are going to cope with high living costs. That is why I am proud to endorse the Warm Welcome campaign this winter.
“But a warm welcome isn’t only about the temperature. It is about kindness and community, giving people the chance to be seen and known, to belong and to be part of something. It is about celebrating the God-given value and dignity of every single person, finding hope and community together. But of course, none of that will happen if people are cold.”
The Warm Welcome campaign is led by a coalition of over 50 charitable organisations who joined together in response to the cost of living crisis to provide emergency support to communities struggling to pay for rising food costs and to heat their homes.
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The mysterious ways of mistletoe
Mistletoe has long been used as part of our Christmas decorations. It is not your usual kind of plant.
Instead, it is hemiparasitic, meaning that although its leaves enable it to feed itself through photosynthesis, its roots invade the host tree or shrub to extract water and other nutrients
.
Mistletoe loves living in apple, lime, hawthorn, poplar or oak trees. You may spot it high up, as a large globe, on the bare trees in winter. There is one spectacular example in Windsor Great Park, clearly visible from the path on the opposite side of the Thames
.
Mistletoe’s berries are almost translucent, fleshy and sticky. They form in the forks of mistletoe’s many branches. While they are toxic to humans, they are attractive to birds, who wipe the remaining seeds off their beaks onto the nearest branch, which of course helps the plant to spread.
For some reason, Romans thought mistletoe represented Peace, Love and Understanding. Perhaps that is how it got into our Christmas celebrations? The earliest documentary evidence for kissing under mistletoe dates from the 16th century, but we don’t know who got kissed first.
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Doctor Livingstone, I presume?
It was 150 years ago, on 10th November 1871, that Welsh journalist and explorer Henry Morton Stanley located the missing missionary Dr David Livingstone near Lake Tanganyika, in present-day Tanzania. He may or may not have greeted him with the words: “Doctor Livingstone, I presume?”
Stanley’s real name was John Rowlands. He was born in Denbigh to an unmarried 18-year-old who abandoned him. He ended up in a workhouse until he was 15, then went to America, where he changed his name and became an American citizen. When he found Livingstone, he was working for the New York Herald.
Known for his strength of will, Stanley also had an African name – Bula Matari – Breaker of Rocks. Much of his life was spent in Central Africa, and his reputation was mixed: he was said by some to be violent toward Africans, but by others to have treated them well. His feats as an explorer were impressive: he played a big part in locating the true source of both the Nile and the Congo, and he helped open up the Congo on behalf of King Leopold of Belgium.
Though not overtly religious, he felt he was engaged in a “sacred task”. He was re-naturalised a British subject in 1892, following his marriage.
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All in the month of March
It was:
300 years ago, on 8th March 1723 that Sir Christopher Wren, English architect, died. Best known for designing St Paul’s Cathedral.
125 years ago, on 16th March 1898 that Aubrey Beardsley, British illustrator, died. His black ink drawings, influenced by Japanese woodcuts, contributed to the development of Art Nouveau.
100 years ago, on 4th March 1923 that Patrick Moore, the amateur astronomer, TV presenter, writer and musician was born. Best known for presenting the TV astronomy show The Sky at Night for over 50 years. (Died 2012)
80 years ago, on 13th March 1943 that the final liquidation of Krakow Ghetto in Poland took place. 8,000 Jews were transported to Plaszow labour camp, 2000 more were simply killed in the streets, and the rest were sent to Auschwitz.
70 years ago, on 19th March 1953 that the Academy Awards ceremony (the Oscars) were televised for the first time.
Also 70 years ago, on 26th March 1953 that Dr Jonas Salk announced that he had completed the first small-scale test of a polio vaccine. Larger tests began in February 1954, and mass vaccinations began in April 1955.
65 years ago, on 2nd March 1958 that the first land crossing of Antarctica was completed by the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, led by Vivian Fuchs. The team of 12 men travelled 2,158 miles from Shackleton Base to Scott Base (via the South Pole) in 99 days, using six vehicles.
60 years ago, on 22nd March 1963 that the British Secretary of State for War, John Profumo, made a statement in the House of Commons in which he denied there was any impropriety in his relationship with Christine Keeler, a model who was also in a sexual relationship with a drug dealer and a Soviet naval attaché. (In June he admitted he had lied, and resigned.)
50 years ago, on 8th March 1973 that the citizens of Northern Ireland voted in a referendum to remain within the United Kingdom. That same day the IRA carried out its first bombing in Britain since WWII, planting car bombs in London. One person died, 200 were injured.
40 years ago, on 6th March 1983 that Donald Maclean, British-born Soviet spy died. He was a member of the Cambridge Spy Ring.
Also 40 years ago, on 26th March 1983, that Anthony Blunt, British art historian and Soviet spy, died.
25 years ago, on 16th March 1998 that Rwanda began mass trials for the country’s 1994 genocide. There were 125,000 suspects for 500,000 murders.
20 years ago, on 1st March 2003 that Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the al-Qaeda terrorist who masterminded the 9/11 attacks on the USA, was captured in Pakistan.
Also 20 years ago, on 12th March 2003 that the World Health Organisation issued a global alert about a severe form of pneumonia (now known as Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome – SARS) that was affecting people in China, Hong Kong and Vietnam.
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Isherwood Hall. (The original hall)
Tables and chairs are available.
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July 2025 Magazine
We didn't receive any local or St Mary's news for this month again, so it's just another selection from 'Parish Pump'.
Pauline & Bob - co-editors..
Updated 1st July 2025
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Next Step in planning for any alterations in the church building.
Things have started to move, it will be a extremely slow process that will take a lot of meetings and planning once our architect has the PCC's remit on what they would like to do in various areas
a) Access for all into the church building
b) Access for all toilets
c) Reconfigure the 1874 church, known as the Bede Chapel, so that it will be an open space to be used for events etc
d) A servery and storage at the West end of the church
The architect will then be able to produce drawings on her ideas of what can be done.
There was a meeting with the architect in late June and another of the building committee first week in July. These ideas will be considered by the PCC and finally a consensus will be reached to determine the best course of action. Then and only then can contractors be sought and all the necessary paperwork and permissions obtained.
On another tack, a long-term problem has been the damp in the walls around the choir stalls on the east side of the new church. A method of repair / renewal has been agreed with the architect and quotes are being asked for from firms. This is for the renewal of the main gulley between the two church roofs and removal of the boiler house chimney. Permissions have been obtained from the York Diocese so hopefully work will begin soon.
Bob Willis
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11,000 people take part in consultations for the next Archbishop of Canterbury
More than 11,000 people have so far participated in the consultations for the next Archbishop of Canterbury. It was carried out online, by post and in person between February and March this year.
The public consultation was a unique opportunity to influence the future of leadership within the Church, helping to discern the gifts, skills and qualities that will be required in the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, to meet the needs of the Church today and in the years to come.
The themes that emerge through this consultation will sit alongside the ‘Statement of Needs’ produced by the Diocese of Canterbury, as well as other information provided by the National Church and Anglican Communion. This information will inform the Canterbury Crown Nominations Commission of the needs of the mission of the Church of England and the wider Anglican Communion.
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CofE attendance rises for fourth year
Attendance at C of E churches grew for the fourth year in a row last year.
The overall number of regular worshippers across the Church of England’s congregations grew to 1.02 million in 2024, a rise of 1.2 per cent, according to an early snapshot of the annual Statistics for Mission findings.
It was the second year in a row in which the Church of England’s ‘worshipping community’ – the combined number of regular members of local congregations – has stood above a million since the Covid-19 pandemic.
The numbers in the pews on a typical Sunday was up by a further 1.5 per cent to 582,000 in 2024, extending rises over recent years.
And overall, the in-person attendance across the week edged upwards by 1.2 per cent in a year, and stood at just over 701,000 last year, according to the early figures.
The increase was driven by a recovery in attendance by adults (over 16), among whom average Sunday attendance was up by 1.8 per cent, and weekly attendance rose by 1.5 per cent.
While the overall figures show that in-person attendance has not fully reached pre-pandemic levels, the figures suggest it is moving closer to the pre-pandemic trend.
The preliminary snapshot of Statistics for Mission returns follows separate figures which show there has also been a sharp increase in traffic on the Church of England’s church-finder website, AChurchNearYou.com.
The number of page visits to AChurchNearYou.com jumped by 55 per cent last year to almost 200 million as people searched for their local congregation.
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said: “The Church of England exists to share the good news of Jesus Christ. So it is encouraging to see further signs that more people are coming to faith in Jesus Christ and having their lives changed.
“Although this is just a snapshot and we don’t know the ages of those who have started attending church in the past year, other evidence suggests that many of these are young adults.
Debbie Clinton, the Church of England’s Director for Vision and Strategy, said: “Our statistics are much more than numbers, each represents an individual. In 2024 we have heard and seen exciting stories of growth in parishes, in our estates and in post-industrial and coastal towns.
“Nationally we aim to ensure that each young person has a flourishing children, youth and families’ ministry within reach of them, we are seeing growth in the number of churches with more than 25 young people attending.”
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July DIARY PAGE
All services at the usual times
BIBLE STUDY (via ZOOM) EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 7PM DURING TERM TIME.
PRAYER MEETING FIRST MONDAY IN THE MONTH 7pm IN CHURCH
SUNDAYS
9am Holy Communion BCP
10am Parish Communion
6.30pm Evening Prayer
TUESDAYS
10am Holy Communion
Saturday 5th
9.30am Churchyard tidy / Church cleaning
Wednesday 9th
Coffee Morning 10.00am – 11.30am
PCC meeting 7.00pm
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Proposals to enhance pensions mark a major step in supporting clergy well-being
A major step in a significant package of proposals for clergy well-being has been announced, which if implemented will increase future pension benefits for existing and future pensioners.
The improvements include restoring the target pension level to two-thirds of pensionable stipend, coupled with an increase to pensions that have come into payment since 2011.
General Synod will be asked to consider these proposals, which will require changes to the scheme rules, this July, with potential implementation after April 2026.
Further work is also underway to increase support and choice for clergy retirement housing, including measures to help clergy get on the housing ladder during stipendiary ministry.
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From stained glass to medieval graffiti: annual conservation
grants for churches revealed
More than £260,000 was distributed by the Church of England last year to support conservation of historic items and works of art in parish churches.
They ranged from stained glass and organs to curtains, a carpet and an 18th century Bible famous for its misprints. In all, there were 124 projects in 33 dioceses, including wall paintings, monuments, church bells and even medieval graffiti.
The conservation grants programme is administered by the Church of England’s Cathedral and church buildings department from funds provided by The Pilgrim Trust, the Radcliffe Trust, the Anglican Parish Churches Fund, The Oswald Allen Fund, the Gunnis Fund and the Church of England Net Zero Fund.
This year, the conservation grants scheme is being extended, thanks to the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
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Why are Christians persecuted?
In the second of a series of articles, Kenneth Harrod, Head of Theology and Media at Release International, the voice of persecuted Christians, reminds us of the realities of persecution today.
The persecution of Christians takes many forms. It crops up in many places and is perpetrated by people of various religions—and no religion. Why?
The night before he was crucified Jesus answers that question. While teaching his disciples he says:
‘If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you … All these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.’ (John 15:18-19, 21; ESV)
What is Jesus saying? He is warning his disciples that, in the future, they may be hated by the world—because they are his followers; because they serve him; because they proclaim good news, which is about him.
In other words, the persecution of Christians—for being Christians—is really the persecution of Jesus. It is one way in which the world demonstrates its hatred of Christ and its rejection of the gospel. This in turn, says Jesus, evidences not knowing the one true God.
The New Testament maintains this perspective throughout, and it is so important that we see this. The persecution of Christians—for being Christians—is not merely a human rights issue or even a religious freedom issue (important though we might consider it is to uphold both of those cherished principles). It is a gospel issue.
Understanding that will inevitably shape the way we, as Christians in the UK, will seek to respond to the persecution of Christians around the world.
Release International is a UK-based ministry called to love and serve those who suffer persecution for Christ and the gospel. A biblical understanding of persecution undergirds all that this ministry does. That includes calling Christians here in the UK to express fellowship with those who suffer—prayerfully, pastorally and practically. To find out how you can be involved in that, go to: 
releaseinternational.org.
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Chilling reading’ – Bishop Sarah responds to assisted suicide impact assessments
The Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, the Church of England’s lead bishop for health and social care, has recently responded to the Government impact assessments on the bill to introduce assisted suicide in England and Wales.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), together with the Ministry of Justice, had published a main assessment and an equality impact assessment on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.
Bishop Sarah said: “The impact assessment of the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill makes for chilling reading as it highlights particular groups who would be put at risk by a change in the law, including those who are subject to health inequalities, and those vulnerable to domestic abuse.
“It also sets out the financial savings of introducing an assisted dying service, through reduction in care costs, palliative and end of life care costs and state-provided benefits.
“It is crude to see these cost savings set out in this way, and it is easy to see how numbers of this nature could contribute to someone feeling that they should pursue an assisted death rather than receive care.
“Each human life is immeasurably more valuable than the money that may be saved through their premature death.
“Every person is made in the image of God and holds an irreducible value that is worthy of care and support until the end of their life.
“We must oppose any change in the law that puts the vulnerable at risk rather than working to improve access to desperately needed palliative care services.”
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July Crossword
CLUES
Across
1 ‘Out of his glorious — he may strengthen you with power’ (Ephesians 3) (6)
4 ‘Saul’s father Kish and — father Ner’ (1 Samuel 14) (6)
7 ‘Praise the Lord, O my — ’ (Psalm 103) (4)
8 See 5 Down
9 Laws (1 Kings 11) (8)
13 ‘Who of you by worrying can — a single hour to his life?’ (Luke 12) (3)
16 Artistry (Exodus 31) (13)
17 ‘Your — men will dream dreams’ (Acts 2) (3)
19 How David described his Lord (Psalm 19) (8)
24 ‘If this city is built and its — — restored,’ (Ezra 4) (5,3)
25 ‘Which are able to make you — for salvation’ (2 Timothy 3) (4)
26 Intended destination of arrows (Lamentations 3) (6)
27 Eve hit (anag.) (6)
Down
1 ‘You will find — for your souls’ (Matthew 11) (4)
2 Where Peter was when he denied Christ three times (Luke 22) (9)
3 A convert from Hinduism, — Sundar Singh (5)
4 ‘Now the king had put the officer on whose — — leaned’ (2 Kings 7) (3,2)
5 and 8 Across ‘Your — is like the tower of Lebanon looking towards — ’ (Song of Songs 7) (4,8)
6 ‘With the belt of truth buckled — your waist’ (Ephesians 6) (5)
10 Trout (anag.) (5)
11 Easily frightened (1 Thessalonians 5) (5)
12 The ability to perceive (Ecclesiastes 10) (5)
13 One of the clans descended from Benjamin (Numbers 26) (9)
14 “one who — bread into the bowl with me”’ (Mark 14) (4)
15 Resound (Zephaniah 2) (4)
18 Traditional seat of the Dalai Lama (5)
20 Precise (John 4) (5)
21 Build (Ezekiel 4) (5)
22 Beat harshly (Acts 22) (4)
23 Darius was one (Daniel 5:31) (4)
Answers to June Crossword
ACROSS:
8, Grandchildren. 9, Pro. 10, Marvelled. 11, Strut. 13, Startle. 16, Babysit. 19, Orate. 22, Eucharist. 24, Map. 25, Commissioners.
DOWN:
1, Egypt’s. 2, Favour. 3, Edomites. 4, Thorns. 5, Blue. 6, Armlet. 7, On edge. 12, Tea. 14, Adoption. 15, Lot. 16, Breach. 17, Become. 18, This So. 20, Armies. 21, Expose. 23, Avi
Winner P Warren
Crosswords reproduced by kind permission of BRF and John Capon, originally published in Three Down, Nine Across, by John Capon (£6.99 BRF)
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July Anagrams
FARM ANIMAL PHRASES
Poor as a church mouse; to smell a rat - just two phrases involving comparisons with animals. Rearrange the letters below to form 10 more expressions like these. All of them refer to animals or birds
that could be found on a traditional mixed farm. Answers may consist of three, four or five words. Here's a tip: find the animal or bird first!
1. A GREEN MOD THING 2. ARONS SONG TAX 3. A HORRA DESK 4. WATCH THESE RISKS 5. DUE TO A RICKET WALK
6. PUNISH COB IN A HALL 7. I CAN GETTA GOTH 8. OH TEDDY WOKE KORN 9. AS NETBALL GAME 10. CORKING CHIN PENS
Compiled by Peter Warren
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June Anagram Answers
PLAYWRIGHTS: Answers
1. MICHAEL FRAYN 2. HAROLD PINTER 3. TERENCE RATTIGAN 4. PETER SHAFFER 5. GEORGE BERNARD SHAW
6. ARTHUR MILLER 7. NOEL COWARD 8. TOM STOPPARD 9. ALAN BENNETT 10. TENNESSEE WILLIAMS
11. ALAN AYCKBOURN 12. SAMUEL BECKETT
Winner
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July Soduko Puzzle
June Sodoku Solution
Winners
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The Revd Dr Jo White
Reflecting Faith: Saying 'Hello'.
Last month we considered how, when we are invited by the priest to come and receive Holy Communion, our immediate response is one of being overwhelmed with the enormity of what we are being offered. We recognise how unworthy we are, to even be in God’s presence, never mind taking Him in our hands and making Him part of ourselves.
Now, for the next few months, let’s consider some other key moments in our church services. Let’s start at the very beginning…. Just saying hello!
How do you say ‘hello’ to the people you meet? We don’t use the same words, gestures and tone to each person, nor on each occasion.
When we meet a very senior person in our workplace; we tend to be deferential and formal. By the time we have worked together for some months, we will still hold them in high regard and with respect, but we are probably more relaxed in their presence.
As for members of our close family, there’s a time for huge hugs and explosions of laughter, such as at the arrivals desk of the airport, but such a greeting is probably not so appropriate when we meet them in a formal restaurant for lunch.
So it is on a Sunday morning, when we meet with the members of our church in the setting of a church service.
By meeting together for worship, we have come deliberately into a consciousness of God’s presence. It’s not that He hasn’t been with us on the way there, but this is a specific and intentional thing.
So, when the person leading the service says ‘hello’ at the start of the service, they are not just welcoming you as an individual but rather acknowledging that we are meeting together in the presence of God, to worship Him.
This is special. This is amazing. This is huge.
This month: When you next go to a church service take note of the leader’s opening words and your expected response to them. What is your acceptance to that wonderful invitation?
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Canon Paul Hardingham continues his series on the books of the Bible, which will run until the end of 2025.
What’s the Big Idea? – An Introduction to the
books of the New Testament: Romans.
‘Paul’s letter to Rome is the high peak of Scripture…all roads in the Bible led to Romans, and all views afforded by the Bible are seen most clearly from Romans’ (J I Packer)
Paul probably wrote his letter to the Christians in Rome around AD 57 at Corinth, on his third missionary journey. The original recipients of the letter were predominantly Gentile, although Jews would have constituted a substantial minority of the congregation.
Paul set out to explain the relationship between Jew and Gentile in God’s plan of salvation, as the Jewish Christians were being rejected by the larger Gentile group in the church. Paul begins by showing that both Jews and Gentiles are sinners in need of salvation. He shows how the life, death and resurrection of Jesus eternally affects both world history and every person.
This salvation, secured by Jesus, must be received by faith, as the example of Abraham shows. As salvation is not just about starting the Christian journey, Paul goes on to show how believers are freed from sin, law and death. This is made possible both through their union with Christ in His death and resurrection and by the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
The theme of the book centres on the Gospel of Christ, which brings us into a right standing with God though faith: ‘I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”’(Rom. 1:16,17).
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David Pickup, a solicitor considers the problem of losing and finding things…
Finders keepers? – finding things in street
The gospels have a number of stories about things lost and found. The lost sheep, the prodigal son, and one of my favourites – the lost coin. I wonder if Our Lord had someone in mind when He told that parable? Perhaps He had seen a lady searching high and low, turning the house upside down – could it have been His mother, Mary? Just a thought.
I am always losing things myself; usually essentials like glasses and keys and once my wife. We got separated from each other in a museum in Germany. I spoke to a warder who took me to a room where all the CCTV cameras were, and I was invited to select a wife. In the end, to get her back, I had to make an announcement over the tannoy.
I am also always finding things. Maybe it is because I look downwards all the time. I have found keys, a wallet, a suit jacket, bank cards and a bobble hat on a train. The suit jacket was on a train so I could easily tell the guard. The wallet was outside a station in the drop off zone and I just handed it in. Things lost in other places are best handed to the police station. There they will take down your details and if not claimed they can give it back to you.
If, like me, you often lose things, it is sensible to be careful. Do not put your pin number with bank cards. It is probably not a good idea to keep documents in your car that could be traced to you. Do you have a separate note of important telephone and other numbers if something is stolen? Do not put your address on your key tab.
The bobble hat is another story. It was left on a first-class carriage and I could remember the man and where he was sitting. I gave a full description of the man, the seat and which train he was on to a lady at enquiries at Newcastle station. I do not think it was ever claimed. Between you and me, I suspect he has spent much of his life trying to get away from it.
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It can be hard to pray sometimes, and most of us need all the help we can get! This new series, which will run all year, is by the Revd Dr Herbert McGonigle, formerly of the Nazarene Theological College, Manchester
Praying with the Prayers Of The Bible - the Prayer of National Confession
Daniel 9:5, ‘We have sinned and done wrong … turning aside from Your commandments and ordinances.’
In this chapter the prophet Daniel, an exile in Babylon, prays one of the Bible’s truly great prayers of national repentance.
Knowing that Judah and Jerusalem had fallen to the enemy and that 70 years of exile lay ahead (v.2), Daniel set himself to seek God on behalf of his own people. With fasting and sackcloth and ashes (v.3) he turned to God in fervent prayer. Our nation, wherever we live, is in need of intercessors like Daniel. His praying has much to teach us.
For Daniel, prayer was a daily habit. Earlier, in chapter six, we read the well-known story of how he was thrown into the lions’ den. This happened because nothing could stop him having his daily devotions! When King Darius decreed that no one in the land should pray to any god except him for 30 days, Daniel ignored the order. As he had always done, he opened his window facing Jerusalem and prayed three times every day. For this disobedience he was sent to the lions’ den. So here in chapter 9 the great prayer of national intercession is prayed by a man whose prayer life is sustained by daily devotion.
We also see that Daniel knew the character of his God. He is great and awesome, keeping covenant and steadfast love (v.4). To him belongs righteousness, mercy and forgiveness (vv.7, 9); He confirms His word (v.12) and He is the Lord who brought His people out of Egyptian slavery (v.15). Across the years, even in exile, Daniel’s consistent prayer life has revealed to him Who God is. With this confession of His glory and majesty and power is the glad acknowledgement of a personal God. Note ‘the Lord my God’ (v.4); five times ‘the Lord our God’ (vv. 9, 10, 13, 14, 15,); ‘my God’ (v.19).
Daniel’s knowledge of the one, true God is matched by his love of God’s people, his own nation. He identifies himself with his people, facing national judgement because they have forsaken the Lord. ‘We have sinned and done wrong’ (v.5). ‘We have not listened to Thy servants the prophets’ (v. 6). ‘To us, O Lord, belongs confusion of face’(v.8). ‘We do not present our supplications before Thee on the ground of our righteousness, but on the ground of Thy great mercy’ (v.18). Daniel makes himself confessor and spokesman and intercessor for his whole nation.
It is not surprising that this great prayer of intercession, grounding its confidence in God, received a speedy answer. Even while Daniel prayed, the angel Gabriel was sent to him with a message from God (vv.20-23). What an encouragement for all of us to become intercessors for the nation!
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Don’t Step on a Bee Day – 10th July
Have you ever wanted to step on a bee? Hopefully most of us haven’t – but the eye-catching name of this annual event aims to remind people of how important bees are in our ecosystem, and of the need to promote their protection.
Don’t Step on a Bee Day highlights the crucial role bees play in pollination, and also that their populations are declining, because of habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change.
If you want to help the bees, here is what you can do:
Plant Bee-Friendly Flowers: Grow a variety of flowers in your garden that attract and support bees, such as lavender, sunflowers, and marigolds.
Avoid Using Pesticides: Reduce or eliminate these in your garden, to create a safer environment for bees.
Support Local Beekeepers: Purchase honey from local beekeepers, to help support sustainable beekeeping practices.
Create a Bee Bath: Place a shallow dish of water with stones in your garden to provide bees with a safe place to drink.
Educate Others: Share information about the importance of bees and how you protect them with friends, family, and on social media.
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16th July – St Osmund, bishop with a genius for cathedrals
Osmund is the saint for you if you like cathedrals, or if you have ever met the dean, precentor, chancellor or treasurer of one.
Why? Because nearly 1,000 years ago, it was St Osmund who first invented all those roles, and it was he who also decreed that a cathedral is to be the ‘mother church’ of a diocese.
Yet Osmund did not start out as a priest. He first appears in history as the newly appointed Chancellor of England, in 1072. He may well have arrived with William the Conqueror.
But the Church seems to have appealed to him more than straight politics, because in 1078 he was made Bishop of Salisbury. In those days, that included Dorset, Wiltshire and Berkshire. The headquarters of his diocese was the fortress of Old Sarum, set on a hill and surrounded by massive walls.
14 years later, Osmund finished building his own cathedral at Old Sarum, and consecrated it on 5th April 1092. Tragically, only five days later a violent thunderstorm destroyed the roof! Thus, St Osmund became the first of a long line of bishops who, down the centuries, have found their cathedrals harder to manage than they had first anticipated.
Osmund was a brilliant administrator – not only did he initiate the ‘cathedral chapter’ with the duties of dean, precentor, chancellor and treasurer clearly defined, he also created 32 cathedral canons, to act as advisers to the bishops, and to carry out missionary work for the diocese. Many other cathedral bodies soon followed his example, until his influence on the Church in England was profound.
Osmund left another massive legacy for England: he was deeply involved in the preparation and evaluation of the Domesday survey, and he was at Court the day that the Domesday Book was finally presented to King William in 1086.
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The Rev Paul Hardingham the difference Jesus can make in our lives.
Mary Magdalene
Six Marys are mentioned in the New Testament, including Mary Magdalene, who is remembered this month in the church’s calendar (22nd July). What can we learn from Mary’s story?
We don’t have to be defined by our past:
When Jesus encountered Mary, He cast seven demons out of her (Luke 8:2). As a result, her life was transformed, and she became a follower of Jesus. Her life as a disciple was no longer defined by the person she had been before. Like Mary, we don’t have to let our past without Christ dictate how we see ourselves today.
Make Jesus the centre of our world:
Along with some of the women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases (Luke 8:1-3), Mary followed Jesus and His disciples and supported them in ministry. She was there at the cross (Matthew 27:55-56) and one of the first to the tomb on the Sunday (Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1 and John 20:1-18). Like Mary, we are called to serve Jesus as dedicated disciples.
Jesus uses the weakest people for His purposes:
Mary is a great example of Paul’s words: ‘But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.’ (1 Corinthians 1:27). At a time when women were regarded as second-class citizens with no real autonomy, Jesus had a special compassion and care for women. Alongside Mary, the women’s witness to the resurrection was taken seriously. We shouldn’t be quick to dismiss the things that don’t agree with our expectations, as Jesus doesn’t always do what we expect! He delights in working out His plans through unlikely people and in surprising ways. He did this through Mary, and if we allow Him, He can do it through us!
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Where do cricket bats come from?
We see them, off and on, all summer: cricket bats. But did you ever wonder how they are made?
The timber comes from mature willow trees, each of which should give about 30 bats. It is first cut into rounds, and clefts are split out.
Each cleft is then rough sawn, and waxed at the ends, to stop moisture loss. The clefts are air or kiln dried before being cut into a basic blade shape. The craftsman puts the springiest part of the bat in the centre.
Next, comes ‘pressing the blade’. This is when the willow fibres are compressed, to strengthen the timber so that it can withstand the impact of the ball.
Then, the handle is fitted by glue. It is made of cane and rubber strips, and set slightly forward, for a perfect pick up.
The bat is then shaped by a hand-drawn knife and smoothed by a wooden plane. The shoulders of the bat are blended with the spoke-shave, and then the bat is sanded.
Finally, there is the process of minding, polishing and labelling. This is where the bat is mounted in a lathe, controlled via a foot treadle. The handle is bound, using twine and glue. The blade is then finely waxed, to a satin finish. Finally, grips are fitted onto the handle, and labels are applied.
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‘I started noticing they had something I didn’t’ –
students tell how they came to faith.
Students have been sharing their experiences of what first drew them to become Christians, and go on to speak about a “noticeable” increase in faith among Generation Z, in a recent national online service.
The students, Tegan and Gus, had begun their journey to faith because of a simple invitation from friends to attend a church service.
For Tegan, it was a conversation with a friend at brunch which sparked her curiosity. For Gus, he needed to call into the church to borrow a camera for a university project.
“The first couple of times I came back just because I wanted to chat to the people – like it was a nice place to be,” Gus explains. “And from that community I noticed Jesus in them and that’s what I really wanted at the end of it.”
Tegan agrees: “I started noticing that they had something that I didn’t and it’s why I started going to the Alpha course and learned all about Jesus and who He was and what it meant for me.”
Gus admits he had previously struggled with his poor mental health. “Looking back at it now, I see Jesus in those moments, but now I interact with Jesus in those moments,” he says. “He’s actively helping me through those things now.”
Tegan speaks of the death of her mother since she became a Christian. “I think that is where I’ve known Jesus’s love the strongest – in my grief. I think grief is really dark and I don’t know if I would have been able to do it without Jesus. I think He’s been my strength through that and also my comfort.
“And I think people can see it within you, right? Like they see, wow, you have this sort of peace or joy that, is almost unreasonable, like that you couldn’t have from anything but Jesus.”
Both also speak about their own sense of growing interest in faith in their generation.
“I have noticed since being in a church myself lots more people joining that have never even heard the name of Jesus or don’t know much about Him and seeing other people come to Him is just so exciting,” says Tegan.
Gus adds: “The amount of people each year has definitely been increasing. It’s noticeable each time the new year comes up it’s ‘oh we’ve got even more people now’ it’s just so encouraging.
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Walking is amazing – here’s how to get started
Walking is simply good for you. Even a casual stroll can give your overall physical and mental health a boost. So says Britain’s leading walking charity, Ramblers.
It also says that the current mantra of ‘ten thousand steps a day’ need not daunt you, as “you don’t need to adhere to this to feel the benefits of getting outside and stretching your legs.” Even walking for just 30 minutes five times a week can help ward off back pain, according to a recent study.
So – here’s five ways to get going….
Walk in the morning – you are more likely to fit it in before the day takes off.
Start gently, set an easy pace.
Keep it short, to start with. Build up your distances gradually.
Aim to build it up to last for at least half an hour.
Work out some simple local routes that suit you.
Doctors tell us that ‘movement is medicine’, and this medicine is certainly cost-free.
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Fairtrade Foundation calls for tea-drinkers to ‘brew it fair’
Tea-drinkers in the UK are being asked to help change the “woefully inadequate” wages and working conditions of the estate workers on tea plantations around the world.
The Fairtrade Foundation’s new ‘Brew It Fair’ campaign is based on the findings of a report which sets out just how many workers on tea plantations live in “chronic poverty”.
Much of the world’s tea is auctioned, which means that a few very large buyers end up able to dictate the prices of how much they will pay for it. This has a brutal impact on the workers: a recent survey of 260 tea-growers and pickers in Kenya found that only one in five earn enough to feed and support their families and then also send their children to school.
The report says: “As tea drinkers, we are now used to paying very little for, and putting little value on, our cup of tea.” But for the growers and pickers of tea, the “high levels of unstable work, low incomes and wages, gender discrimination and unsafe working conditions” continue.
Fairtrade calls on the UK Government to introduce a new law on human rights and environmental due diligence (HREDD). This should be “centred on the needs of farmers and workers, with a focus on supporting living incomes and living wages…”
The report also urges UK tea-drinkers to buy Fairtrade tea, highlighting the Co-op, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, and Waitrose as key supporters. The UK accounts for 61 per cent of all the Fairtrade tea sold in the world.
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Why you should drink coffee
When you drink your morning cup of coffee, you are not the only one who is enjoying it.
Recent studies have found that the billions of friendly microbes living in your gut are also given a cheering boost. And that means better overall health for you – and even a longer life.
It seems that coffee not only contains compounds that nourish our probiotic beneficial bacteria, but the caffeine even helps them to increase in number. Coffee also contains polyphenols, plant compounds which acts as anti-inflammatory antioxidants.
But is there a best way to prepare and serve your coffee? Scientists believe that black coffee is the best for you, while coffee with cream and sugar is the worst.
The study appeared in the journal Nutrients.
And then there's this!!!
Why you should drink tea
There is a popular greeting card which says: ‘All things are possible with a cup of tea’.
And for many of us, that is almost always true.
Tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, which is often blended with other plants for different flavours, such as Earl Grey or chai. Tea is the UK’s favourite hot beverage, which besides from cheering us up, has cancer-fighting properties and can improve our heart and gut health.
So here’s what’s good about tea:
Tea is rich in polyphenols, which have antioxidant effects on the body, and can reduce inflammation. Milk does not hurt their absorption, so add milk if you like!
Tea has flavanols, which helps your blood to flow and lowers your blood pressure. One study at Harvard found that drinking three to four cups a day means you are less likely to have a heart attack.
Tea is prebiotic, which means it promotes healthier kinds of bacteria in your gut, which helps with your digestion, your respiratory system, and your immune system.
Tea lowers blood sugar, and even the risk of Type 2 diabetes, due to the polyphenols.
Tea may reduce your risk of cancer. Again, the polyphenols are your friends here, as they may be slowing the development of certain types of cancer.
Tea helps you concentrate. Coffee may speed you up, but it can also give you the jitters. Tea contains around 40-50 mg of caffeine, which is only half the amount found in coffee.
But tea also has an amino acid called ‘L-theanine’, which helps produce a feeling of ‘calm concentration’, by lowering stress and improving mental focus.
Tea improves sleep – due to the polyphenols, L-theanine, theaflavins, thearubigins, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), which help lower stress and create calm.
Finally, black tea or green tea? Without going into some complicated science, it seems that they are equally healthy to drink. Black tea has more caffeine, which may help if you need more energy!
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Bananas could be lost to climate change, Christian Aid warns
Bananas are in danger. Almost half of the world’s banana-growing regions may be lost to climate change in the next 50 years, a new report has warned.
Bananas are the world’s fourth most important food crop globally — but rising temperatures, droughts, and fungal infections are threatening where most of the world’s crops grow, in Latin America and the Caribbean.
A recent study by Christian Aid found that 80 per cent of global banana exports come from this region, but that 60 per cent of the land currently used for the crop will be unsuitable, due to climate change, by 2080.
The director of policy and campaigns at Christian Aid, Osai Ojigho, said: “Bananas are not just the world’s favourite fruit, but they are also an essential food for millions of people. We need to wake up to the danger posed by climate change to this vital crop.”
UK consumers eat more bananas than any other European country, eating on average about 85 bananas a year each.
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The ‘father’ of modern British policing
It was 175 years ago, on 2ndJuly 1850, that Robert Peel, who was Prime Minister from 1834 to 35 and from 1841 to 46, died. He founded the Metropolitan Police Service and is seen as the father of modern British policing.
Peel, born in Bury, was one of 11 children of the first Sir Robert Peel, who as well as being a textile manufacturer was also an MP and moved his family down to London. He had his son educated at Harrow and Oxford, where he got a double first; he then entered Parliament and married Julia Floyd: they had seven children.
Home Secretary twice in the 1820s, Peel founded the Metropolitan Police in 1829, reforming criminal law to emphasise rehabilitation and creating a new kind of police officer, nicknamed a ‘bobby’ or a ‘peeler’ for obvious reasons.
A committed Christian and member of the Church of England, Peel became involved with the dispute about employment of Roman Catholics (and non-conformists) in public office – initially supporting the status quo but later changing his views and backing legislation such as the Roman Catholic Relief Act of 1829, partly in order to avoid what he called “civil strife”.
He is also known for – in 1846 – repealing the Corn Laws, which had imposed high tariffs on imported grain; and for being one of the founders of the modern Conservative Party. He held old-fashioned views, however, on the function of ministers of the crown, who he regarded as primarily servants of the state.
Peel was an outstanding debater, but rather shy and could be autocratic, which may have been why Queen Victoria allegedly found him difficult. Having survived a failed assassination attempt by a paranoid stalker in 1843 (his personal secretary was killed by mistake), Peel died at the age of 62 after injuring himself when falling from his horse.
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Episcopalians criticise President Trump’s ‘big, beautiful Bill’
The Episcopal Church (TEC) in America has criticised proposed legislation to introduce major cuts in both tax and spending in the United States, because of its potential impact on “those at the margins of society”.
President Trump’s new plans, which he calls a “big, beautiful Bill”, would seek to extend the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. “These benefited the wealthiest Americans, and, if extended, would necessitate cuts to programs such as Medicaid and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) that protect the most vulnerable,” TEC’s Office of Government Relations said in a bulletin.
And so the Episcopal Church is calling on American Christians to oppose what it describes as “extreme tax cuts” in the Bill, which was narrowly passed by the Republican-controlled US House of Representatives – by just one vote. It will now go on to the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53 to 47 majority.
“As Episcopalians we believe the government should seek economic justice and protect the most vulnerable communities, the poor, the hungry, the sick, and the marginalized,” the statement said.
Democrats have also opposed the Bill. The House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said: “Jesus talks about the importance of standing up for the least, the lost, the left behind, the poor, the sick, and the afflicted…
“It cannot be the case that one goes to synagogue or goes to the mosque — or one goes to church, as I do — but one goes to church to pray on Sunday and then comes to Washington, D.C., to prey on the American people the rest of the week.”
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Staring at beautiful objects really does spark inspiration
Next time you see something beautiful – pause for a moment and simply enjoy it. Especially if it counts as ‘art’.
For recent research has found that contemplating beautiful works of art really can inspire you.
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have found that beautiful art can induce ‘psychological distancing’. This is the process of zooming out on your thoughts, in order to gain better clarity on your life.
One professor at Cambridge put it this way: “Many philosophers throughout history have suggested that engaging with aesthetic beauty invokes a special kind of psychological state.”
So, visiting an art museum “is not just a pleasant way to spend an afternoon, it may actually change how we think about our lives.” Beauty appreciation seems to “help people detach from their immediate practical concerns and adopt a broader, more abstract perspective.”
“Admiring the beauty of art may be the ideal way to trigger the abstract cognitive processes increasingly lost in a world of screens and smartphones.”
Researchers say this shows the importance of public art venues. The findings were published in the journal Empirical Studies of the Arts.
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The Rev Paul Hardingham
The Nicene Creed part 2: Who is Jesus?
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made.
This month we are looking at what the Nicene Creed affirms about the person of Jesus Christ.
‘We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God’: Jesus is presented as the unique Son of God. This reflects the big debate at the time, which was to counter the teachings of Arius, who taught that Jesus was the first and greatest of God’s creatures, but not the same as God the Father.
Today we can be more concerned about Jesus’ authority as a moral teacher, neglecting that Jesus the man is also truly God. ‘We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father’ (John 1:14).
‘eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father’: These words affirm the divinity of Jesus. The phrase ‘begotten not made’ is crucial in understanding Jesus as the unique Son of the Father, who existed eternally of the same divine nature as the Father.
‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning’(John 1:1,2). It is a powerful reminder that our belief revolves around trusting a person, not simply in a set of beliefs and moral teaching.
‘through Him all things were made’: The Creed affirms that Jesus the Son cannot be made, because through Him all things were made and only God can create from nothing.
‘Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.’ (John 1:3). This implies that our world was made good, with a purpose in which we can share.
Also, Jesus has the last word in promising to bring everything in heaven and on earth together at the end of time under His Lordship (Ephesians 1:10). This makes a real difference to how we see and treat God’s Creation and those created in God’s image.
In response to this, can we say that Jesus is Lord of every area of our life?
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The parish Pump team.
The Revd Peter Crumpler has worked in and with the media for more than 40 years. He trained as a local newspaper journalist and went on to work in corporate communications for an international energy company in the UK and overseas. Peter was Director of Communications for the Church of England for seven years before leaving to train for ordination. He is currently serving as a self-supporting minister in St Albans, Herts.
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The Rectory
St James the Least of All
My dear Nephew Darren
So, you have received your first letter of complaint. I am not wholly unsympathetic with your complainant, as attempting to marry the bride to the best man would have created havoc with the seating arrangements at the reception. However, you must learn that receiving letters of complaint is an integral part of the ordained ministry. After 50 years of parish life, the number of such letters I have received are now held in bound volumes.
The anonymous ones you will receive, invariably written in green ink on lined notepaper, can be safely consigned to your wastepaper basket, along with all mail, from whatever source, labelled ‘Urgent’. You will receive letters complaining that you did not pray for someone who was in hospital, regardless of the fact that you knew nothing of it. Probably by the next post, you will receive a letter complaining that you did pray for someone in hospital – when they had wanted to keep their cosmetic surgery secret.
Those who regard themselves as guardians of doctrinal purity will write complaining of the heresies contained in the previous Sunday’s sermon. These can be filed with those letters that complain that your sermons are too short, along with those who complain that they are too long.
The hourly striking of the church clock is a perennial favourite for complaints. I usually reply by saying that we are currently exploring the possibility of getting it to strike the quarters too.
Letters of complaint will arrive in November, complaining that the church is too cold, so making prayer impossible. Others will drop on the doormat in April saying that it is too hot, so making prayer impossible. In Spring, some will write that the churchyard should be mown more often, while others will complain that it is mown too often and ruins it as a habitat for wildlife. The annual Summer ‘Procession of Witness’ generates complaints that the brass band ruined the slumbers of parishioners having a Sunday lie-in. Then come Harvest, there will be the letters complaining that they did not receive a Harvest gift, which was particularly unforgivable, as their grandmother had once sung in the choir. Thus, the annual round is accompanied by reams of notepaper.
The only letter of complaint I have really treasured came from the bishop, rebuking me for never having attended any meeting when he was present. I have had it framed and hung on the study wall.
Your loving uncle, Eustace
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The danger in electric cars
Electric cars may be the ‘future’ of British motoring, but meanwhile, more of them are catching fire. From 131 blazes three years ago, there were 232 blazes needing a fire brigade last year – a 77 per cent increase in just two years.
Electric car fires are more dangerous than petrol or diesel car fires, because they are extremely hard to put out. This is because water, foam or fireproof blanket have little to no effect: lithium-ion battery fires are self-sustaining and continue to burn until the entire battery is consumed.
Electric car fires are normally the result of ‘thermal runaway’, where batteries have got damaged or overheated, and then begin to irreversibly overheat.
There is to be a total ban on new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
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Rise in older shoplifters
More and more pensioners have turned to shoplifting. They aren’t in criminal gangs, they are hungry.
So says a security firm which works with hundreds of stores across the country. Kingdom Security reports that food retailers have seen a “massive” increase in pensioner shoplifters over the past year, involving “people who just can’t afford to buy food.”
John Nussbaum, director of service for retail at Kingdom Security, said that the cost of living is “pushing people to something they’ve never done before”.
Mr Nussbaum estimates that five per cent of all those caught shoplifting by Kingdom staff on a weekly basis are aged over 50. “We’ve not seen this before, and I’ve been in security for 30 years. People can’t afford to spend £10, £20 on food. It’s desperation.”
He added: “Retailers don’t tend to involve the police when they’re dealing with pensioners. Stores tend to want to handle it on their own. It’s not good publicity for a supermarket, if it got out that a pensioner had been handed over to the police for shoplifting.”
The number of shoplifting offences reported to police last year passed 500,000 for the first time.
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Murder
Do you see a lot of murders? On TV, that is. According to the star of Gavin and Tracey, James Corden, television these days has become pretty much “wall-to-wall” murder.
Corden believes that audiences deserve more programmes that feature love and kindness, instead. He says: “If there was an alien species that came to Earth, they would assume that all of us know multiple murderers, and that we’re involved or implicated in murder somewhere.”
So, what is there about a murder mystery that still so attracts us?
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BOOK REVIEW
Tasting Wisdom – A daily companion for meditation
By Laurence Freeman, Canterbury Press. £14.99
Every day for more than a decade, members of the World Community for Christian Meditation worldwide receive a brief reflection, Daily Wisdom, from Laurence Freeman, a Benedictine monk and leader of the community.
In just a few sentences, each day readers can orientate themselves to a more reflective and less reactive approach to the challenges of the coming day and living wisely and well in a restless, noisy world.
This collection of daily meditations will last the whole year, and offers wisdom to begin, end or punctuate the day.
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All in the month of July.
It was:
250 years ago, on 1st July 1775 that the British Parliament brought in the New England Restraining Act. This forbade its North American colonies from trading with anyone other than Britain, Ireland, and the British West Indies. The colonies were also forbidden to fish in the Atlantic without permission.
175 years ago, on 2nd July 1850 that Robert Peel, Prime Minister (1834-35, 1841-46) died. He founded the Metropolitan Police Service and is seen as the father of modern British policing.
100 years ago, on 21st July 1925 that racing driver Malcolm Campbell became the first person to travel at over 150 mph. He set a new land speed record of 150.87 mph at Pendine Sands in Wales in a Sunbeam 350HP. He also went on to break the 250 mph and 300 mph records, in 1932 and 1935.
90 years ago, on 6th July 1935 that the Yangtze River flooded in China. 145,000 people died, while millions were displaced and suffered food shortages and famine.
Also 75 years ago, on 11th July 1950 that the first episode of the BBC children’s TV show Andy Pandy was broadcast in the UK.
Also 70 years ago, on 23rd July 1955 that racing driver Donald Campbell broke the world water speed record and became the first person to break the 200-mph barrier at Ullswater in Cumbria.
65 years ago, on 9th July 1960 that US President Dwight D Eisenhower and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev traded threats over the future of Cuba.
60 years ago, on 8th July 1965 that Great Train Robber Ronnie Briggs escaped from Wandsworth Prison in London. He lived in Brazil until 2001, when he returned to London and was re-imprisoned. Released in 2009, he died in 2013.
40 years ago, on 13th July 1985 that the two Live Aid concerts were held simultaneously in London and Philadelphia, as well as at other venues such as Sydney and Moscow. They raised millions of pounds for famine relief in Africa.
Also 30 years ago, on 16th July 1995 that Amazon.com first opened its website to the public.
Also 25 years ago, on 25th July 2000 that an Air France Concorde crashed outside of Paris, shortly after taking off for New York. It killed all 109 people on board, along with four people on the ground.
20 years ago, that the 7th July (2005) London bombings took place. The coordinated series of four suicide bomb attacks on London’s transport system during the morning rush hour killed 56 people and injured more than 700. It was the worst-ever terrorist attack on Britain, and the country’s first attack by suicide bombers.
10 years ago, on 14th July 2015 that NASA’s New Horizons space probe, launched in 2006, completed the first-ever flyby of the dwarf planet Pluto, and returned close-up photos.
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Smile Lines
Day trip?
A north country choirmaster was rehearsing the hymns for Sunday, telling the choir the hymns they were to sing, and the tunes to which they were to sing them. He concluded the list and said, “Now then, ‘Come ye that love the Lord’, to Southport!”
A moment later a voice called out, “Where are you tekking t’rest of us then?”
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Church Notices that didn’t quite ‘make it’…
The preacher for Sunday next will be found hanging on the notice board in the porch.
Churchyard maintenance is becoming increasingly difficult, so it will be appreciated if parishioners cut the grass around their own graves.
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Baptism
The vicar announced that an additional font would soon be placed in the church, so that babies could be baptised at both ends.
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Vote carried
The vicar was ill in hospital and so the churchwarden went to visit. Trying to cheer him up, the churchwarden said: “We missed you at PCC last night. We even put forward a resolution to wish you a speedy recovery. It was passed by 14 votes to 12.”
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Getting ready
Two children watched their grandmother reading her Bible. “Why does she do that?” whispered one. “I expect she’s studying for her final exams,” came the reply.
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Life choice
A small boy returned from Sunday School in tears. When questioned by his mother for the reason of his distress, he gulped: “Jesus wants me for a sunbeam, but I want to be an engine driver.”
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It’s cool
I was at summer scout camp where the final service was to be taken by a bishop. It was a very hot, humid day and the clergy from local churches were slowly melting in their various heavy robes. Finally, one snapped: “When is that flipping bishop going to turn up?”
Whereupon a man close by, dressed in Scouts shirt, tie and short trousers, said mildly: “I’m already here.”
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No worries
A 102-year-old lady was asked if she had any worries about the future. She replied: “Not since I got my eldest son into an old people’s home.’
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Vatican
Once asked how many people worked in the Vatican, Pope John XXIII replied: “Oh, about half.”
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Open wide
A lady was very nervous about her appointment at the dentist. She sought courage from her Bible. The verse her finger landed on was Psalm 81:10: ‘Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it.’
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What exactly is ‘a lie’?
A little boy was asked in a school exam to explain what ‘lying’ is. He wrote: “A lie is an abomination unto the Lord, but a very present help in trouble.”
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Come in
The choir was practising the anthem. The choirmaster said to the trebles: “Now don’t forget, when the tenors reach ‘The Gates of Hell’, you come in.”
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Preaching hazards
Showing your new parish that you are a forceful preacher may not always be a good idea, as the Revd Sydney Smith found out when he first arrived at All Saints Church in Foston in 1806. “When I began to thump the pulpit cushion on my first coming to Foston, the accumulated dust of 150 years made such a cloud that for some minutes I lost sight of the congregation.”
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