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A friend mentioned ‘Bread and Circuses’… Mr Google tells me that ‘Bread and Circuses’ is attributed to the Roman poet Juvenal… saying that to keep people happy all you need to do is feed them and entertain them. Most people don’t care about the needs of others or have deeper political or spiritual priorities. ManyContinue reading “Much More Than Bread and Circuses”

Last night was our weekly music practice. Nine singers and instrumentalists met at church to play through Sunday’s songs. At one point the noise didn’t sound good. It was like a competition – playing against rather than with each other. I remembered years of music teaching… classroom music, school choirs, major productions… emphasising the importanceContinue reading “Learning to Listen”

It’s a story I’ve returned to several times in my life. I remember Dad telling it many years ago… ‘A rich powerful business-man wanted the perfect picture of peace – to bring a sense of calm to his stressful life. He couldn’t find exactly what he wanted, so he organised a competition. Many artists entered…’Continue reading “The Picture of Peace”

Garden Birds… We’ve been watching a blackbird helping his baby to become independent. Last week baby was sitting on a branch; parent was feeding it. Now baby’s feeding itself whilst parent looks on. This morning we were watching a parent and baby robin. Last week the parent was the provider. Now it’s the supervisor. InContinue reading “Independent Learners”

I’ve always enjoyed A.A. Milne. Asa child I enjoyed his poems and the Winnie the Pooh books. Yesterday I was reminded of ‘Now We Are Six’. A six-year-old looks back on being younger and concludes: But now I am Six,I’m as clever as clever,So I think I’ll be six now for ever and ever. ThreeContinue reading “Clever as Clever”

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,Look full in His wonderful face,And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,In the light of His glory and grace. I first sung ‘Turn your Eyes Upon Jesus’ as a child in Sunday School. I’ve been familiar with it all my life. It’s often returned to me – sometimes asContinue reading “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”

Yesterday we drove to St Neots to attend the funeral of our good friend John. John had been a teacher and church leader in St Neots before retiring to Lowestoft in 1997.  Together with his wife Jean he joined our church; he became part of our church leadership team. In more recent years Jean died,Continue reading “Flying Elephants and Cake”

On Wednesday I attended an online seminar entitled ‘The Difference Theology Makes to Autism Diagnoses and Neurodiversity’, led by Christian theologian Joanna Deidenhag. Having spent many years in school engaged with children’s special and additional needs, it was good to approach autism from a different perspective. We considered the characteristics of autism, particularly the challengesContinue reading “Towards Understanding”

Today is May Day. In ancient Rome the festival of Floralia, honoured Flora, the goddess of flowers and fertility. Celtic Britain celebrated Beltane, a fire festival midway between spring equinox and summer solstice. In medieval Europe, dancing and rituals encouraged fertility and a good harvest. From the late 19th century May Day parades remembered pastContinue reading “Optimistic, Rebellious, Confident Hope”

Yesterday I heard three quotes about serving… …Listening to Bob Dylan songs including ‘You’ve got to serve somebody’: You may be an ambassador to England or FranceYou may like to gamble, you might like to danceYou may be the heavyweight champion of the worldYou might be a socialite with a long string of pearls ButContinue reading “Serving, Serving, Serving.”