Talking Jesus: Northern Bishops in Mission Durham Diocese 2nd – 5th March 2017 Talking Jesus is something that some of you may have heard about a lot over recent months, but equally for some it may be completely new; so what is it? As the subtitle for this event suggests it is an opportunity for we in the Diocese of Durham to unite together in locally organised mission – or more simply to “talk Jesus” alongside the Bishops of the Northern...

                Away in a manger, no crib for a bed.   I am sure that each and every one of you recognises the beginning of this very famous Christmas Carol, one that I am have no doubt will be sung a fair few times over the festive period. And you all then of course know what you expect to come next, what words you expect to follow; who it is that we usually say will be laying down his sweet head in that animal’s food trough in the next line –...

November 2017                   Dear All,   Having celebrated the life of St Francis in our last Messy Church in October, November sees us once again looking to the life of a saint when it comes to our getting Messy in the hall here in Burnopfield for our monthly family service of craft, singing and fun. And this month this saint is one that has a name very close to my heart – Saint Lucy. Lucy, like many other saints, is one who we know very...

Dear All, For everything there is a season, and a time for everything under heaven     Ecclesiastes 3:1 During a recent trip to the Centre for Life in Newcastle my family and I saw a show in the Planetarium, a show that told of the journey of our planet around the Sun during the year and how this, along with the tilting of the Earth upon its axis sees the tides rise and fall, sees temperatures do the same for each point on the planet, and how...

             J   Dear All,   I have always been fascinated by the passage of time, and in particular how the year rolls around from one season to the next. In general, I would say that I hold Spring as my favourite time of the year, a time when we are putting winter behind us and the world seems to come to life, not least in the form of the plants and flowers. And in particular I always find a smile coming to my face as I see the colours of the...

                Dear All,   “He doesn’t suffer fools gladly”.   I recall several years ago hearing the comedian Eddie Izzard pick apart this phrase during one of his many zany comedy routines. “Who on earth does suffer fools gladly?” was his point, with him probably suggesting such as the following: “What – you’ve rubbed jam in your hair and put scorpions down your trousers? Well don’t just stand there, come in you fool and have a cup of tea; I...