My week had three encounters with that part of life that is probably still the biggest taboo of all – death. (And I didn’t go to hospital or visit a grieving family or conduct a funeral.) No, these encounters were more the ‘walk by’…
Most days I receive a photo or two or a short movie clip on our ‘Samiec Family Chat’ about the grandchildren. Of course it isn’t the same as being in the same room with them but it is nice to see them this way….
Last Wednesday was traffic jam day. I know the roads. I know the current road works and ‘go slow’ areas. You factor them into your travel time. My daughter, Claire, keeps telling me to check the roads online before the journey so I don’t…
In the Australian comedy film, ‘The Castle’ (as in the phrase ‘a man’s home is his castle’) there is a court scene where a well meaning but totally out of his depth lawyer is trying to argue a point of law. He fails to…
I heard about the new archaeological find in Egypt. An ancient burial shaft and a mummification workshop 30 metres underground have been discovered near the Saqqara necropolis south of Cairo. It is simply exciting to think – well, I think so! – that there…
With the new regulations on data protection I have now 4 ‘work’ email addresses. I spent the earlier part of last week setting up three of them – the congregational ones – obviously Ascension but I’m also looking after Good Shepherd, Coventry and Redeemer,…
She simply didn’t see him at all. She was walking across the road slowly probably heading to the shops on the other side. I was driving and could see the street behind her and it was un-characteristically empty. (It is usually full of every…
I read an article* that suggested that one of the reasons Christianity is struggling today is that it’s ‘humanity focus’ (the article said ‘anthropocentrism’) is increasingly at odds with the world views of the last 500 years. With Copernicus we now orbit the sun…
I read an Australian news feed summarising the issues of the day. There are times you can’t help but laugh. Yesterday (7th July) was World Chocolate Day. Today starts Diabetes Week (sponsored by Diabetes Australia). Were they accidentally together? Did Diabetes Australia choose the…
The European Lutheran Conference came and went just over three weeks ago. What is the European Lutheran Conference? Here is the material in the Brief History given out at each meeting. (The emphases are in the original.) After the Second World War, the confessional…
