Who would be a politician? As Barack Obama observes: “What I'm asking for is hard. It's easier to be cynical; to accept that change...

"Resume your seat! Resume your seat, young man!" For a moment I thought Sergeant at Arms would have to frogmarch Ian Blackford out of...

“The Council collapsed. Groups like St Helen’s Church, The Clement James Centre, and The Westway Centre, ‘became’ the local government,...

History matters. Just ask any supporter of Everton Football Club. How we see ourselves today depends to a large part on how we...

ALEXA, write my blog. If only. But now, thanks to the CofE digital publishing team, I can ask ALEXA to lead me in prayer or even...

“Good. It's going to need careful training, the commander-in-chief wants a special squadron formed. it'll be best if you formed it...

It’s November 1974 and a new house group of St Margaret’s Durham meets for the first time. As it happens most of us don’t know each...

So my last blog as vicar of Christ Church, Aughton - I formally retire this coming Tuesday. However, to quote Fran Lebowitz, "You're...

“Devote yourselves to prayer,” writes the apostle Paul to the Colossians (4:2) in my Bible reading for today. The BRF Guidelines...

"Watch yourselves carefully", warns Jesus. "You can’t whisper one thing in private and preach the opposite in public; the day’s coming...

It’s Friday morning – which means “Write your blog.” So here we go. We had a great weekend as we marked my final Sunday as vicar of...

Well, we’re nearly there. Tomorrow afternoon at 5.00 pm the farewell Kleenex-themed event at the Ministry Centre. I’ve no idea what’s...

"Gutted to see Steve Smith breaking down,” tweeted Pakistan bowler Shoaib Akhtar this morning. “And also the way people are treating...

Are you a rower or a runner? This week has been a succession of lasts – my final Annual Meeting on Sunday, my final Governing Body...

It must have been particularly difficult having a conversation with Stephen Hawking, especially towards the end of his remarkable life. ...

By any reckoning Qin Shi Huang was obsessed with his own mortality. Even at the age of 13, as soon as he assumed the throne in 246 BC,...

“When the seat belt sign illuminates, you must fasten your seat belt . .” I’ve always been fascinated by the inflight passenger safety...

So over 40 years of ordained ministry, what have I learnt? Simple – that God is faithful. It was way back in 1982, an epiphany as I...

In these days of Amazon and declining town centres, I try to support our local bookshop. So when the man from Waterstone’s said “It’s a...

It’s 7:50 am. Which means I have a whole hour. So here we go: “We shall fight on the beaches . . We shall never surrender!” So ends...