Letter from the Manse

In the past couple of months many members of the church, particularly those involved with our children’s activities, have had a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) disclosure drop through their letterbox…

Last week I went to the Grace Baptist Assembly.  It was sobering to listen to a pastor from Turkey describe the needs of Turkey. We need to ask questions about the past.  What went wrong?  Why did God send such spiritual famine? History is important. 

I’m writing this a few days before the Royal Wedding.  On Friday the 29th of April, Prince William, second in line to the throne, will be united in holy matrimony with Miss Catherine Elizabeth Middleton, at least if everything goes according to plan. 

I’m sitting in bed, off sick from work with a cough and cold on my chest (no need for sympathy – I wrote this a couple of months back now). And it’s making me think about illness. Some of us have a continuous struggle with illness every day of our lives. Most of us are ill at some time or another, although you occasionally meet hardy specimens who haven’t missed a day’s work in 20 years.

Yet, even for those folk, the day may well come when they are struck down …

2011 is the 400th anniversary of the publication of the Authorised Version.  The BBC has given over a Sunday on radio 4 to readings from the AV.  Hundreds of events are planned across the UK, and indeed the world,  to mark the anniversary.