“If we do an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, we will be a blind and toothless nation.” Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Dr Martin Luther King Jr, waving to the crowd at a civil rights protest in Washington DC.Picture used under a Creative Commons licence. The Gospel of Matthew is written as a series of …
Continue reading Sweating the small stuff – Matthew in Advent day 5
It has become an increasingly common sight these days to see padlocks fastened to bridges where there is a metal handrail. While I find it sweet for couples to leave a momento of their love, the traditional way was to carve it into a tree trunk, this new way has problems, ornate wrought iron work …
Continue reading Oath is a four letter swear word – Matthew in Advent day 4
Holy Trinity Church, HuddersfieldSunday 19th November, 2020 I usually have few problems with email. However the one which normally gave links to the services which arrives on a Sunday morning. Scrolling the window and refreshing did not help, it appears nothing had arrived since 9 PM last night. This did not stop me getting in …
In the Bible a covenant is given and there are a series of blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. This was as true for business agreements as it was for religious laws. Moses on Deuteronomy 28. An example from thet is this: 4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of …
A few years ago I attended a Christmas meal at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, home of the Dukes of Devonshire. Not dining with the Duke, unfortunately, nor in the dining room of the great house itself, but in rooms in a converted stables. Still this was a level of luxury that I am not accostomed …
Continue reading Heaven, mansion or shack? – Matthew in Advent day 2
Holy Trinity Church, HuddersfieldSunday 22nd November 2020 The lych gate of Holy Trinity HuddersfieldThe caption reads: AD 1884"Praise Ye the LORD. Praise God in his Sanctuary" I had a quieter week this week, the sermon on Sabbath last week must have done the trick. After last week I was all zoomed out, meeting on Zoom …
In the book "Why democracies die" by Harvard University political scientists Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt, coup-d'etat is not the most likely way. That, they say, is when the views of the opposition are no longer tolerated,. This tolerance involves accepting the results of a free and fair election where the opposition has won, in contrast with advocacy for overthrow or spurious …
Holy Trinity Church, HuddersfieldSunday 15th November, 2020 The east window at Holy Trinity Church, Huddersfield, lower panel, depicting, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, "I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, …
The BBC I was triggered into writing this by an Independent article on new rules from the BBC about political neutrality. The new rules for staff who are required to be politically neutral include not attending “political protests”, such as Black Lives Matter events and LGBT protests. LGBT because it may include the 'controversial' transsexual …
Holy Trinity Church, HuddersfieldSunday 8th November 2020 There was an act of remembrance during this service. If you cannot make it to an act of remembrance, British Legion are recommending against doing this, you can start this YouTube service, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zHmIy98ltU, on Wednesday 11th November at 10 am and the act of remembrance will occur at …
Making an ass of myself 