A journey to Middle-earth - the land of the Hobbits in The Shire

Yesterday I walked in enchanted woodland and along pleasant paths.

A Hobbit home?

                                                                          The Shire

A return to Middle-earth, the Shire on Friday 26 June 2020

I expected to find Hobbits living here and under the mound.

ALL LIVES MATTER

Weekend Windsurfers: satisfaction in seeing them surfing the Solent

It is enjoyable to watch these weekend windsurfers. They showed their skill in surfing on the Solent on what was the longest day of the year, according to the meteorologists. Yesterday, the sun was closest to the earth. Stonehenge was closed to the public, but these men left the shore and brought pleasure to onlookers. They, no doubt, found immense pleasure in windsurfing in wonderful conditions across the Solent in sight of the Isle of Wight.

I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide is a wide call and a clear call that may not be denied.  John Masefield.

Polite Leader shares his Reformed Biblical views and contends for the Faith

Polite Leader, a YouTube channel Christian activist, has gained a strong following in the USA. He contends for the Faith once delivered, standing firmly against heresies, Word of Faith prosperity preachers and false televangelists who are fleecing the flock. I was particularly impressed by his views on Black Lives Matter, both the movement and manifestations recently seen on our television screens.

I recommend his YouTube video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1fhffbkEYs

He has a strong Reformed perspective, which some may find awkward, but he argues his points persuasively and with sound reasoning. (I appreciate his Reformed teaching, having been a member of a Reformed Baptist Church and then at a Baptist Union church which was founded by CH Spurgeon. It had a Calvinistic heritage.) He may seem a little bit right wing for some UK Christians, but he will go down well in the fellowships of "Middle England". 

On St Catherine's Hill, Winchester

Early this morning I walked up St Catherine's Hill, the ancient hill fort overlooking King Alfred the Great's capital city. It has been a special place for thousands of years and it is popular today with ramblers, runners and folk seeking rest and relaxation in a lovely location.

Black Lives Matter....so what about Rwanda???

As Archbishop John Sentamu steps down from the See of York and many are grieving over the death of George Floyd, I wonder if any one of us is concerned about the return and rehabilitation of a senior cleric who was a bishop in Rwanda. According to the Observer, the Right Reverend Jonathan Ruhumuliza "defended genocide", when he was a Rwandan bishop. His former archbishop called him an "errand boy" for the Hutu extremist regime.

 To those protesting on the streets of London who are over 50 years of age, where were you when the Rwanda genocide was taking place in 1994? I do not remember many protests and demonstrations during the slaughter of millions of black lives during the Hutu and Tutsi conflicts.
It passed under the radar of many activists, did it not? Yet thousands, yes probably over 1.5m black lives were lost in these tragic massacres.  

Blessings and best wishes to Archbishop John Sentamu on his retirement

HAPPY RETIREMENT ARCHBISHOP JOHN!

What an inspiration you were as Archbishop of York. Your wise words and charming counsel are still needed at this time, when the #blacklivesmatter issue is so significant. And you have known rabid racism and vile abuse from Church of England (C of E) communicants who should know better.

Now there are no black and minority ethnic (BAME) diocesan bishops in the C of E. There are concerns for the future of the Anglican Communion, but it is still strong in Africa and distant lands.

It is still strong at Holy Trinity Brompton, where Archbishop Justin once worshipped, and other evangelical charismatic strongholds. The Alpha Course has been doing remarkable well on line, under the lockdown restrictions.

Archbishop Sentamu was keen to see a healthy worshipping and loving C of E, where racial, social and cultural barriers were overcome by the gracious ministry of the Holy Spirit. I hope he continues to help and develop BAME Christian ministers.


Clergy from overseas may well produce some strong episcopal leadership in this country in due course. Some talented BAME ordinands will no doubt emerge from theological colleges, where  students are coming forward to minister and exercise their considerable gifts. There are already BAME clergy who are able preachers, Bible teachers, worship leaders, musicians and evangelists. They need to be encouraged through bursaries, scholarships, training schemes and career development opportunities, so that they can lead C of E in multi-racial and just ways, and in successfully extending the Kingdom of God.

I am confident that we shall see BAME clergy in prison chaplaincy, in rectories, in vicarages, in abbeys, in senior ecclesiastical positions and in Bishops' palaces over next two decades.

This reminds me of

George Melly?

George Melly , jazz singer, raconteur, journalist and writer, 17 August 1926 to 5 July 2007.