Beautiful Barafundle Bay, Pembrokeshire, one of Britain's best beaches

Barafundle Bay, which is under the care of the National Trust and listed as part of the Stackpole Estate, has one of the most beautiful beaches in Britain. It is my favourite beach in Wales. The golden sands and dunes can be accessed by the Pembrokeshire Coastal path and it is not easily reached. It is unspoilt and right away from the madding crowd, car parks, caravans, holiday homes, buildings, roads and shops.

I love to visit Barafundle out of the school holiday season and on bright sunny evenings in June when there are very few people on the beach and along the coastal path. On such June evenings it is wonderfully peaceful. My photographs were taken this June on a beautiful sunny evening when my family were, by the time we left the beach, the only people in the area. Magnificent!

I hope you like the photographs in my gallery, so scroll well down below in this blog.

Fundraising lunch in aid of the persecuted church on Saturday 24 October

On Saturday 24 October 2009 there will be a fundraising lunch at Hornchurch Baptist Church, on the corner of North Street and Leather Lane above the Iceland foodstore. Doors will be open at 11.30 a.m. and at 1 p.m. Stuart Windsor of Christian Solidarity Worldwide will be the guest speaker and will give a challenging presentation. Visitors will be most welcome. Literature about the persecuted church will be on display. Items will be on sale to help raise funds for Christians enduring persecution for their faith and witness.

For further information about Christian Solidarity Worldwide, voice for the voiceless, please see the website: www.csw.org.uk

The best soup I have tasted from a can

Have you tried the soup in the Baxters luxury range? Well, the Lobster Bisque with the new improved recipe is delicious! I thoroughly recommend it. I cannot think of a better soup that I have tasted from a can. And the Cream of Asparagus, also with the new improved recipe, is full of flavour and well worth trying. But do try the Lobster Bisque and tell me what you think. It comes with brandy and fresh double cream. Go on, get some from your supermarket. I bought mine from Sainsbury's for £1.42. Well worth it too! Do you agree?

Good to be back blogging again

In July my PC died and I was sad to lose so much on my hard drive, though attempts to retrieve files and photographs continue with some expert help. At the end of July and in August I was in Ontario, Canada. I saw the Niagara Falls again and visited the lovely town of Niagara on the Lake.

I have added some more photographs on this blog in my gallery below. I hope that you enjoy them.
There will be some new photographs of Canada.

I now have a new computer and will back up my photographs etc. so that they are securely saved and kept for the future. It is good to be able to blog again, and I hope to share my thoughts, my joys, my theological reflections and continue to celebrate the beauty of England, Finland, Sweden and Wales.

Bradwell Pilgrimage 2009

On Saturday 4 July the annual ecumenical pilgrimage at Bradwell took place. The weather was warm, gloriously sunny and bright. It was a real joy to walk on such a lovely day to the Chapel of St Peter Ad Murum, St Peter's Juxta Mare, from Bradwell Parish Church. There was a refreshing breeze which made the walk even more enjoyable.

Happy Memories of Hazel Hollis (1974-2008)

Last Saturday Hornchurch Baptist Church held a thanksgiving service for the life of Hazel Hollis, who sadly died of breast cancer last year. Hazel was a lovely Christian young woman who, though dead, still speaks by the fragrant memories and her kind words that she spoke during her short life on earth. Her race was not a marathon, but a successful sprint or short run.

Hazel was known for her lovely smile, positive attiude to life and people and tremendous energy in carrying out what she believed in. Her testimony was bright and clear (and copies of her story are available from Hornchurch Baptist Church, Leather Lane, Hornchurch, Essex, RM11 1RL tel. 01708 456173) ; she was open and honest. Hazel had a love for her fellow Christians and folk in the community. Her involvement in cafe church and cafe style evangelism was inspirational; it is hoped that her work in this area will continue and those that she wanted to reach will be invited to respond to the wonderful Gospel message, which Hazel proclaimed in word and deed.

Some men in the church will never forget her beautiful long hair and the little black dress that she once wore to a social event; once seen but never forgotten, because she had the figure to do justice to the said garment. Hazel did turn heads, and other women noticed the male admirers. Some were protective towards her, but Hazel could take care of herself being highly trained in Tai Kwon Do (the Korean martial art).

We believe that Hazel is now with the Lord, and though absent from our fellowship of believers she is with the saints triumphant and the great cloud of witnesses. Hazel is, I believe, cheering us on, interceding and working for the Lord in a new way.

After this memorial service there was a storm and very heavy rain which lasted for hours and it soaked quite a few people. It caused some flash flooding. To me it was like tears from heaven, weeping with those on earth who felt the grief of Hazel's death, yet this rain was welcome blessing to a parched and needy land. Hazel brought showers of blessing into many lives.

Eastern Baptists

The Eastern Baptist Assembly took place today at Christchurch, Ipswich, Suffolk. The building was quite full, and that is very welcome in a fellowship linked to the United Reformed Church which has been in serious numerical decline in parts of the England. (In some Essex villages the URC cause seems to have a terminal prognosis. The United Reformed Church is an organization with perceptible problems; it does not seem united and its certainly not reformed from my point of view.) Certain Essex Baptist churches have closed (Ardleigh Green, Harold Hill, Mawney's to name a few), but there are some very encouraging signs of numerical and financial growth, and project development.

The seminars at the EBA were engaging and stimulating. I rejoice in the fact that Eastern Baptist wish to engage and connect with everyday folk and meet them on the high street, in the highways and byways, the ditches and the dirty places of life.