shotleyfieldsforever

On Monday the 24th March in the year of our Lord 2020 Snods Edge lived up to it’’s name and became Snows Edge, more accurately Snow Central. A very heavy snow fall came at about 7 00 am covering the ground with some 3 or 4 inches of snow. Obviously in some parts of the world that would be just a mere smattering and life would carry on as normal, here however the traffic was paused, a silence fell, appointments were cancelled or rearranged and life was reorganised. The debate about climate change continues. Does one snowfall change the argument? Do the storms that have caused flooding and misery indicate that climate change is now an accepted fact of our human existence and we must learn to adapt? Wilder, wetter, stormier weather now seems to be the norm. Seasons have become unseasonal. Even the birds and the bees seem to be confused. On the Wednesday after the snow fall the Vicarage Bees were flying in the warm sunshine that bathed their hives. In the spinney the snowd...

Sam Mendes film 1917 has been very well received. It is a critical success and won a Bafta. It has also been a success at the box office. I was interested to see the film for two or three reasons: both my grandfathers were combatants in the first world war my job with Toc H brought a close association with WW1 History my attendance at the Menin Gate ceremony introduced me to the idea that Commonwealth soldiers fought in Flanders and the Ypre Salient The reviews of the film seemed to suggest that the presence of a Sikh soldier was provocative and that the story line was both compelling and emotionally challenging. However as I watched the film I was struck by the fact that there was single soldier of Asian origin which compared unfavourably with the long and moving roll of names inscribed on the Menin Gate. The mission that the two corporals were ordered to undertake was also interesting when I recalled a man that I worked with in Stoke on Trent in the 1960's. H...

The problem with Bishops is that when they create a stir they usually get it pretty hopelessly wrong and when they have no wish to create one they get that wrong too. So with the recent pastoral letter about christianity and sex and civil partnerships. Apparently the document was released by accident and what was said was meant to be said in confidence Bishop to Bishop. But even that doesn't make it right because whether or not the views expressed were intended for private circulation even so, they were, presumably views held by some and shared with all? During  my first curacy in a pit village in socialist republic of South Yorkshire the village doctor who was also PCC secretary would count me in to the head count of weddings I conducted where I could expect the Baptism to be fairly soon after the wedding. Now, fifty years later I am often asked to Baptise the baby long before the wedding or even as part of the wedding ceremony! Clearly Bishops don't change, but t...