Thames Path South 1 More Pics

Thames Path South 1 (Putney to Wandsworth Bridges)

From Putney Bridge

Putney Bridge

St Mary's where the Putney debates took place

Wandsworth Park

In these final weeks in London I thought I might try and do the Thames Path South or some of it at least. I took my time over the northern path but I'm trying to fit the southern elements into a much shorter time. So on Monday, after I'd visitethe Escher exhibition, I got down to Putney Bridge on the Underground and crossed the bridge south where I began to walk along the Thames Path towards Wandsworth Bridge. As I came to Wandsworth Bridge I discovered a MasDonalds and nearby a bus to Victoria and then home on another.

Midweek Meeting August 5 2026

Just three of us in the church last night but another four online. We looked at the priestly blessing at the end of Numbers 6 and then spent time in prayer, praying for camps, beach missions, Aber, Ukraine, Ghana and all sorts of other things.

Tu ôl i bob dyn gwych ...

No-one knows quite the origin of the phrase that behind every great man there is a great woman. In 1985 the Eurythmics urged us to ditch the phrase and Maryon Pearson subverted it to "Behind every great man is a surprised woman". The truth is, however, that still today there are great men whose strength lies partly in their excellent wives. That is certainly true of many a man of God.

When I was growing up Derek Swann (1927-2007) and Eryl Davies were among the men of God in Wales and beyond who were serving the Lord with distinction. What I didn't know about them was that, as in the case of my own father-in-law, the two were married to godly Welsh speaking women, both of whom had been students in Aberystwyth University, my own alma mater. Both women died today and will be greatly missed by their families and fellow believers. There is an interview with Ceinwen Swann who married Derek in 1959 on YouTube. Magwen Davies had been very unwell in recent year I understand. Ceinwen's son Phil Swann is the main speaker at next week's EMW Conference in Aberystwyth.

(I should have mentioned that Helen Gibbard, the widow of Rev Noel Gibbard, also died recently. She would have been similar in age.)

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting. But a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

Magwen/Eryl Seventies, Ceinwen 2019

Amusching Escher

 

Escher Schupplement

 

Escher Exhibischen Schumerschet Housch

It was good to be at Somerset House  on Monday for the very well presented exhibition of the work of Dutch artist M C Escher.

Seven People who testified to the innocence of the Lord Jesus

James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

1. Pontius Pilate: The Roman governor who presided over Jesus' trial. He publicly declared multiple times that he found no fault in Him. Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no basis for a charge against this man." ... Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined him in your presence and have found no basis for your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us; as you can see, he has done nothing to deserve death. ...  For the third time he spoke to them: "Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him." Luke 23:4, 13-15, 22, (Also John 18:38, 19:4)
2. Pilate’s Wife. She sent a message to her husband warning him not to harm Jesus because of a troubling dream she had.  While Pilate was sitting on the judge's seat, his wife sent him this message: "Don't have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him." Matthew 27:19
3. Herod Antipas: The tetrarch of Galilee who also examined Jesus. After questioning Him, he found no grounds to condemn nim to death and sent him back to Pilate. See above, Luke 23:15
4. The Repentant Thief. The criminal crucified alongside Jesus defended him while on the cross, stating that Jesus had done nothing wrong. We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong. Luke 23:41
5. The Roman Centurion: The soldier in charge of the execution detail declared Jesus to be a righteous and innocent man immediately after witnessing his death. The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God and said, "Surely this was a righteous man. Luke 23:47
6. Judas Iscariot: After realising the consequences of his betrayal, the disciple confessed that he had sinned by handing over "innocent blood".  "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood." ... Matthew 27:4a
7. The religious leaders. Despite their efforts the religious leaders could not even find acceptable false evidence against his innocency. The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death. But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Matthew 26:59, 60

10 Paradoxical Things that Jesus is as noted by Charles Wesley

From the same hymn (Thou hidden source of calm repose)

Thou art

1. My rest in toil
2. my ease in pain (The medicine of my broken heart)
3. In war my peace
4. in loss my gain
5. My smile beneath the tyrant's frown
6. In shame my glory and my crown
7. In want my plentiful supply
8. In weakness my almighty power
9. In bonds my perfect liberty
10. My light in Satan's darkest hour

(Three more In grief my joy unspeakable, My life in death, my heaven in all)

10 things that Jesus provides as noted by Charles Wesley

Charles Wesley Unknown Artist via Wikipedia

He provides, according to Wesley, 

1. (Thou hidden source of) calm repose
2. Thou all sufficient love divine
3. (My) help and refuge from my foes (Secure I am if Thou art mine)
4. And lo from sin and grief and shame I hide me Jesus in Thy name (because) Thy mighty name Salvation is And keeps my happy soul above
5. Comfort it brings
6. and power
7. and peace
8. And joy
9. and everlasting love
10. To me with Thy dear name are given Pardon ...

(Two more: and holiness and heaven (Jesu my all in all))

Lord's Day August 2 2026

I was the visiting preacher at Childs Hill last Lord's Day. We began with communion and then I preached on Acts 4:12 to a well packed congregation. We had visitors including the lady from the hotel who turned up last Wednesday and the Saywell family home from the Philippines. Reuben spoke briefly. In the evening there were fewer. We looked at the very encouraging verse, Deuteronomy 33:28. Good day. There won't be many more quite like this.

With the grandchildren

Here I am this time last year with two of my younger grandchildren (Nos 6 and 9 I believe, Boaz & Gwen)

 

10 More Classical Composer Number Letters H-V

1. George Frideric Handel B HWV HG
2. Joseph Haydn HV or Hob
3. Gustav Holst Holst H
4. Franz Liszt L LW S
5. Felix Mendelssohn MWV
6. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart K or KV WSF
7. Franz Schubert D
8. Robert Schumann WoO
9. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky P TH
10. Antonio Vivaldi P RN RV

(Also Camille Saint-Saëns R; Georg Philipp Telemann TWV)

Open House

In the light of our upcoming move we decided to have an open house here and it was today. Between 3 and 7 about twenty people popped in, nearly all from the street but supplemented by one or two others from the church. One or two who were invited couldn't make it. We were not particularly diverse perhaps but a quarter of them are Jewish and Australia, Malaysia and Scotland were represented. Three women who came are now in their nineties. People were very kind with all sorts of gifts. It was lovely to chat and reminisce.

10 Classical Composer Catalogue Number Letters B-G

AI generated

1. Johann Sebastian Bach S or BWV
2. Béla Bartók BB DD or Sz
3. Ludwig van Beethoven WoO H Bia or DHT
4. Hector Berlioz H
5. Georges Bizet WD
6. Johannes Brahms WoO
7. Frédéric Chopin A; A, C, D, E, P and S; G; KK; WN
8. Claude Debussy L
9. Antonín Dvořák H B S T
10. Edvard Grieg EG