Aber Conference Main Sessions 6 and 7 2026

A very good day today. Phil Swann spoke well on Peter's restoration. This may be the best so far or perhaps I am just getting used to him. Then tonight we had a very straight evangelistic message from Rico Tice, including answers to the question of whether hell exists (it does) what it is like (a place of punishment and separation) who goes there (those who misuse the bodies God has given them) and how I can possibly escape going there if it is possible, which, of course, it is. A very good day.

Links

Thursday Morning

Thursday Evening

Aber Conference Main Sessions 4 and 5 2026

The Wednesday of the conference was again good stuff. Phil Swann gave his second message, looking at the Ethiopian eunuch and then in the evening Rico Tice gave a typical evangelistic message (combined with a call to Christians to evangelise). I think an evangelist can "get away" with things a regular preacher ouoght not to engage in (eg thrwoinga gospel into the gallery). The evening meeting was put back to allow people to try and see the eclipse, which we did. Perhaps the best I've seen in my lifetime but not spectacular. Very warm day.

Links

Wednesday Morning

Wednesday Evening

Aber Conference Main Sessions 1-3 2026

As usual all the main sessions from the Great Hall are being streamed and remain up on YouTube as recordings. The first evening, my oldest son Rhodri preached from Colossians 1 and then this morning Phil Swann did the first of four main talks on Mission Unstoppable. Tonight it was Andrew Norbury on Colossians 3. All good stuff.

The links are as follows

Monday Evening

Tuesday Morning

Tuesday Evening

Aber Conference 2026

I'll be getting into Aber for the EMW conference shortly. The website with all the info is here. More anon.

For the videos try here and here.

Thames Path South 8-13 More Pics

Golden Hinde reconstruction

Cannon Street Railway Bridge

Shakespeare's Globe

Cardinal's Wharf Bankside

Tate Modern

St Paul's from the southbank

Blackfriars Bridge Underpass

The Vase, etc

Somerset House from the southbank

Sir Laurence Olivier

Westminster Bridge

Thames Path South 8-13 (Westminster Bridge-Tower Bridge)

HMS Belfast

Last Saturday I returned to Westminster tube, walked across Westminster Bridge and resumed my walk, covering a large chunk of the Thames Path south, six sections, although it is a similar distance wise to the previous walk. This walk took me through familiar and crowded walkways. Being a sunny Saturday in August it was especially busy. It is hard to believe there are so many restaurants, shops, theatres, etc, in such a confined area. I passed at least ten bridges and some iconic places. Enjoyed a coffee at Caffe Nero at the end and then a meal in the Leon near London Bridge Station.

Tower Bridge in the distance

Millennium Bridge

Shell Building

London Eye

South Bank Lion 1837

County Hall

Lord's Day August 9 2026

These are unusual days as I preach my final sermons in Childs Hill. Yesterday, I preached in the morning a fresh sermon on Song of Songs 2:4 and then in the evening a refreshed one on I John 4:16. The family were all in Aber where I plan to join them and others were away too so the morning congregation was not large and by the evening we were down to seven. We had three Iranian visitors (just people staying in the area), an Iranian new to the area who has been in the UK over 15 years, other regular Iranians (about three of them, could have been a lot more), a late arriving Iranian who we have met before plu our refugee friends, a visiting grandparent, Marissa from KL who came last week and Corneille from Benin (they both kneeled to pray before we started - unusual).

Florence Nightingale Museum

My recent walk along the Thames landed me near the Florence Nightingale Museum, a museum I have known of and wanted to visit for a while. It is small and specific but very well done. I timed it right to catch a woman performing (convincingly) as Mary Seacole for half an hour. That added to the experience. Evryone should know about Florence Nightingale and the museum helps us to that end well. Musea today are eager to cover all the bases and so it was good to see that ion the bookshop they not ony had Mary Seacole's story but that of Betsi Cadwaladr too.

Thames Path South 4b-7 More Pics

Modern Marriage, Embassy Gardens

Tideway Village Housboats, Vauxhall

Tarra Ludi, Nine Elms

Gazebo, Albert Embankment

Lack's Dock or Effra Quay

"The fountain of filth"

St George Wharf Tower

Thames Path South 4b-7 (Nine Elms Lane-Westminster Bridge)

American Embassy

Mary Seacole Statue

Houses of Parliament

Tower Big Ben with fountain near
St Thomas's Hospital in foreground

I spy with my little eye

Violet Szabo Memorial

I had a rest Wednesday but Thursday I was back to it at a pace, covering three and a half sections and at the end grabbing some lunch in Lower Marsh Street before heading to the Florence Nightingale Museum. More anon. I took the Northern line from Golders Green to Nine Elms and took a coffee at Sendero's. After a little difficulty I found the path again and walked from the new American embassy to Westminster Bridge. Sights on the way included Vauxhall Bridge, St George Wharf, MI6, Effra Island, Lambeth Bridge and Palace and St Thomas's Hospital with Parliament on the opposite bank, of course. Lovely weather but not too warm.

Thames Path South 2-4a More Pics

 

Thames Path South 2-4a in reverse (Battersea Power Stn-Wandsworth Bridge)

I found it difficult to get back on to the path Tuesday. After a coffee on the Finchley Road I got a train to Victoria again and then a bus to the Chelsea Gate, Battersea Park. I then walked beyond Battersea Power Station before deciding to walk backwards to the Wandsworth Bridge where I had left off the day before, seeing New Covent Garden, the cats and dogs homes, having a lovely walk along the edge of Battersea Park (eventually) and also passing the Albert and Battersea Bridges and seeing the heliport (just missed one taking off) and St Mary's, Battersea, where I failed to locate the grave of Benedict Arnold. Having walked in reverse I could revisit the MacDonald's I had found and catch the bus to Victoria once again to head home. Warm weather though it actually rained at one point.