Love this 1976 number by Trace. The Dutch vocalist is called Hetty Smit or Smith.
Also known as Cherry Vangelder-Smith.
A blog featuring whatever I fancy, often on the Christian faith but not exclusively
Three Books by Dr Sharon James
Over the last few weeks or so I have been reading three books by Sharon James published by Christian Focus. I have tended not to read her earlier books as they are marketed mainly for women. These, however, are for a general audience and they are very good. The small one on gender ideology I read first. We need a helpful guide on what is going on and this serves the purpose well (as does Vaughan Roberts' shorter book, which I have also read). The other two books are bigger and deal with the history of ideas from a positive and negative point of view.
How Christianity transformed the world traces the tremendous force for good that Christianity has been in the areas of freedom, justice, the protection of life, the dignity of women, philanthropy, healthcare, education and the value of work. Few Christians will be surprised at what is said here but to be able to pull thigs together in a convincing but brief and clear narrative is quite a gift.
The lies we are told, the truth we must hold took me back to my student days when I first read books like this, tracing the attacks that have been made on Christianity and its teachings down the years. It was all knew then but is easier to read now that much of it is familiar, although names appear here that I was unaware of, I must confess. The very contents list give you an idea of the ground covered:
1. There is no God and no Absolute Morality (Ludwig Feuerbach 1804–72: God is Just a Comfort Blanket; Charles Darwin 1809–82 Made Atheism Intellectually Possible; Karl Marx 1818–83 Overthrow the Old Society. From Dream to Nightmare: 2. ‘No God’: From Atheism to Death Camps ( Friedrich Nietzsche 1844–1908 No Transcendent Morality; Sigmund Freud 1856–1939 To be Human is to be Sexual; Wilhelm Reich 1897–1957 Father of the Sexual Revolution; Margaret Sanger 1879–1966 Sex as Salvation; Sexual Liberation: Triumph or Tragedy? 3. ‘No Absolute Morality’: From Relativism to Fatherlessness, Five Ways to Destabilize Society. 4. ‘No Universal Truth’: The Death of Common Sense. 5. ‘No Universal Humanity’: Divided We Fall. 6. False Prophets: The Compromised Church. Part Two then deal with The Truth We Must Hold in three further chapters.
Great stuff Dr James.
10 Whimsical Questions about people in the public eye (with answers)
- Is the soports commentator Andy Swiss Swiss? No
- Was the comedian Arthur English, English? Yes
- Is the comedienne and writer Dawn French French? No, Welsh and English
- Is the writer Irvine Welsh Welsh? No, Scots
- Was the singer and presenter Cilla Black black? No
- Is the musician Jack White, white? Yes
- Is the singer Heather Small small? Yes
- Was the singer Prince a prince? No
- Is the actor Mark Strong strong? Yes
- Did Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray go grey? No and yes
Lord's Day August 28 2022
Unusually on Sunday, we sang unaccompanied as we had no pianist present. I chose well known hymns and so we did okay. I preached in the morning a one off from Jeremiah 2:13 and then in the evening the penultimate message from Song of Songs. We were only seven for that I think. People away in Amwrica, France, Turkey and less exotic places as it was bank holiday the next day.
Focus in Cardiff
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| Photo Credit> Barry Morris |
Focus's latest London gig was on a Sunday so I decided to head to South Wales to catch them in Cardiff. They were at the Earl Haig Club in Whitchurch, Cardiff. I have several family members nearby, although most were away. (New definition of agonising - Focus come to a place near you and you are in California!). Anyway I stayed with my son and his family and had some quality time with my grandson and his parents. We were able to have a McDonalds breakfast the next day before I left, which was nice. It was also nice to meet up with my oldest friend Steve who was there with his wife and sister and her finance. (We enjoyed chatting - his new hip, when will retire, etc). Focus were on form. Not everyone present was a true Focus fan so they missed out La Cathedrale and went straight to Harem Scarem. Enjoyed Focus 7 and Song for Burt, the less familiar items, and plenty of AQQA in the encore. Great stuff.
Midweek Meeting August 24 2022
A good zoom prayer meeting and Bible Study last Wednesday despite numbers perhaps being down a little. We looked at the closing part of Philippians 3 about Paul's example and false teachers, etc, and prayed about various things large and small, near and far.
Holiday Painting 1
One fun thing this holiday was putting paint to canvas. Designed to provoke a smile.
Lord's Day August 21 2022
It was good to be back in Childs Hill after the break. We were not a vast number - only seven for evening communion and then creeping into double figures for the evening service. Numbers were better in the morning. In the morning we looked at Revelation 3:20, which I have preached on before but this was a fresh sermon. In the evening we went back to Song of Songs, abandoned early in 2020. We looked at 5:9-6:13. In the morning a couple turned up who told me that they were married in the church in 1962 (it was in between pastorates and a Mr White from Heath Street, Hampstead presided). This happens on rare occasions. Not sure what they made of it. At the end of the service a young man was there. He turned out to be related to someone we know. He was a little nervous about joining us and it is good to be reminded that not all are as familiar with things as some of us have become. Must pray for him.
Mr Lear A Life of Art and Nonsense Jenny Uglow
Just before we headed off for our family holiday I was buying a book in West Hampstead when another one caught my eye. As this second one was half price, I bought it. Jenny Uglow's book on Lear came out a little while ago but I had not seen it. I first came across Lear while still in primary school and have him in my head filed next to Lewis Carroll and Hilaire Belloc. This book is accurately subtitled his art (of which I knew next to nothing) and nonsense (which I did know something about). It is a big book (over 500 pages) and nicely illustrated and presented. It is well written - clear, calm and not speculative.
Phantom of the Open
On holiday with the family. One night many of us enjoyed together the film Phantom of the Open. Based on true events it is a funny and very British film with a good cast (including Mark Rylance and more than one Welshman). An interest in golf is not necessary. We British love to see the loser triumph even if in an unconventional way. The film's message - a common one today - is to follow your dreams. However, it is not that simple. It is somehow balancing Proverbs 12:11 about not chasing fantasies with John 15:19 or Luke 6:26.
10 malicious maledictions against monks by Edward Lear
- muttering
- miserable
- mutton-hating
- manavoiding
- misogynic
- morose
- merriment-marring
- monotoning
- many-mule-making
- mocking
(also mournful and minced-fish & marmalade masticating)
10 Popular Songs With California in the Title
- California Here I come Al Jolson
- California Girls Beach Boys
- California Joni Mitchell
- Hotel California Eagles
- California Dreamin' Mamas and Papas
- California Blue Roy Orbison
- California Man The Move
- Danny California Red Hot Chili Peppers
- California (There is no end to love) U2
- Sunny California Woman Odyssey
(I understand there is a song by My Chemical Romance called We don't need another song about California)
10 Differences Between Nicodemus and the Woman in John 3 and 4
1. He was a man. She was a woman.
2. He is named. She is not named.
3. He was a Jew. She was a Samaritan.
4. He was righteous, a Pharisee. She was a sinner, living with a man who was not her husband.
5. He was honoured. She was an outcast.
6. He was educated. She, as a woman, was uneducated.
7. He came at night. She came in the middle of the day.
8. He is spoken to in terms of being born again, she in terms drinking the water of life.
9. He does not understand Jesus, makes no progress and leaves still in unbelief. She slowly understands Jesus, makes progress in understanding and comes to believe.
10. He is in no state to tell others of Jesus. She evangelises her people.
St George's, Hampnett, Gloucestershire
We were passing through Gloucestershire today and popped into the little village of Hampnett. I was keen to snap the church, St Geporge's, as this is where Benjamin Beddome married Elizabeth Boswell of Bourton (1732-1784) on 11 December, 1749. Hampnett is five or six miles south of Bourton and was a very popular place for marriages at the time.
Lord's Day August 14 2022
A very full day yesterday - three sermons and two ordinances. it was very hot which made it difficult but it was a good day of worship and fellowship. Two of the sermons and communion were Alfred Place Baptist ones in English. There was also a sermon in AP in Welsh followed by the baptism of two young people from a Christian family in the sea. Great moment at lunch hearing my oldest grandchild ask his great grandfather about common grace, as referred to in the morning sermon.
My new grandson Boaz
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| With his big brothers |
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| With me |
I am a little behind with this as Boaz is already three weeks old. I do what to note that he was born on July 24, though. He is chilled but interested in what is going on. Just great.
Carey Conference 2023
I see that the brochure for the Carey Conference 2023 is now out. See here.
I am speaking on two evenings.
Aber Conference 2022 Session 9
Aber Conference Session 8
Paul Mallard's final session took us to Psalm 66 (not as obvious as the other psalm choices). It has been an excellent series. Check out this last one here.
Aber Conference 2022 Session 7
This evening's Preacher was Matt Bownds from Cardiff, someone I had not heard before. He took us to John 21 and took us through the passage in a fresh way. The service is here.
Aber Conference 2022 Session 5
It was my great privilege to be the preacher last night here in Aber. I preached on John 3 and it went off okay. You just hope someone has come to the Lord. You can hear it here.
Aber Conference 2022 Session 4
Our second morning session with Paul Mallard was from Psalm 139 and was again great stuff. See here for it.
Aber Conference 2022 Session 2
Excellent stuff this morning from Paul Mallard who is going to be walking us through some of the psalms. Psalm 19 this morning. Very clear, well divided and easy to remember. Nice touches of humour. Good listening. Link.
Aber Conference 2022 Session 1
So at last we are back in the Great Hall for the Aber Conference. Our first speaker on the Monday evening was Newport pastor MeirionThomas. He took us to the phrase The government will be on his shoulder from Isaiah 9:6 and spoke of the wonderful reign of Christ. It was good to see so many there. You can access it here.
10 Sports Manufacturers and Dates of Origin
- Mitre United Kingdom 1817
- Le Coq Sportif France 1882
- Patrick Belgium 1892
- Reebok United States 1895
- New Balance United States 1906
- Wilson United States 1913
- Admiral United Kingdom 1914
- Umbro United Kingdom 1924
- Adidas and Puma Germany 1948 and 1949
- ASICS Japan 1949
(Also, Fila Italy 1911, Hummel Denmark 1923, Diadora Italy 1948)
Lord's Day August 7 2022
I was not preaching yesterday. I am staying in Aberystwyth and so I was attending the church where my son is pastor. He was not preaching partly because he was still on paternity leave. (News on my new grandson elsewhere). I listened to Stuart Olyott in the morning and Ian Jones in the evening. Ian is an elder with Rhodri in Alfred Place Baptist Church. The morning sermon on inward peace was particularly clear and searching. Good day. We had Roger Lindie down in Childs Hill. No news yet.
10 Personal Preferences
- Adidas over Nike
- Beatles over the Rolling Stones
- Coffee over Tea
- Cider over Beer or wine
- Calvin over Luther
- Celtic, Everton and Man United over Rangers, Liverpool and Man City
- Dog over Cat
- NIV over ESV
- Rugby over Soccer
- Novels over films
Westminster Conference 2022
The programme is now out for the next Westminster Conference. David Pfeiffer on Archibald Alexander and religious experience, Robert Strivens on Eusebius and writing church history and Ian Shaw on Evangelicals, slavery and colonialism on Day 1; Alistair Wilson on David Livingstone, Ian Hamilton on Protestantism and tradition and Stephane Simonnin on Guillaume Farel on Day 2.
10 Illustrious Shoemakers
- William Carey, missionary
- Thomas Olivers, hymn writer
- Samuel Bradburn, Methodist preacher
- Robert Morrison, missionary
- George Fox, founder of the Quakers
- William Gifford, poet and satirist
- Hans Sachs, Reformation singer and poet
- Jacob Boehme, mystic
- John Kitto, Bible scholar
- Thomas Cooper, poet and chartist
Lord's Day July 31 2022
What a great day it was last Sunday. We baptised three people. Like the previous two people we baptised these people were brought up under the Koran. It is a great joy to see people turning to Christ even though they have been a long way off in the past. As it was a baptism, we had quite a few visitors. We decided to have a meal together after the meeting and that was a good occasion. We sang happy birthday twice (two cakes!) and took the opportunity to say a formal goodbye to our longest serving couple, Mike and Ali, who are moving to Pembrokeshire soon. How we will miss them! We were a select group come the evening. We looked at Psalm 37 a psalm I don't think I've preached on before. Probably needed more work.
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