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.
A blog featuring whatever I fancy, often on the Christian faith but not exclusively
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.
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| Magwen/Eryl Seventies, Ceinwen 2019 |
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
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| James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons |
- 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)
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- My rest in toil
- my ease in pain (The medicine of my broken heart)
- In war my peace
- in loss my gain
- My smile beneath the tyrant's frown
- In shame my glory and my crown
- In want my plentiful supply
- In weakness my almighty power
- In bonds my perfect liberty
- 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
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| Charles Wesley Unknown Artist via Wikipedia |
He provides, according to Wesley,
- (Thou hidden source of) calm repose
- Thou all sufficient love divine
- (My) help and refuge from my foes (Secure I am if Thou art mine)
- 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
- Comfort it brings
- and power
- and peace
- And joy
- and everlasting love
- 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
- George Frideric Handel B HWV HG
- Joseph Haydn HV or Hob
- Gustav Holst Holst H
- Franz Liszt L LW S
- Felix Mendelssohn MWV
- Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart K or KV WSF
- Franz Schubert D
- Robert Schumann WoO
- Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky P TH
- Antonio Vivaldi P RN RV
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
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| AI generated |
- Johann Sebastian Bach S or BWV
- Béla Bartók BB DD or Sz
- Ludwig van Beethoven WoO H Bia or DHT
- Hector Berlioz H
- Georges Bizet WD
- Johannes Brahms WoO
- Frédéric Chopin A; A, C, D, E, P and S; G; KK; WN
- Claude Debussy L
- Antonín Dvořák H B S T
- Edvard Grieg EG
The Postal Museum
Had a fun day yesterday at the Postal Museum with my grandson Ezra who is with us for the week. The visit is in two parts - the mail rail on one side of the street and the museum itself on the other. All very well done. Bought a book on Telephone Boxes which I read and enjoyed.
Midweek Meeting July 29 2026
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| Paul Christian B Yang-ed, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0> via Wikimedia Commons |
We returned to London in time to lead the midweek meeting. For various reasons we thought it might be better tio have this all online but then we remembered that a visitor often comes and we have no details for her and so Eleri and I went to the chapel and four others were online. As it turned out, our riend didn't show but two refugees from the hotel round the corner did. One was M, a woman from Kuala Lumpur, a professing Christian, who arrived ten days ago and has left for opersonal reasons. The other was C, a man from Benin (where there was a coup at the end of last year) who arrived 14 days ago. They said they'd be there Sunday. I spoke on Isaiah 26:3, 4. Wonderful verses.
Funeral Eirwen Joy Davies
We headed for Aberystwyth again last Monday. We called into Caerffili en route. Our main reason for heading west this time was for the funeral of Eirwen Davies. When my father-in-law, also there, began his ministry back in 1965 he soon had three elders alongside him (Ieuan Davies, Mike Keen and Ira Mills who soon had to relocate to Yorkshire). Eirwen is the youngest if Ieuan's three children. A medical doctor with a flair for arts and crafts, a believer from the age of four, she remained single and spent most of her life in her home town. She was three weeks older than me and reently died rather suddenly through CJD. I did not know her well partly because when I was a student in Aber she was in Cardiff. We know the family well, however. Eleri is a good friend of Eirwen's brother Geraint (and Tim Mills who was aso there). We sang at the graveside first (the modern way is to have the burial first) then went to Alfred Place where my son is the pastor. Derrick Adams led the whole service and did it well (latterly he was Eirwen's pastor). Everything was in English but for two hymns. There were light refreshments and fellowship after at Llety Parc. Such times are refreshing but sad. I joined Rhodri's half of the congregation in the evening for their midweek meeting. We headed back to London on the Wednesday.
With the Help of Anthony Gormley
On Monday morning we had a family and friends trip down to the British Library. There's not that much to see but Codex Alexandrius and the little Tyndale New Testament are always worth a look. They are also marking 250 years since American Independence and are showing a handwritten copy on sheepskin parchment, the only handwritten ceremonial copy to exist alongside the original manuscript (the Matlack Declaration held at the National Archives in Washington DC). This one is the Sussex Declaration and is on loan from West Sussex Record Office.
Later we got a coffee out on the concourse I placed it on a metal sculpture. It turned out to be an Antony Gormley piece so abit irreverent, although someone who pointed out to us what we were doing thought Mr Gormley would love it. It is perhaps a good sermon illustration of how easily we are irreverend and miss the sacred right in front of us.
Lord's Day July 26 2026
Last Lord's Day was officially my last in Childs Hill but Eleri tells me not to say that as I''ll confuse you all. I'm the visiting preacher this coming Sunday and beyond as August Sundays are notoriously difficult to fill. Anyway last Sunday I preached on my favourite New Testament text, 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 12 and on the text behind me when I stand up on Sundays )Luke 11:27, 28) and that was a good decision. Numbers were not great but it was good to preach once more.
The Natural History Museum
It was good to be at the natural history museum once again last Saturday with family. My third son and his family were around for a few days and they spent the morning in Holland Park and met me in a Caffe Nero near the museum. My nephew Tom also koined us and we enjoyed seeing the various exhibits. Tom is fresh back from Sri Lanka and so this elephnat was of great interest. Lovely time.
10 Reasons and more why public worship is to be preferred over private (D Clarkson)
1. The Lord is more glorified by public worship than private. God is then glorified by us when we acknowledge that he is glorious. And he is most glorified when this acknowledgment is most public. This is obvious.
2. There is more of the Lord’s presence in public worship than in private. He is present with his people in the use of public ordinances in a more especial manner, more effectually, constantly, intimately. Here are the clearest manifestations of God.
4. There is more spiritual advantage to be got in the use of public ordinances than in private, ergo they are to be preferred. 5. Public worship is more edifying than private, ergo, &c.
6. Public ordinances are a better security against apostasy than private, and therefore to be preferred: an argument worthy our observation in these backsliding times.
7. Here the Lord works his greatest works; greater works than ordinarily he works by private means, ergo. The most wonderful things that are now done on earth are wrought in the public ordinances, though the commonness and spiritualness of them makes them seem less wonderful.
8. Public worship is the nearest resemblance of heaven, therefore to be preferred.
9. The examples of the most renowned servants of God, who have preferred public worship before private, is a sufficient argument. It was so in the judgment of those who were guided by an infallible Spirit, those who had most converse with God, and knew most of the mind of God; and those who had experience of both, and were in all respects the best, the most competent judges.
10. Public worship is the most available for the procuring of the greatest mercies, and preventing and removing the greatest judgments.
11. The precious blood of Christ is most interested in public worship, and that must needs be most valuable which has most interest in that which is of infinite value.
12. The promises of God are more to public worship than to private.
Midweek Meeting July 22 2026
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| Lairich Rig / Thousand-year-old yew tree |
Day Off Week 30
I started my day off this week by slipping in the shower. Not a good start. Anyway, I decided to walk the final part of the northern Thames Path. I got the train to Canary Wharf and had a coffee then headed to Blackwall DLR where I began again on the route. It is quite built up in that area and I found it difficult to stick to the Thames even though I did many many steps. In the end I got back on the DLR at Royal Victoria and headed first to West Silvertown where I snapped the Tate & Lyle factory and then on to Pontoon Dock and the Thames Barrier. So it has been an interesting exercise walking along the Thames. I wonder if I'll manage the southern route before I move. The rest if the day there was time for reading, etc. Eleri was out for the evening.
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