So, Strictly is back. This annual autumn-fest of salsa, sequins and spray-tans has returned to our screens on a Saturday evening. Love it or hate it, it’s bizarre how it gets everyone talking about who’s “got two left feet”, the finer points of the quickstep, or the latest wardrobe choices of a various celebrities. I must admit to no longer being a huge Strictly fan. But I do still like the montages of dancers who were totally hopeless on week 1, but begin to change as time goes on. Over time and with a lot of practice, we see the Saturday night stars find their rhythm, trust the professionals, and begin to find their feet in the world of dancing. There’s the presence of an expert to guide and......

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At about this time twenty years ago I was sitting in a pub with a group of friends. One of them, John, suddenly began to fidget in his seat and to look a little bit nervous before saying, “My church is running a course called Alpha. It explains what Christians believe and I was wondering if any of you wanted to come with me?” There was a brief moment’s silence and I could see how uncomfortable John. So, thinking that I was doing him a favour I piped up, “Sure, I’ll come John.” Little did I realise that it would be on Alpha that I would come to know Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, and that I was about to embark upon the most exciting, life-changing adventure with......

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I’ve been to a couple of ‘commissioning’ services this week when vicars begin a new role. They’re pretty grand occasions, and not without stresses when you’re the one responsible for organising them which I was for one of them. There’s normally whole load of dressing up and of pomp and ceremony, with the new vicar making some big promises and then the Bishop praying for them. Two in a week has felt a bit excessive, though they can be encouraging occasions! I’ve found myself thinking what that sort of commissioning would be like for everyone in the life of the Church, and not just new vicars. A year five child at the beginning of a new year at school? A builder at the start of a new contract? A......

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This week saw the arrival of Cerys Hughes as our new Children and Families Minister. Hello Everybody! It seems a long time since the announcement of my appointment back in June so I’m really excited to finally be here and to say “Hello” to you all in my first week! Thank you for your prayers for me and my family during this time of transition, we really value them all! I can’t wait to meet all the amazing children and young people that I’ve heard so much about and get started on some fun and creative activities that we’ve all missed during the pandemic. I’m working through a list of our wonderful volunteers so if you are involved in our work with children and families, you can expect to......

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Welcome to September, and what we hope and pray might be something of a new season in our life together here at Trinity. Fi and I were chatting to Cerys Hughes yesterday, our new Children & Families Minister. (see below). “Who, what and where are Trinity Churches” she asked. A good question, and inevitably a long answer ensued. On Sundays you’ll find us gathering at various times and places, sometimes outdoors and sometimes in, sometimes online and sometimes in person. You’ll find us worshipping and welcoming, praying and preaching, loving and living as “God’s amazing family”. Then on Mondays to Saturdays you’ll find us scattered across the local area and beyond. We’re scattered to school classrooms and local businesses, hospital corridors or garden fences, changing nappies or working up......

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Like me you might have been engaging with the ‘Big Conversation’. Perhaps ‘thankfulness‘ came naturally and ‘lament‘ a little painfully. This week we come to ‘learning‘ and I feel like I have a lot to learn. “Everyday’s a school day” is a phrase that many of us appear to utter regularly. Maybe we all have hard lessons to learn in this new era. Perhaps we are acutely aware of the climate crisis and how we might make changes to care for creation. Or concerned by the Kabul crisis in Afghanistan. Or more locally floods, hunger and financial challenges… Theoden King of Rohan, in The Lord of the Rings, uses the words “what can man do against such reckless hate” as he finds himself surrounded by enemies, seemingly in......

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