A couple of days ago we held our annual Interfaith Service for the City. I wrote this for the MP of Hove – Peter Kyle, but sadly he was called away… so I read it. There was a quite a bit of laughter. Hope you like it… Brighton and Hove’s Peace Statue There were once […]

The two wars that are raging close to home – the Ukrainian War and the Israeli-Palestinian War have left many people bereft. Both conflicts are heartbreaking. Tonight I will pray for peace with my prayer group. I have been asked to read this prayer, but I am also aware that when we pray together in […]

Having lived through a number of wars in my lifetime, I have come to realise that holding views on the rights and wrongs of any conflict is almost pointless, unless one is directly involved in the war itself. And yet I find it impossible not to hold views. I like to think I understand what […]

The attack on the environment continues. The attack is aggressively led in the UK by the Prime Minister. Why? To win votes and come to power… again. In a moment of despair, I have written another prayer of love… dedicated to our beautiful planet. The world is my motherAnd I honour her The swirling seasTempestuous, […]

Let’s pray for a change of heartin the world of greedy businessmen… Let’s wander through the select vestibules of scurrilous statesmen – Meander around the mansions of petty politicians – Plead for change…from the habitual users of deadly aircraftto the tidal-wave-form-producers of plastic May the greedy businessmen become volunteer carersThe scurrilous statesmen convert to honourable benefactorsThe petty […]

Some years back a good friend died and asked me to carry out her funeral. It was very much the service she wanted, and her presence was strongly felt. The music was pretty varied and included Carol King’s ‘You’ve Got a Friend’. When it played the entire congregation broke into song. Everyone knew the words […]

A Meditational Prayer of Loving Kindness I pray for myselfI love myselfUnconditionallyAnd in loving myselfI would wish no harmTo myselfOr others For this is a worldWhere everythingEvery—single—thingIs connectedAnd so I startBy honouring myselfAnd giving myself Loving kindnessOn this shared life journey Of loveWith love I pause…And now… I turn my thoughtsJust as this world turns I pray for […]

If you come to Google ‘Blessing’ or ‘Prayer for Mum’ you could get a bit frustrated. All the so called prayers for Mum open with words like “Dear Lord,” “Jesus,” “Lord Today I Pray” “Dearest Saint Joseph” – one even opens – “God of Heaven’s Armies”. Amazing! I understand those people who need traditional words […]

I play cards a lot. I’ve done it all my life. There is something very special about sitting down with friends and playing a game that challenges one a bit, but does not push one far enough to generate bad feelings. The games I play involve acceptance and generous congratulations for the winner or winners […]

With the certaintyof the sunrisemay the ball riseabove mewaiting to be placed May the flightof the spherewith its cosmic gracebe a perfect trajectorydefying space and time So, as I turnagile and angledI let fly My heart singsas the sphere soarshigher and higheronly to come downto an invitationto sweep widean earthly motionskimmingcontrolled powerlike a stone on water […]