Is there anyone who does not love the arrival of Spring? While some people struggle with some of the other seasons for one reason or another, I’ve yet to meet anyone who does not love the arrival of Spring, with warmer, longer days and the emergence of blossom and shoots and buds.

Some sage words from Jean Pierre
de Caussade:

To avoid the anxieties which may be caused by either regret for the past or fear of the future, here in a few words is the rule to follow: the past must be left to God’s measureless mercy, the future to his loving providence; and the present must be given wholly to his love through fidelity to his grace.

(from Abandonment to Divine Providence)

‘Choose Life’
At the end of his life, Moses gathered the people of Israel together and addressed them (Deuteronomy Ch. 30). He urged the people to remain faithful to the covenant God had made with them, and promised them that they would flourish as a people if they did so. Moses offered them a choice: obedience or disobedience; prosperity or adversity: ‘I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him’ (Deut. 30: 19-20).

‘Must we? Should we? Can we? Shall we?’

At a meeting of Diocesan Synod on 25 November, the Diocesan Board of Finance announced proposals to reform the way in which mission in our Diocese is funded. This may sound dull and technical, but please do read on: this is important stuff and raises some huge questions for us.