The Crown of Roses – words Pleshcheev (1825-93) tr. Drearmer, music Tchaikovsky (1840-93)

Did you know that carols, like puppies, are not just for Christmas? According to the Encyclopaedia Britannica, a carol is a song characteristically of religious joy, associated with a given season, with uniform stanzas or verses that may alternate with a refrain … More The Crown of Roses – words Pleshcheev (1825-93) tr. Drearmer, music Tchaikovsky (1840-93)

I See Men as Trees Walking

Today’s gospel reading, at first glance, is a curious little story. Jesus had performed many healings, including restoring the sight of blind people, so why did he take this man out of the village, put saliva on his eyes and lay hands on him twice? Presumably Jesus could have healed him instantly. As with many of Jesus miracles, the answer lies in its symbolic significance … More I See Men as Trees Walking

Trusting in Jesus

One way to get to grips with the stories from the gospels is to imagine ourselves in them.  With his painting “Storm on the sea of Galilee”, Rembrandt did just that. He was just twenty-seven when he painted this picture, his only seascape. It is difficult to imagine its impact as it is over five feet high, and more than four feet wide. Sadly, you cannot go to see it for yourselves. No one knows where it is – it was stolen from a museum in 1990. … More Trusting in Jesus