Rector's Blog

Recently I was doing some dabbling around in the historical links between Frenchay and William Penn, founder of the colony of Pennsylvania.  One of my sources mentioned that the naming of Pennsylvania was actually attached to his father’s name (Admiral Sir William...

Dear All, As you read this blog, 2019 is well underway. Time, in fact, to join the Alpha Course running at Begbrook Social Club if you so desired. Why might you consider doing this?  ‘Discipleship’ is the journey of faith that means maturity, fulfilment, generous...

Dear All,This last Christmas we joyfully ‘rent the air asunder’, as the carol, Good King Wenceslas, has it. We gathered in the Redrow showhomes and on the grassy verge. A few days later, we were invited by the Beckspool committee to gather and celebrate...

Dear All, Have you ever embarked on a project which you thought straight-forward, only to discover some way into it that it was far from straight-forward? This was certainly my experience rebinding a book at home following the flour, water and tissue paper method…say...

  Dear All, We live in an age when pilgrimage is back in fashion.  The Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St James, had as one of its main ancient departure points in this country a parish church where I served for a while as a minister: St James,...

As a fairly recent arrival to the area I with my wife Kath and our dog have to agree that Fishponds ‘really is quite nice!’ I was intrigued to read of the origin of the name ‘Fishponds’ and further interested to learn that the only remaining old quarry, filled with...

Dear All, What importance should we attach to a chance encounter with one of the great men or women of history? Unlocking my bicycle from railings by Holy Trinity Church in Cambridge one afternoon in 1980, there I saw coming out of the vestry door, Rev Dr Billy Graham...

Dear All, Kath and I have now celebrated Christmas at Frenchay and Stapleton 3 times and each time has been 100% wonderful. Thank you to all who made it to one of the services in a local church, including Headway, Macmillan and Brace supporters and staff who led Carol...

Dear All, I wonder how you view the New Year.  Might it be with some hesitancy?  Where will Brexit negotiations have arrived at by the end of March?  Will the numbers of homeless nationally continue to rise?  Will we be ready for all the wonderful events due to happen...

Dear All, I rejoice to learn that most cultures round the world, whether Christian in background or not, like to celebrate Christmas. But why should that be? Is it purely the excitement of children receiving presents, the Christmas tree and the joining together at the...