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Contact - Easter 2006
Few could fail to be moved by the recent Disney movie Narnia, but did you realise that Aslan, the heroic 'star' of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, is based upon a real person - Jesus?
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Contact - Christmas 2005
There is a growing fascination with angels today. They seem to be such beings of hope. Whether purchasing a friendly winged being to decorate your home or embarking on a course on 'how to learn the communications technique and contact your angel' (at a cost of course), there is no doubting their popularity. It is vital however that certain questions are asked - for example - Who are they? Where did they come from? What powers do they have? What functions do they perform?
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Contact - Harvest 2005
No matter how many times a person may utter that same old mantra, most people, in the depths of their hearts, have a strange feeling of unrest and instinctively know it just cannot be true. We know that there must be more to life than a few beers, some empty laughs, a bit of a job, some meaningful relationships and then our appointment with the grave.
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Contact - Christmas 2004
Could it be true? Could there be real hope? Could there be a lasting happiness? Of course, you can buy happiness. That is what a modern Christmas is all about. Shops aglow with fairy lights and a glittering display of every imaginable merchandise from toys to tiaras designed to be 'that certain something' which will change your life forever. The happiness derived from the gifts will never last.
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Contact - Easter 2004
Mention the name Houdini and the word 'escape' comes automatically to mind.
Henri Houdini, the master of escapology and illusion, was an awesome performer and a genius at media manipulation and self-promotion. He reached the public through a variety of means, including underwater escapes, prison breakouts, manacled bridge jumps, high upside-down straitjacket escapes as well as through newspapers, magazines, books, radio and silent films.
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Contact - Christmas 2003
Yes, it's that time of year when we struggle with the age-old problem, 'What do you get for the person who has everything?' Of course, we know the real answer: 'Nothing'!
But don't worry, because the stores will have their little sections of 'gift ideas' where you can buy such novelties as the unopenable pack of golf tees for the man who hates golf, or the stereo radio ice-scraping mitt for your wife who doesn't drive. You may laugh now, but it will be a different matter on December 24 when you are still feverishly trawling the shops!
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Contact - Harvest 2003
Harvest is a time of gratitude and thankfulness. We shouldn't take for granted the roof over our heads, the measure of health we enjoy, even the food we eat today. But whom do we thank for 'our daily bread' - God or our local superstore?
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I was browsing recently through the 'Friends Reunited' website, catching up on what has happened to some of my old friends. After nearly thirty years, it's fascinating. Some are living in far-flung parts of the world; others have been there and come back. Some have suffered great illness or tragic bereavement. Several seem to making a real success of their careers but are not nearly so successful in their personal lives. But the comment that sticks most in my mind is the girl that said 'life is good.'
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Contact - Christmas 2001
A backslider is someone who used to follow Jesus Christ but, for one reason or another, has turned away. There are many reasons why people turn away. Jesus himself, in one of his best known parables, warned that persecution, cares, troubles and worries could choke our spiritual lives.
If you are a backslider, it is probably for one of the following reasons.
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The testimony of Rev. Gary Benfold
'What's a nice boy like you doing in a job like this?' To be honest, nobody has ever asked me that question, but I've sometimes thought they should. People who knew me in my school days, in particular, may well be surprised at the idea of me being a preacher; I never had more than an average interest in religion...
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Much of our difficulty in understanding life comes from the simple fact that we can only see the material world. Life for us is made up of working, eating and sleeping. We are involved in human relationships which sometimes give great joy and sometimes great sorrow. We look after (or neglect!) our bodies - taking note of the latest trends in diet, exercise and health-care. We live our lives for their given length, and then we die.
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Contact - Harvest 2001
I'm sure it's a sign of progress, but a lot of the meaning seems to have gone out of harvest these days. A few days ago I was reading a short story by PG Wodehouse - the author of the 'Jeeves and Wooster' books - in which the hero (Mervyn Mulliner) had to perform an impossible task to win the hand of Clarice Mallaby. The impossible task was to obtain strawberries in December. Nowadays it would be easy enough; a quick trip to Sainsbury's should suffice. It's become hard to remember how dependent we were, not so very long ago, on seasons; and just how important harvest was.
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