Rev Phil writes Thursday 8 May 2025 marks 80 years since VE (Victory in Europe) Day.  This year, the nation will unite to remember the end of the Second World War in Europe *.   Around the country, events will take place to pay tribute to those involved in that conflict, as well as reminding us to pray and work for peace in our communities and in the world.   At 6.15pm at St James, Gatley, there will be a short service of prayers for peace and for all who serve in our Armed Forces today.  At 6.30pm the bells will be sounded along with churches and cathedrals around the nation as they let their bells ring out - an opportunity to reflect and give thanks for the peace that so many sacrificed their lives for during the Second World War. As an Army chaplain, I offered a copy of the New Testament and Psalms to every soldier in my battalion before we deployed to Afghanistan.  This maintained a long tradition for soldiers going off to war - dur...

  What’s the point of Easter? Apart from being a holiday time, surely there’s more to Easter than chocolate eggs and the Easter Bunny! A few years ago one survey found that 7 out of 10 children don’t know what happened on Good Friday or even that Jesus rose from the dead – that’s ignorance of our Christian heritage as a country but what about its significance?    

  As we step into the season of Lent, we’re invited into a time of spiritual focus that has been cherished by Christians for centuries. Lent spans the 40 days leading up to Easter (excluding Sundays), starting with Ash Wednesday when we have a special service of Holy Communion with the imposition of ashes, starting at 9:30am.