Recently a church member asked if the Covid-19 coronavirus was a punishment sent by God upon the world. Then a friend in England wrote to me saying, “In my dreams I have been reflecting on the fires in Australia, the floods here in Blighty [Great Britain], the locusts in Ethiopia and now this world virus, is He trying to say something to us?”

What is God saying to us in this crisis? Is God punishing us for our sinfulness and for turning our backs on him? The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) contains many examples of what appear to be punishments by God for the unfaithfulness of his people. Usually these punishments are preceded by warnings from prophets to cease from worshiping false idols and return to worshiping God. Whenever the warnings go unheeded, there are dire consequences. The most calamitous example occurred in 586 BC when, ignoring the warnings of the prophets, Jerusalem was besieged and eventually overrun by the army of King Nebuchadnezzar. The Second book of Kings chapter 25 records in horrific detail what happened. ...  read more

Last Friday, Google dedicated their home page to a little known but inspirational doctor who made a life saving discovery. Dr Ignaz Semmelweis was an obstetrician in 19th century Austria. At that time, puerperal fever was killing 13 per cent of the women who gave birth in his Vienna hospital. A close friend of Semmelweis died from an infection after accidentally cutting himself with a knife while performing an autopsy. Semmelweis found that his friend died of symptoms similar to the women who died of puerperal fever.  ...  read more

Dear Friends,

Thank you for all your many kind comments on our first video offering of the Eucharist. I am very grateful to those who took part, especially Dave Spendio for his technical expertise in creating the worship video. Our intention is to make this a regular, weekly posting on YouTube.

A number of people have also said to me how much they are missing church, which at this particular time is both heartening and sad to hear, as it points to the fact that we are basically social creatures who need the company of others. Church provides a community where friendships are formed and life’s meaning can be found in the rich life of worship, prayer and service.  ...  read more

The actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson recently contracted the coronavirus COVID-19 and are self-quarantined in Australia, where Hanks is shooting a new movie. To reassure his fans, Hanks posted on social media: “Hey folks. Good news: One week after testing positive, in self-isolation, the symptoms are much the same. No fever but the blahs.”

Hanks’s upbeat post from the frontline stood out amid a plethora of grim headlines. We all know that the virus is spreading inexorably into every country, town and village across the world. There are more and more cases reported every day, and financial markets are plunging. ...  read more

Last Sunday evening Ruth and I were out walking in the Brandywine State Park and, in the early evening light, we stopped to admire the trees now slowly coming into bud. I said, “There’s always something new to see, depending on the light.”

That’s a statement which could be applied to the reading of Holy Scripture. There’s always something new to see, depending on the light of the Holy Spirit shining in your own spirit as you read. In this current time of testing, the words of Scripture have the power to calm our fears and lift our spirits. One reading in particular struck me during Evening Prayer on Sunday, as speaking to me in the present moment. It comes from the book of Joshua 1:9 ...  read more