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As you probably know, I like to preach from the Bible, but today I want to start somewhere a bit different: a song that doesn’t always get the theological attention it deserves — Sk8er Boi  by Avril Lavigne. He was a boy, She was a girl, Can I make it any more obvious? He was a punk, She did ballet, What more can I say? …He was a skater boy, She said, "See you later, boy", He wasn't good enough for her For me, this song is pure nostalgia — the soundtrack to the end of my sixt

There’s a song I’ve always found myself coming back to when I’ve wandered off spiritually — Bryan Adams’ Back to You . There’s a line in it that’s always stuck with me: “Like a star that guides a ship across the ocean.” It’s a beautiful image. When sailors were far from land, surrounded by shifting waves and unpredictable winds, they didn’t rely on their own instincts to get home. They looked up. The stars gave them something fixed — something trustworthy — to steer by. I thi

I wonder if you have ever read Emma  by Jane Austen, or seen one of the TV adaptations. I haven’t — but I have  seen Clueless , which...

London is quite busy. That was one of the first things I noticed when I got off the train at Euston Station at 8:20am on my first day as...

There’s a famous scene in Tim Burton’s Batman  (1989). The Joker bursts into Bruce Wayne’s home, threatens his guests, and Bruce suddenly...

“Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding…She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with...

I haven’t watched Snakes on a Plane , but the title gives the plot away. Imagine venomous snakes slithering into the cockpit: the pilot’s...

There are some things in life you can dip in and out of without much thought. Take streaming subscriptions. During Covid I signed up to...

One of my favourite films is Hot Fuzz . If you haven’t seen it, it’s a spoof cop buddy film. A super-serious London police officer,...

Leamington Hastings is more than just a collection of stone, stained glass, and memorials. It is a place where history, human tension,...

A Legend with a Deeper Echo I’ve been rewatching the 2006 adaptation of Robin Hood  lately — yes, I know it’s not exactly new anymore —...

Based on a sermon Karen Hatch , Licensed Lay Minister for the Draycote and Leam Valley Benefice preached at St Leonards Birdingbury and...

What Flecknoe and Grandborough Taught Me About Church There’s a story I love. A young girl is learning to cook a ham with her mum. Her...

As we begin our journey through the histories of the eight parishes that make up the Draycote and Leam Valley Benefice, I want to...

I wonder if you’ve ever had that experience of being served in a shop by someone who’s taking your money while also having an in-depth...

A few years ago, I came across a book that still makes me smile whenever I dip back into it. It’s called Watching the English  by...

A blog post based on our Lay Reader, Karen Hatch's sermon on 6/07/2025 “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we...

We live in a world where suspicion is almost second nature. You see an advert on Facebook: “Get this amazing product free — just pay...

When I was in sixth form, a few of my mates and I went for a weekend away in Hunstanton, staying in one of their parents’ static...

This Father’s Day, I found myself thinking about batteries. Not just because we gave them out at church (yes, really—we did!), but...