Yes, Thursday, November 21, 2024, was a wonderful day but ended badly.

My usual Thursday clergy work in East Sussex is always something I look forward to.

I left early and stopped at my favourite English town, Tenterden. I stopped for a quick latte and a sandwich. Two of the usual Baptist ministers on the street welcomed me, and I always enjoy talking to them. I also had the pleasure of meeting two of the local vicars. I think they were husband and wife, but I might be mistaken. We had a lovely and pleasant discussion, after which I headed towards East Sussex.

East Sussex is my favourite county in England, and this week was truly exceptional. Snow covered the footpaths, roof tops, and gardens. The sight was breathtaking, akin to a scene from a Christmas postcard.

Over the past three years, my random acts of kindness have increased significantly in frequency and intensity. However, I rarely post about them anymore, as some individuals claim that I post for the purpose of "self-promotion." I share acts of kindness to inspire and encourage others to follow suit. It has worked well in the past.

Yesterday, as I arrived in a quaint East Sussex village, I saw an elderly couple at a bus stop. I stopped and offered them a ride in my warm car to their destination. At first they hesitated but eventually said, 'Thank you, Father.' Over the next few miles, we enjoyed talking, laughing, and taking in the Simon and Garfunkel music playing lightly in the background. It was so special.
I then headed for a hotel in Hastings, enjoyed a quick lunch, and then visited a couple of churches before heading back to a small, quaint Kent village known as Headcorn.

In Headcorn, I visited the church where I park my car, followed by a quick latte. As an act of kindness, I purchased coffee for two strangers. After visiting a few shops, I made my way to the charity shop. There, I brought a small glass trinket box, placed some money inside, and then, on my way back to my car, I gave it to an elderly woman I had never met before. I simply handed her the wrapped gift and said politely, "Enjoy the treat," without giving her a chance to speak. I then got into my car to head home a little earlier than usual, intending to take the dogs for a two-mile walk, but it ended badly.

As I emerged from a junction to merge with the busy A28 in Great Chart, Ashford, Kent, the Ford transit van abruptly halted, causing me to collide with its rear. My car sustained several thousand pounds of damage, while the van also sustained some. It was my fault entirely. The owner of the van, a friendly chap known as Neil, was calm, level-headed, and polite. He is a carpenter by trade and a keen cyclist. Despite not being a believer, he enjoys visiting churches because of their unique architecture. We exchanged some details, and before I left, I lightly touched his arm and said, "Sorry." Not sure if he heard it.

Over the past year, I have reached out to people I mistreated many years ago when I was in my twenties, simply to apologise. It’s been pretty successful but emotional, especially when I tried to rectify a problem I caused for Tom, a business owner in Charing, Kent, whom I have tried to trace for a few years. When I found his new business, I learned that he had died a few months earlier. His wife understandably refuses to see me due to the emotional impact she experienced from my past encounter with her husband, Tom. I will give it some time before making another attempt.

While I was at Tom's business, I asked his grandson, who works there, if he could tell me where the previous owner of the unit, Nick Ovxxxxx, lives. He replied, "Next door, in the bungalow." I couldn’t believe he still lives there after 44 years.

I knocked on Nick's door and left my church business card, hoping he would call. He never did.

Nick operates a well-respected and established recovery business, and when my first marriage ended, my soon-to-be ex-wife approached him for assistance and avoided paying him. Not really my problem, but when we separated and headed for divorce, I recovered some items from Nick, which I part owned, which he collected from my ex-wife in part payment of the debt. Since then, I have regretted my decision to visit Nick's business in a minibus and insist that he load the items into the van. In those days, I wasn’t a patient man and would never allow anyone to walk over me. Regretted ever since.

So, when I called in yesterday to the insurers, who recovered me at the roadside? Nick’s recovery business. After 44 years, Nick has expanded his business, and the young guy who recovered my vehicle was a polite and respected employee. When I mentioned my past issues and my wish to rectify them with his boss, he was shocked. He exclaimed, "Wow, I've never known anyone to carry that in their mind for such a long period." He agreed to forward a personal message from me to Nick.

As a "man of the cloth," I don't typically use terms like "fate," but how strange was it that, a few months ago, after all these years, I wanted to speak to Nick to apologise, reimburse him, and then for his company to recover my vehicle?

I struggled to use the word sorry' until I was in my early forties. What was one of the hardest words for me to use for nearly forty years has become easier to say as I age: looking into people's eyes with a meaningful "sorry" word.

Have a wonderful day.

November 13, 2024

Welby's departure is crucial for the Church of England as it struggles with safeguarding breaches. Welby's departure aims to heal the church and restore faith.

Unfortunately, Welby's actions or inactions have harmed clergy from many denominations. Outraged people have confronted me on the streets and at Costa Coffee. I'm not an Anglican priest, yet this scandal affects us all.

I have excellent Church of England clergy friends who are not responsible1 for this scandal and do excellent clergy work.

Unfortunately, child abuse has occurred in sports, scouts, legal, and other sectors of the community, and it must stop.

Anyone who is aware of abuse affecting children should alert the police. There is no justification for remaining silent. Those who do so should face the full force of the law.

I often quote:

"There is no greater trust than that which binds the world to children. No greater responsibility than to ensure that their rights are respected, that their well-being is safeguarded, that they are free from fear and deprivation, and that they are raised in peace".

September 10, 2024

If you really want to see the harsh reality of winter for our elderly population, just shadow me around this season. You'll witness firsthand the struggles they face when they can't afford to keep their homes warm because they didn't receive the winter fuel allowance. It's absolutely heartbreaking to see our senior citizens shivering in their own homes because they're trying to stretch a limited budget just to cover basic necessities. The lack of heat not only affects their physical health, but it also takes a toll on their mental and emotional wellbeing. So, if you want a glimpse into the difficulties our elders endure during the cold winter months, come along with me and open your eyes to this sobering reality..!