St Boniface Church

11/06/2026

On This Day - 14th June

14th June
Matthew 9:35–10:8

In today’s Gospel, Jesus looks at the crowds and feels compassion for them. He sees people who are worried, tired, and in need of help. He describes them as sheep without a shepherd.

That is good news for us because it reminds us that Jesus sees us too.He sees our joys and our worries. He sees our struggles, our losses, and our fears. He knows what is in our hearts, and He cares for us.

Jesus then says, “The harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few.” He asks His followers to pray for workers to help bring God’s love to others.Sometimes we think that serving God is only for younger people. But that is not true. God still has work for us to do.

A kind word, a phone call, a visit, a prayer, an encouraging smile—these things may seem small, but they can mean a great deal to someone who is lonely or hurting.Jesus sent His disciples out to share God’s love and care for people. He sends us too, each in our own way.As we grow older, we may not be able to do all the things we once did. But we can still pray, encourage others, and show God’s love through our words and actions

The important thing is to remember that Jesus has not finished with us. He still loves us, He still calls us, and He can still use us to bless others.

So this week, let us ask ourselves: who needs a kind word, a prayer, or a helping hand? And let us be ready to share the love that Christ has first shown to us.

29/05/2026

1076 Waltheof, Earl of Northumbria and the last of the Anglo-Saxon earls, was beheaded at St. Giles's Hill, near Wi******er after rebelling against William the Conqueror. He was the only English aristocrat to be executed during the reign of William I (William the Conqueror).

1256 Selby Abbey () became a 'mitred abbey' one of the most defining honours that could be granted and an honour which it shared in the north with St Mary's Abbey, York. It remained so until the time of the 'dissolution'.

1578image.pngEnglish explorer Martin Frobisher sailed from Harwich to Frobisher Bay in Canada. Over time he brought home1500 tons of 'gold ore'. After years of smelting, it was realized that the presumed gold was merely worthless iron pyrite (fool's gold) that was later used to pave streets in London, leading to the myth that the streets of London were paved with gold.

1678image.pngThe Godiva Procession, a commemoration of the legendary ride by Lady Godiva (born 990 AD) was instituted On This Day, as part of Coventry fair and was celebrated up to the 1960s. According to the popular story, Lady Godiva took pity on the people of Coventry, who were suffering grievously under her husband's oppressive taxation. Her husband agreed to repeal the taxes if she would strip naked and ride through the streets of the town, clothed only in her long hair. (. She agreed, conditionally that all persons should stay indoors and shut their windows, but one person, a tailor known ever afterwards as Peeping Tom, disobeyed the proclamation and was struck blind.

1838image.pngThe last battle on English soil took place at the Battle of Bosenden Wood between armed soldiers and 40 agricultural peasants. They were led by flamboyant Cornish wine merchant (Sir William de Courtenay) and were protesting against the poverty of their lives.

1859image.pngThe clock in the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament was started, with the bell (Big Ben) sounding for the first time on 11th July 1859.

1889image.pngA painting of a small dog listening to a phonograph was shown to the general manager of 'The Gramophone Company' in London by the painter, Francis Barraud. It was of his dog, Nipper. The phonograph was painted out and a gramophone substituted. It soon became the famous trademark for the company 'His Master's Voice'.

1902image.pngThe Peace of Vereeniging ended the Boer War, in which British casualties numbered 5,774 killed (and 16,000 deaths from disease) against 4,000 Boers killed in action.

1904 The first ship berthed at the new Heysham Port, delivered from the builders, John Brown at Clydebank. Current ports served by Heysham (are Dublin, Warrenpoint, Douglas and Belfast

1910image.pngLord Baden-Powell's sister Agnes formed the Girl Guides.

1911image.pngThe White Star liner Titanic was launched at Belfast. At the ceremony, a White Star Line employee claimed, 'Not even God himself could sink this ship.'

1916image.pngWorld War 1: The Battle of Jutland in which the Royal Navy lost one battleship, one cruiser and five destroyers. The Germans lost one battleship, one cruiser and one destroyer. At the end of the day, 2,545 men had been killed..

1930image.pngDon Bradman became the first Australian to score 1,000 runs in England between the start of the cricket season and the end of May.

1939image.pngTerry Waite, religious adviser to the Archbishop of Canterbury was born. In January 1987 he was held prisoner in Lebanon after being kidnapped on a visit to negotiate the release of hostages.

1956image.pngLen Hutton, England cricketer, was knighted.

1962image.pngAdolf Eichmann, the architect of the N**i holocaust, was hanged in Israel for his crimes against humanity.

1985image.pngThe Football Association, supported by Margaret Thatcher, banned English clubs from playing in Europe following the Heysel stadium tragedy.

2014 The death of Mary Soames, the youngest of the five children of Sir Winston Churchill and his wife, Clementine. She is buried in St Martin's Churchyard in Bladon, Oxfordshire (long with other members of the Churchill family.



Sunday 31st may

Today’s reading from Book of Isaiah reminds us that everyone grows tired sometimes, whether young or old. Young people can feel pressure from school, work, friendships, and worries about the future. Older people may face illness, loss, loneliness, or the challenges that come with age. Life brings different struggles at different times, and no one is strong all the time.

That is why these words from Isaiah are such a comfort. The people Isaiah spoke to were tired and discouraged. They wondered if God had forgotten them. Into that situation Isaiah says, “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord… fainteth not, neither is weary?” Human strength comes and goes, but God’s strength never fails. When we feel weak, anxious, or uncertain, God remains constant and faithful.

The reading tells us, “He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.” God does not only help the strong and confident. He comes close to those who are struggling, worried, or weary. He gives courage to the young person facing uncertainty about the future, and comfort to the older person carrying pain, grief, or loneliness. God knows each of our burdens and promises to walk with us through them.

Isaiah also says, “Even the youths shall faint and be weary.” Even the young and energetic become tired sometimes. This reminds us that all of us need God. We cannot carry every burden alone. There are moments in every life when we need strength beyond our own.

Then comes the wonderful promise: “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” To wait upon the Lord means to trust him patiently, to pray, and to stay close to him each day. God may not always remove our difficulties immediately, but he gives us the strength we need to keep going.

The reading ends with words of great hope: “They shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Most of life is not about great achievements or dramatic moments. Often faith is simply continuing to walk with God day by day, through both joyful and difficult times. And the good news of Isaiah is this: we never walk alone. God is with us, giving us strength for every stage of life. Amen.

If anyone is wishing to borrow a wheelchair, one is available free of charge for short-term use — whether for hospital visits or a couple of days away. Please get in touch if it would be helpful

22/05/2026

24th May

1487www.beautifulbritain.co.ukThe ten-year-old Lambert Simnel was crowned in Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, with the name of Edward VI in a bid to threaten King Henry VII's reign.

1530www.beautifulbritain.co.ukA list of heretical books was drawn up in London. Tyndale's Bible was burnt.

1689 Parliament introduced the Toleration Act. The Act granted freedom of worship to Nonconformists (i.e. dissenting Protestants) and granted them their own places of worship and their own teachers and preachers, subject to acceptance of certain oaths of allegiance. It enabled this building, Farfield Friends' Meeting House), to be erected (1689) and licensed as a place of worship. The building is one of the earliest Quaker Meeting Houses in the world and has been chosen by Historic England as 'One of the 10 most significant Faith and Belief places in England'.

1738www.beautifulbritain.co.ukJohn Wesley first attended evensong at St Paul’s Cathedral, London, then went on to a meeting at Aldersgate where he experienced his conversion. This was the start of Wesley’s Methodism, and over 270 years later there are 54 million Methodists in 60 countries. The design and construction of the octagon Heptonstall Chapel in West Yorkshire were overseen by John Wesley. He laid the foundation stone and preached in the unfinished shell of the church. The chapel, is the oldest Methodist church in continuous use and was founded in 1742.

1809www.beautifulbritain.co.ukDartmoor Prison () was opened to accommodate French prisoners of war. From 1850 it becomes a prison for convicts.

1895www.beautifulbritain.co.ukThe actor Henry Irving became the first person from the theatre to be knighted. On his death he was cremated and his ashes buried in Westminster Abbey, thereby becoming the first person ever to be cremated prior to interment at Westminster.

1901www.beautifulbritain.co.ukSeventy eight miners died in the Caerphilly pit disaster in South Wales.

1930www.beautifulbritain.co.ukAmy Johnson landed at Darwin, Australia and became the first woman to fly from England to Australia.

1941www.beautifulbritain.co.ukWorld War II: The German battleship Bismarck sank the Royal Navy's largest warship HMS Hood off Greenland with the loss of more than 1,400 lives. The ship exploded when a German shell hit the Hood's ammunition store.

1969www.beautifulbritain.co.ukThe Black and White Minstrel Show, at London's Victoria Palace, closed after completing 4,354 performances over a period of seven years.

1976www.beautifulbritain.co.ukBritish Airways and Air France Concordes arrived at Dulles International Airport, Washington D.C. having made their first commercial crossing of the North Atlantic.

1978www.beautifulbritain.co.ukPrincess Margaret, sister of Queen Elizabeth II was divorced from her husband, Lord Snowdon, after 18 years of marriage.

1988 Section 28 of the Local Government Act 1988 was enacted; a controversial amendment stating that a local authority could not intentionally promote homosexuality.

1989www.beautifulbritain.co.ukA jury at the High Court in London awarded £600,000 damages to Sonia Sutcliffe, wife of the Yorkshire Ripper Peter Sutcliffe, against the satirical magazine Private Eye.

2003www.beautifulbritain.co.ukBritain's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest failed to score a single point, a fact later blamed on the UK's stance during the Iraq conflict.

2019www.beautifulbritain.co.ukAt just after 10:00am Theresa May announced that she would stand down as Conservative leader on 7th June, over her failure to deliver Brexit and after losing the support of her own MPs. She continued to serve as Prime Minister while a Conservative leadership contest took place.

2020 At the Government's daily coronavirus briefing, Prime Minister Boris Johnson gave full support to his adviser Dominic Cummings, who had driven 250 miles to his parents’ house in Durham after strict lockdown rules had been imposed on the UK. Cummings said that he travelled to Durham to self isolate whilst he was recovery from coronavirus. Further allegations were made that Cummings left isolation to go 30 miles to a popular tourist town and that he also made a second trip to Durham during the lockdown period. Johnson said the Cummings had acted 'responsibly, legally and with integrity' at a time when others were being told they must stay at home to protect lives.

BORN
1819www.beautifulbritain.co.ukPrincess Alexandrina Victoria was born at Kensington Palace in London, the only daughter of the Duke of Kent. As Queen Victoria, she reigned for 63 years, from 1837 until her death in 1901. She married Prince Albert in 1840 and had four sons and five daughters. After Albert’s death in 1861, she went into virtual retirement.

1836www.beautifulbritain.co.ukThe birth, in York, of Joseph Rowntree, Quaker philanthropist, social reformer and chocalatier businessman.

DIED
1995www.beautifulbritain.co.ukThe death of Harold Wilson, Huddersfield born Labour politician and Prime Minister from 1964-1970 and again from 1974-1976. This statue of him, () outside Huddersfield railway station in St George’s Square, was unveiled in July 1999 by the then Prime MInister Tony Blair.

Reflections on Pentecost and John 20:19–23
In the quiet stillness of the upper room, the disciples gathered together behind locked doors, fearful and uncertain of what the future might hold. The sorrow of Good Friday still lingered heavily upon them. Their hearts were burdened with grief, confusion, and disappointment. The world outside felt unfamiliar and unsettling, and so they remained hidden away, seeking comfort in one another while wrestling with their own fears.

How deeply human that scene feels, even now.

There are times in every life when we too find ourselves behind closed doors — not always doors made of wood and iron, but the hidden doors of the heart. Doors shaped by loss, by loneliness, by illness, by memories that ache within us, or by the quiet anxieties that often accompany advancing years. There are seasons when the world seems to move on quickly around us while we remain still, carrying both visible and unseen burdens.

Yet it is precisely into such moments that Christ comes.

The Gospel tells us that Jesus stood among His disciples, though the doors were locked, and His first words were not words of judgement or disappointment, but words filled with gentleness and mercy:

“Peace be with you.”

Not simply the absence of trouble, but the deep peace of knowing that we are seen, loved, and never abandoned by God.

What a comfort this is for us today. For the risen Christ still comes quietly into the rooms we inhabit — into hospital rooms and care homes, into familiar kitchens and silent bedrooms, into places of prayer and into moments of solitude. He enters not with noise or spectacle, but with tenderness. He knows the burdens we carry, the names we grieve, the fears we seldom speak aloud, and still He comes to us with compassion.

At Pentecost, we see the fulfilment of Christ’s promise. The frightened disciples, once hidden away, were filled with the Holy Spirit — the living presence of God dwelling within them. The Spirit came not as a force of destruction, but as holy breath and holy fire: bringing courage where there had been fear, hope where there had been sorrow, and life where hearts had grown weary.

The image of breath is especially beautiful. Jesus breathed upon His disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” Breath is gentle. Breath sustains life quietly and constantly. Most of the time we scarcely notice it, yet without it we cannot live. So too the Spirit of God moves within us — often softly, almost unnoticed, yet always sustaining, strengthening, and comforting us.

There are many days when we may feel our own strength diminishing. Age can bring limitations we never expected. Bodies grow frail; familiar tasks become harder; dear friends and loved ones are no longer beside us. Sometimes there is a sadness that comes from watching the world change around us. Yet Pentecost reminds us that the Spirit does not abandon us as we grow older. Indeed, many of the Spirit’s finest gifts deepen with time: patience, wisdom, gentleness, compassion, endurance, and understanding.

A life lived faithfully through many years becomes a quiet testimony to the grace of God.

The world often celebrates youth, speed, and achievement, but the Kingdom of God treasures something far deeper. A kind word spoken at the right moment. A hand held in comfort. A lifetime of prayer quietly offered for children, grandchildren, friends, and neighbours. The courage to continue trusting God through seasons of sorrow. These are holy things.

The elderly hold within them stories of perseverance, sacrifice, devotion, and love that become living witnesses to God’s faithfulness across generations. Even when days seem quieter than they once were, your presence, your prayers, and your faith continue to bless the world more than you may ever fully know.

And perhaps Pentecost reminds us of something else as well: that God is always creating new life within us. The Spirit does not simply belong to the past, nor only to moments of dramatic change. The Spirit is present in the ordinary rhythm of each day — in the morning light through a window, in the comfort of familiar hymns, in shared laughter, in moments of stillness, and in the peace that comes through prayer.

The Spirit whispers continually to the heart:
You are not forgotten.
You are not alone.
You are held in everlasting love.

And so today, may we hear again those gentle words of Christ, spoken not only to the disciples long ago, but to each one of us now: “Peace be with you.”

May His peace settle upon every anxious heart.
May His Spirit strengthen every weary soul.
May His presence bring comfort to all who feel lonely or afraid.
And may we rest in the assurance that nothing — neither age, nor weakness, nor sorrow, nor even death itself — can separate us from the love of God revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Amen.

REMINDER

Anyone wishing for a loan if a wheelchair …. Short / medium term please contact me

07817936616

15/05/2026

15/05/2026

1215image.pngThe country was in a state of Civil War and English barons, in revolt against King John, took possession of London.

1527image.pngArchbishop Warham began a secret inquiry into Henry VIII's marriage with Catherine of Aragon, the first step in divorce proceedings.

1536image.pngGeorge Boleyn (an English courtier and nobleman, and the brother of queen consort Anne Boleyn) along with Viscount Rochford and four other men were executed for treason.

1590image.pngAnne of Denmark was crowned Queen of Scotland.

1649 Cromwell's troops captured 300 Levellers and locked them up in Burford church. (The Levellers believed in civil rights, a 'level' society and religious tolerance and Cromwell was determined to crush them.) Three of the Levellers were executed on Oliver Cromwell’s orders in Burford churchyard, Oxfordshire. See the plaque at Burford Church.



1861image.pngA group of holidaymakers set off from London on the first foreign 'package trip' arranged by Thomas Cook. It was a six day holiday in Paris. Cook began his pioneering tour business 20 years previously when he organized the first publicly advertised railway excursion from Leicester to a temperance meeting at Loughborough (11 miles away). This statue of Thomas Cook) is outside Leicester Railway Station, on London Road.

1890image.pngThe first weekly comic paper, Comic Cuts, was published by Alfred Harmsworth, in London.

1899image.pngQueen Victoria laid the foundation stone of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.1900image.pngThe siege of the British garrison at Mafeking by Boer forces was broken. The commander of the garrison, Colonel Robert Baden-Powell and his forces had held firm for 217 days.

1915image.pngThe fall of the last all Liberal Party government. The poor British performance in the early months of the war forced Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith to invite the Conservatives into a coalition.

1916image.pngThe Daylight-Saving Act (‘Summer Time’) was passed in Britain.

1969image.pngTom McClean from Dublin left Newfoundland aboard Super Silver and completed the first transatlantic solo crossing in a rowing boat on 27th July when he arrived at Blacksod Bay, Co. Mayo.

1978image.pngThe coffin containing the body of Charlie Chaplin, missing since his grave was pillaged nearly two months previously, was found.

1984image.pngPrince Charles called a proposed addition to the National Gallery, London, a 'monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend,' sparking controversies on the proper role of the Royal Family and the course of modern architecture.

1993image.pngNurse Beverley Allitt was convicted of murdering four babies under her 'care' at the Grantham and Kesteven hospital.



2000image.pngTwo Royal Marine commandos (Corporal Alan Chambers, 31, and Marine Charlie Paton, 29) became the first Britons to reach the geographical North Pole.

2010image.pngFour weeks after a volcanic ash cloud disrupted flights over much of Europe, restrictions were lifted at all UK airports after the volcanic ash cloud moved away from UK airspace.

BORN

1749image.pngEdward Jenner, English pioneer of vaccination was born.

1836image.pngJoseph Norman Lockyer, English astronomer and co-discoverer of helium, was born.

DIED

1886 John Deere EntrepreneurBirthdayFebruary 7, 1804-1886

2012 Donna Summer, the Queen of Disco,

17th May

Today we find ourselves in a quiet moment in the Church year.

We have celebrated Easter and the joy of Jesus rising from the dead. We have remembered His Ascension, when He returned to heaven. And now, in this time between Ascension and Pentecost, we think about the disciples waiting together — praying, hoping, and trusting God.

Our Gospel reading from the Gospel of John, chapter 17, verses 1 to 11, tells us something very tender. We hear Jesus praying.

Before everything that was about to happen to Him, Jesus did not think first about Himself. Instead, He prayed for His friends — His disciples. He asked God to look after them, to keep them safe, and to help them stay united in love.

Imagine how the disciples must have felt. Jesus, whom they loved and followed, was no longer with them in the same way. They did not know what would happen next. They simply gathered together and waited.

And if we are honest, much of life feels like that, doesn’t it?

There are times when we wait — waiting for news, waiting for strength, waiting for peace, or waiting for things to make sense. As we grow older, we know that life brings uncertainty as well as joy.

The comfort in today’s reading is this: Jesus was praying for them.

He did not leave them alone. He placed them gently into God’s care.

And the wonderful thing is that His prayer was not only for those first disciples. It is also for us. Jesus holds each of us in His love and in His prayer, whatever stage of life we are in.

Even when we feel tired, worried, or unsure, we are never forgotten. God knows us. God cares for us. God walks beside us.

So this Sunday reminds us that waiting is not wasted time. Waiting can be a time of quiet faith — trusting that God is still working, even when we cannot yet see the outcome.

Like the disciples, we wait with hope. We wait knowing that God’s Spirit brings comfort, courage, and peace.

And perhaps today we can simply take reassurance in this gentle truth:

We are loved.
We are prayed for.
And we are safely held in God’s hands.

Amen.

17/04/2026

19h April

This Sunday would have been my father’s 92nd birthday, and yet just days before, on the 13th of April, we said goodbye to him.

My heart now lives in two places at once. On one hand, I feel profoundly blessed — truly grateful beyond words — that we were given our dad for so long. Ninety-two remarkable years of life filled with love, wisdom, laughter, quiet guidance, and unwavering devotion to his family. Even in his later years he remained sharp as a pin, engaged with life, curious about the world, and deeply present with those he loved. Not everyone is granted such precious time with a parent, and I recognise what an extraordinary gift that was.

He was always there for us — steady, dependable, and constant through every season of life. Family came first to him, not simply in words but in the way he lived each day. He loved all three of his girls deeply and unconditionally, each of us treasured, protected, and encouraged in our own unique way.

And yet, alongside that gratitude sits an ache so deep it is difficult to put into words. The agony of loss is only just beginning. Grief arrives in waves — sometimes gentle like a soft memory that makes us smile, and sometimes overwhelming, taking our breath away without warning. I know this is the beginning of a long and unpredictable journey, a roller coaster of emotions where joy and sorrow walk side by side. One moment brings peace and warm remembrance; the next reminds us painfully of the space he leaves behind — a silence where his voice once was, a chair that feels emptier than it should, a world forever changed by his absence.

In these moments, I lean deeply into my faith. It is my refuge, my comfort, and my strength. I find peace in believing that he now rests safely in God’s loving arms, reunited with those who went before him — family and friends welcoming him home into eternal light. The thought of that heavenly reunion brings calm to my grieving heart. I imagine him restored, free from earthly burdens, surrounded by perfect love and divine peace.

Faith does not remove grief, but it transforms it. It allows sorrow and gratitude to coexist. It reminds me that love does not end with death, but changes form. Through faith, I can mourn with hope rather than despair, trusting that separation is only temporary and that one day we will meet again. My faith gives me the courage to stand in the midst of loss and still give thanks for a life so richly lived and a father so deeply loved.

I am learning that grief is love continuing its journey. It is love searching for expression when physical presence is gone. Every memory becomes sacred — every lesson he taught us, every story shared, every moment of laughter echoing softly in our hearts. His influence lives on in the way we speak, the way we care for others, the values we hold, and the faith we carry forward.

As his birthday approaches, I will not only mourn his absence but celebrate the extraordinary gift of his life. I will celebrate the father who showed us kindness, resilience, humility, and love . I will celebrate the man who placed family above all else and who loved his daughters with unwavering devotion. His legacy is not measured in years alone, but in the lives he shaped, the love he gave freely, and passed down to us.

Though we walk now through sorrow, I hold tightly to gratitude. Gratitude for every conversation, every shared meal, every word of encouragement, every quiet moment that now shines brightly in memory. I will honour him by living with compassion, strength, faith, and grace — striving each day to reflect the values he embodied so naturally.

He may no longer walk beside us, but his love continues to guide us. His spirit remains woven into the fabric of our family, present in every act of kindness, every prayer whispered, and every moment we choose love over fear.

Forever grateful for the years we shared.

Forever shaped by his gift of giving

Forever held together by his love