Ishmael's Website

It’s been a busy bank holiday weekend. Praise God – Ish has returned to full health and strength and loves doing what he does best, communicating the Gospel to all ages. And so we had lots of fun and laughter on Saturday at Ish’s concert in Christchurch Sandown on the Isle of Wight.  Ish’s passion has always been to teach scripture and on Saturday he gave us all plenty of scripture verses to learn and think about. It was great fun to see all ages join in singing with amazing enthusiasm. The organisers Charlotte and Andrew have been great friends for years and did a brilliant job in arranging the…

How do the Seasons inform us about God and the Bible? I took these photos on our walk yesterday. I love the Spring when everything begins to come alive again as nature wakes up and begins to blossom. Spring means a new beginning, a new day, we get warmth from the sunlight, colour from the new growth as plants and flowers spring up again everywhere, and our spirits are inspired to start again with new ideas. I also love the words of Isaiah below that give us hope: Isaiah 35 – The Joy of the Redeemed The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and…

The week after Easter is often referred to as ‘Low Week’. This is perhaps because in comparison Holy Week finishes on such a high culminating with the resurrection of Jesus. Or it could be a slight misinterpretation of an ancient practice called ‘lauds’ meaning praise which is a service of early morning prayer usually at daybreak. In the Anglican Church we call this part of the ‘daily office’, and it is a good discipline to adopt as every day begins with prayer and scripture readings. In the days following Jesus’ resurrection he appeared to his disciples and many others. What an amazing comfort this must have been for them after…

What an amazing week we have had at the cathedral. On Good Friday I attended the devotional service at mid-day when hymns, Bible readings, poems and meditations were said by our Acting Dean, Bishop Graeme. It was lovely to spend some quiet time away from the hustle and bustle of shoppers and the commercialism that Easter seems to promote. While I quite understand that it is essential for people to have a break from work, I prefer to spend some quiet time thinking about the significance of Good Friday for our individual lives. I love to sit quietly and meditate on God’s word in the peace and silence inside the…