Almighty God, who in thy providence didst choose thy servant Patrick to be the apostle of the Irish people, to bring those who were wandering in darkness and error to the true light and knowledge of thee: Grant us so to walk in that light, that we may come at last to the light of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ever.

Today the Church of England celebrates Patrick, Bishop, Missionary, Patron of Ireland, c.460 https://t.co/dNgvDw6mzP

Image: Section of the St Patrick's Window, West End of Saint Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin https://t.co/tIDCxRVDF9 pic.twitter.com/NCGZT9Owhp

— The Anglican Church in St Petersburg (@anglicanspb) March 17, 2022

Breathe in me, O Holy Spirit, that I may think what is holy.
Move me, O Holy Spirit, that I may do what is holy.
Attract me, O Holy Spirit, that I love but what is holy.
Strengthen me, O Holy Spirit, that I may guard what is holy.
Guard me, O Holy Spirit, that I may never lose what is holy. Amen.

Good morning everyone , greetings from a moody Dartmoor ! Take care ❤️#Dartmoor #Devon #landscapephotography #photography #ThePhotoHour #StormHour #moors 💙💛🇺🇦🙏 pic.twitter.com/hbrl7wvU7y

— Gary James (@Gazpics76) March 17, 2022

And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not on a stand? For there is nothing hid, except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret, except to come to light. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.” And he said to them, “Take heed what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you. For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

And he said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed upon the ground, and should sleep and rise night and day, and the seed should sprout and grow, he knows not how. The earth produces of itself, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. But when the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.”

And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”

With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it; he did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

–Mark 4:21-34

Check out the fog rolling into Downtown Charleston this morning! #chswx pic.twitter.com/20wscNVPNH

— JoeyLive5 (@JoeySovine) March 17, 2022

Norwich’s outgoing reverend has been awarded the city’s highest civic honour.

The Very Rev Dr Jane Hedges was granted the Freedom of the City (FOTC) at a special council meeting on Tuesday.

Dr Hedges has been dean of Norwich Cathedral since 2014, the first woman to hold the role. She is due to stand down on May 1.

The reverend received praise for engaging new audiences through several initiatives including installing a helter-skelter in the nave and helping to bring the ‘Dippy the Dinosaur’ exhibition to the church.

Read it all.

A privilege to be present as Dean Jane Hedges ⁦@Nrw_Cathedral⁩ was given the Freedom of the City of Norwich. Movingly, the Freedom was also given to the Ukrainian cities of Lviv and Odessa, ⁦@NorwichCC⁩ twin ⁦@UNESCO⁩ Cities of Literature https://t.co/WgfZWlERuQ

— Graham Usher (@bishopnorwich) March 16, 2022

“In this holy season of Lent, we call upon churches everywhere to campaign for an immediate end to the war in Ukraine, and to proclaim the dignity of every human life, whatever its nationality.

“We welcome and commend the extraordinary efforts of countries neighbouring Ukraine in receiving refugees from the war and call on the UK and the whole of Europe to follow their example. We support every measure to protect the most vulnerable.

We commit ourselves to pray for the nations of Russia and Ukraine, our own Government and people, and for all who find themselves refugees, or bereaved, wounded or destitute. May Christ have mercy upon our world.”

Read it all.

As the conflict in Ukraine continues, many churches and individuals are seeking ways to support and respond. 🙏

You can use our toolkit to find ways to pray, give and act at https://t.co/lWR4VrMhFV.

— The Church of England (@churchofengland) March 15, 2022

The Rt Revd Chip Edgar was consecrated Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina at a festive service held at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul in Charleston, Saturday, March 12, 2022.

The service began with a lengthy processional of bishops, priests and deacons from the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, the Diocese of the Southeast (Reformed Episcopal Church) and the Diocese of the Carolinas, as well as clergy from other dioceses, laity representing various diocesan ministries, institutions, and ministry partners.

The Archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), the Most Reverend Foley Beach was the chief consecrator and Bishops Mark Lawrence, Steve Wood and William White of the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, the Diocese of the Carolinas, and the Diocese of the Southeast were co-consecrators. More than a dozen other bishops participated in the service.

“This gathering of people, everyone together… this is a picture of what heaven looks like,” said Edgar during the service. “There’s a kind of basking in it, that has just been overwhelming to me as the service has unfolded.”

In addition to the capacity crowd at the Cathedral, more than 1000 tuned in online from across the country and around the world to join the event.

Read it all.

We welcome our new Bishop, the Rt Revd Chip Edgar, who was consecrated March 12, 2022. Let's pray regularly for our new bishop, his wife and family and labor alongside him to produce fruit in the vineyard to which we're called. View the service: https://t.co/4dRKj3inei pic.twitter.com/ShByUuXRIk

— Anglican Diocese of SC (@anglican_sc) March 13, 2022

For more than a dozen years, Christianity Today failed to hold two ministry leaders accountable for sexual harassment at its Carol Stream, Illinois, office.

A number of women reported demeaning, inappropriate, and offensive behavior by former editor in chief Mark Galli and former advertising director Olatokunbo Olawoye. But their behavior was not checked and the men were not disciplined, according to an external assessment of the ministry’s culture released Tuesday.

The report identified a pair of problems at the flagship magazine of American evangelicalism: a poor process for “reporting, investigating, and resolving harassment allegations” and a culture of unconscious sexism that can be “inhospitable to women.” CT has made the assessment public.

Read it all.

It's weird and hard and also good to read this and see so much truth of what I and other women who worked at CT saw and experienced. Thanks to @CTmagazine @danielsilliman @kateshellnutt for reporting and writing this. https://t.co/t1t8kb5Vzf

— Laura Leonard (@lmarieleonard) March 15, 2022

Read it all.

My thoughts in @washingtonpost w/ @Anthony_Faiola “I find it hard to imagine Putin accepting a military defeat without him trying to use nuclear weapons first,” Kroenig said. “I think he sees limited nuclear use as more attractive than defeat.” https://t.co/iLc4BKR7tl

— Matthew Kroenig (@MatthewKroenig) March 15, 2022

O Blessed Saviour, who art full of mercy and compassion, and wilt not cast out any that come to thee: Help us, we beseech thee, who are grievously vexed with the burden of our sins; and so increase in us the power of thy Holy Spirit that we may prevail against the enemy of our souls; for thy name’s sake.

Day 722

Indian Scops-Owl!!#dailypic #IndiAves #TwitterNatureCommunity #birdwatching #BirdsSeenIn2022 #ThePhotoHour #BBCWildlifePOTD pic.twitter.com/lp798Lkyzp

— Amit Sood (@mit_sood) March 16, 2022

Again he began to teach beside the sea. And a very large crowd gathered about him, so that he got into a boat and sat in it on the sea; and the whole crowd was beside the sea on the land. And he taught them many things in parables, and in his teaching he said to them: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell along the path, and the birds came and devoured it. Other seed fell on rocky ground, where it had not much soil, and immediately it sprang up, since it had no depth of soil; and when the sun rose it was scorched, and since it had no root it withered away. Other seed fell among thorns and the thorns grew up and choked it, and it yielded no grain. And other seeds fell into good soil and brought forth grain, growing up and increasing and yielding thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.” And he said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

And when he was alone, those who were about him with the twelve asked him concerning the parables. And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables; so that they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand; lest they should turn again, and be forgiven.” And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? The sower sows the word. And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown; when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word which is sown in them. And these in like manner are the ones sown upon rocky ground, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; and they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away. And others are the ones sown among thorns; they are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world, and the delight in riches, and the desire for other things, enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. But those that were sown upon the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

–Mark 4:1-20

Daffodils in full bloom at Glastonbury Abbey. pic.twitter.com/lLTcH2DX02

— Michelle Cowbourne (@Glastomichelle) March 16, 2022

Terry Halstead, from Todmorden, took up the hobby when he was in his teens and still at school.

“Four of us lads went to Christ Church, in Todmorden, and they agreed to teach us the art. It was probably a mistake – four teenagers were something of a handful – but I have loved it ever since,” he said.

“I continued when Christ Church closed as a Church, and moved to St Mary’s in Todmorden, where a new set of eight bells were installed by the local ringers, seven newly cast, and one chiming bell taken from Christ Church. As I got older St Mary’s proved to be a wise move. “It is a ground-floor ringing room, there are no well-worn stone steps to climb.”

Read it all.

Bells ring out for Terry from Todmorden's 100th birthdayhttps://t.co/u0FI2Mzxse

— Halifax Courier (@HXCourier) March 15, 2022

Many companies are still lobbying against the Paris Agreement, according to InfluenceMap, a nonprofit group that pushes for corporate action on climate. It says only 14% of 375 companies it tracks have aligned their detailed climate-policy engagement activities with the Paris Agreement.

“Corporate political engagement continues to represent one of the key barriers to delivering the Paris Agreement’s goals,” said Ed Collins, director of corporate lobbying at InfluenceMap.

Having a shared standard will make it easier for companies to show their public climate promises are serious, said Adam Matthews, chief responsible investment officer at the Church of England Pensions Board.

But companies that don’t sign up may face more shareholder pressure.

Read it all (registration or subscription).

💡Climate policy is one of the main interventions that will get us on a path to 1.5ºC. An impressive 21 resolutions have been filed in the US on Paris-Aligned Lobbying for the 2022 proxy season @CeresNews https://t.co/8YJ1H80sY7 via @WSJ

— Rebecca Hoffman (@rebeccahoffmn) March 14, 2022

Although Russian soldiers are not believed to have made meaningful advances towards the city centre for more than a week, the bombardment has turned up the pressure. “Their plan is to wear us down through intimidation and exhaustion,” says Serhii Kuzan, head of the Ukrainian Security and Co-operation Centre, a think-tank.

To the north-west and north-east of the capital Ukrainian forces are fighting tooth and nail to hold back the Russian invasion, and whole small suburban towns are being laid to waste. Critically, they have largely succeeded in keeping Russian artillery out of range of the city centre. As a result, for many in Kyiv, the war has been more of a distant rumble than a reality—until now.

Some 25 minutes’ drive north-west of the centre, the Russian advance has been halted at the town of Irpin. In the north-east a convoy of advancing tanks was stopped at Skybyn on March 10th. Since then thousands of residents have fled the Russians, some pell-mell and others in organised convoys.

On the morning of March 14th a missile hit another block of flats, in the northern district of Obolon, killing two. A few hours later yet another missile smashed into a nearby street, destroying parked cars and a trolley-bus and killing a pedestrian. Within an hour of that strike electrical engineers were at work reconnecting severed and dangling cables.

No one knows for sure if these missiles are aimed at military targets and have missed, or are designed to sow panic by hitting civilian areas at random. If panic is the aim, it is not working.

Read it all (registration or subscription).

Today's work: Terror comes to Kyiv – Missile strikes inside Ukraine’s capital point to a new phase in the war https://t.co/9XFbDGRxrg

— Tim Judah (@timjudah1) March 15, 2022

Listen to it all or there is more there if you so desire.

At the heart of orthodox Christian theology is an unshakable belief that God can actually change people. pic.twitter.com/HVc0mAmIku

— Shane L. Bishop (@RevShaneBishop) March 15, 2022

Most Gracious God, who hast bidden us to do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly before thee; Teach us, like thy servants Vincent and Louise, to see and to serve Christ by feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, clothing the naked, and caring for the sick; that we may know him to be the giver of all good things, through the same, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today the Episcopal Church commemorates Vincent de Paul, Priest, 1660 and Louise de Marillac, Vowed Religious, 1660 https://t.co/FHXiOJCGff pic.twitter.com/Tl8Mk4y58s

— The Anglican Church in St Petersburg (@anglicanspb) March 15, 2022

O Eternal God, who hast taught us by thy holy Word that our bodies are temples of thy Spirit: Keep us, we most humbly beseech thee, temperate and holy in thought, word and deed, that at the last we, with all the pure in heart, may see thee and be made like unto thee in thy heavenly kingdom; through Christ our Lord.

Good morning. I got some nice colours this morning. 🌅 pic.twitter.com/JD7mG3YWby

— Sharon (@sharonwelby1) March 15, 2022

And his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting about him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers are outside, asking for you.” And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” And looking around on those who sat about him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

–Mark 3:31-35

March 1/22 – Beautiful Vancouver Island Mountain range, British Columbia, CANADA 🇨🇦 #thephotohour #stormhour #shareyourweather @weathernetwork @stormhourmark @stormhourmedia ⁦@StormHourAdele⁩ #twitternaturephotography #twitternaturecommunity #hellobc #standwithukraine 🇺🇦 pic.twitter.com/ZUCKDYP0Dz

— SuzanneK🙏🏻💕 (@Suzanne44023422) March 15, 2022

In his final address to the Convention of The Anglican Diocese of South Carolina, Bishop Mark Lawrence thanked various groups for their partnership these last 14 years. “If I have stood firm and at times resolute and perhaps even resilient, it is because you have stood firmly beside me,” he said.

The Convention, which was held Friday, March 11, 2022, at Saint James Anglican Church, Charleston was shortened to enable the consecration of our new bishop, the Rt Revd Chip Edgar, to be held the next day, Saturday, March 12.

In his address, Bishop Lawrence reflected on the steep learning curve he had as Bishop, quoting Bishop Salmon, who said the transition “reminded him of a NASCAR race. ‘He would drive into the Pit Stop, jump out, and South Carolina 14 would jump in.’”

“Frankly, I have a far less stressful handing over the reins than did he,” said Lawrence. “And moreover, I trust Charles Francis Edgar III will have less stressful receiving of them than did I. If this is true, it’s partially due to the ACNA – the Anglican Church in North America, the provincial Church we are now part of, and likewise to the greater unity within the Anglican Diocese of South Carolina. In addition, it’s partially due to the competence of my successor…”

The most poignant part of his address came at the very end when he thanked various diocesan groups, committees – and his wife, Allison.

Read it all and please note the many links at the bottom of the article for excellent and interesting material you should consider giving your time to.

As our diocese transitions towards a new season of leadership, it’s a good time to glean some final reflections and advice from Bishop Lawrence. What wisdom would he want to share with us? Read https://t.co/G6e7dovN4I to find out! #BishopLawrence #WordsOfWisdom #ADOSC pic.twitter.com/Hs3aFx4Vfv

— Anglican Diocese of SC (@anglican_sc) February 23, 2022

The ‘citizen science’ event – set to run between 4-12th June – will welcome people to churchyards and encourage them to record what animals and plants they see. That data will then be collated on the biological records hub, the National Biodiversity Network.

Last year more than 540 activities and events were organised by churches across the country. People submitted 17,232 recorded pieces of data on wildlife they saw, with more than 1,500 species recorded.

This year’s event will take place during the same week as Love Your Burial Ground Week (4-12th June).

Graham Usher, the Bishop of Norwich and lead Church of England bishop for the environment, encouraged churches to start preparing.

He said: “I’m encouraging every parish to get involved with this year’s Churches Count on Nature.

“Churchyards and gardens are an incredible home of biodiversity, making up thousands of acres of green oases in every community of the country. Last year, hundreds of parishes got their local community searching for insects and plants in their open spaces.

Read it all.

Churches and cathedrals are preparing for the annual Churches Count on Nature event. 🌳

As part of 'Love Your Burial Ground Week' the event will welcome people to churchyards, and encourage them to record what animals and plants they see.

Read more at https://t.co/fcKuvQslfB.

— The Church of England (@churchofengland) March 14, 2022

Every year that Southern Living has published rankings for its annual South’s Best Awards, Charleston has topped its list of best cities.

This latest win, announced last week, can’t be called consecutive, though. Charleston’s last time at No. 1 on the list was in March 2020, just days before cities started going into COVID-19 lockdown.

At the time, it wasn’t clear yet how the virus would affect South Carolina, and tourism leaders said the nod from Southern Living might have come at an ideal time: Air travel was already dropping off, but the visitor industry was still hopeful that tourists would continue to make shorter road trips. Southern Living readers were primarily in Charleston’s “drive market.”

Read it all.

Charleston’s “secret to holding the top spot” on Southern Living’s list of best cities in the South, according to the magazine, is its “commitment to reinvention,” with new hotels and restaurants popping up frequently on the peninsula.https://t.co/OirAMRzEYF

— The Post and Courier (@postandcourier) March 14, 2022

These are miscalculations, not signs of madness. They’re the kind of miscalculations you make if you are very divorced from reality, because you lead the life of a czar, in vast — if hideous — palaces, surrounded by people who are terrified of you and tell you what they think you want to hear. If I put myself in Putin’s position, I don’t think he’s trying to resurrect the Soviet Union. He’s looking back even further and trying to bring back the Russian Empire, with himself as “Czar Vladimir.”

It’s an ideology of conservative, orthodox nationalism that Putin offers, that has nothing to do with the Soviet legacy. A lot of people get this wrong.

He has a huge incentive to speed up the defeat of Ukraine, using more brutal methods if that’s what it takes. Because if he doesn’t win, then I think his position at home will become very vulnerable.

If I’m him, the crucial thing now is to achieve victory over Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian army as fast as possible so that we can get to some peace negotiation from a position of strength. In that negotiation, Putin might be willing to make some concessions to get the sanctions reduced or removed.

Read it all.

#China has ambitions in Central and East Asia that pose a potential threat to #Russia, notes historian Niall Ferguson. "At some point their relationship begins to fray because, in truth, neither side really trusts the other."https://t.co/dDfabxZvO8

— Nikkei Asia (@NikkeiAsia) March 14, 2022

Write deeply upon our minds, O Lord God, the lesson of thy holy Word, that only the pure in heart can see thee. Leave us not in the bondage of any sinful inclination. May we neither deceive ourselves with the thought that we have no sin, nor acquiesce idly in aught of which our conscience accuses us. Strengthen us by thy Holy Spirit to fight the good fight of faith, and grant that no day may pass without its victory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

A Glorious Spring Morning. 10°C and very still. Voles in the long grass. pic.twitter.com/aYQlNNkfUw

— Yorkshire Wolds Weather (@WeatherWolds) March 14, 2022

When I am afraid, I put my trust in thee. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust without a fear. What can flesh do to me?

–Psalm 56:3-4

Early morning reflections #sunrise #photography pic.twitter.com/L0w4Cs18AM

— Jessica Myers (@JMyers_Photos) March 14, 2022

We learn, lastly, from these verses, that converted sinners will always give evidence of their conversion. We are told that Zaccheus “stood, and said unto the Lord, the half of my goods I give unto the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.” There was reality in that speech. There was unmistakable proof that Zaccheus was a new creature. When a wealthy Christian begins to distribute his riches, and an extortioner begins to make restitution, we may well believe that old things have passed away, and all things become new. (2 Cor. 5:17.) There was decision in that speech. “I give,” says Zaccheus–“I restore.” He does not speak of future intentions. He does not say, “I will,” but “I do.” Freely pardoned, and raised from death to life, Zaccheus felt that he could not begin too soon to show whose he was and whom he served.

—Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, quoted by yours truly in the morning sermon

Luke 19:1-10
Jesus entered Jericho&was going through the town when a man whose name was Zacchaeus made his appearance:he was one of the senior tax collectors&a wealthy man.He was anxious to see what kind of man Jesus was,but he was too short and could not see him for the crowd. pic.twitter.com/kfXgFgLty8

— Kalina Boulter (@KalinaBoulter) November 20, 2018

Almighty God, Lord of the storm and of the calm, the vexed sea and the quiet haven, of day and of night, of life and of death, – grant unto us so to have our hearts stayed upon Thy faithfulness, Thine unchangingness and love, that, whatsoever betide us, however black the cloud or dark the night, with quiet faith trusting in Thee we may look upon Thee with untroubled eye, and walking in lowliness towards Thee, and in lovingness towards one another, abide all storms and troubles of this mortal life, beseeching Thee that they may turn to the soul’s true good. We ask it for Thy mercy’s sake, shown in Jesus Christ our Lord.

–Robert W. Rodenmayer, ed., The Pastor’s Prayerbook: Selected and arranged for various occasions (New York: Oxford University Press, 1960)

Today on Glastonbury Tor. Can you see a cloud animal? Portrait format so might need a click. pic.twitter.com/uq3VIuRYSs

— Michelle Cowbourne (@Glastomichelle) March 13, 2022

Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
Who is the King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle!
Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up, O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory!

–Psalm 24:7-10

“No matter how sophisticated you may be, a large granite mountain cannot be denied — it speaks in silence to the very core of your being.”— Ansel Adams

Photo @YosemiteNPS courtesy of Mark Bouldoukian pic.twitter.com/PKiM1YluCu

— US Department of the Interior (@Interior) March 12, 2022

Please note that the event will be livestreamed for any of you so inclined.