Almighty God,
give us grace to cast away the works of darkness
and to put on the armour of light,
now in the time of this mortal life,
in which your Son Jesus Christ came to us in great humility;
that on the last day,
when he shall come again in his glorious majesty
to judge the living and the dead,
we may rise to the life immortal;
through him who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

'The Lord will reign for ever,
thy God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!' Ps. 146:10 #goodmorning #scripture #psalms #oldtestament #advent #advent2023 pic.twitter.com/HXNEvYNkvA

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) December 3, 2023

The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds of Teko′a, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of Uzzi′ah king of Judah and in the days of Jerobo′am the son of Jo′ash, king of Israel, two years[a] before the earthquake. 2 And he said:
Judgment on Israel’s Neighbors

“The Lord roars from Zion,
and utters his voice from Jerusalem;
the pastures of the shepherds mourn,
and the top of Carmel withers.”

–Amos 1:1-2

St Edith Stein (Letter 283):
"If we prepare our hearts in these beautiful weeks of preparation, then surely the Divine Child will not fail to give us rich graces." #Advent pic.twitter.com/N96DI5RVZR

— Carmelite Nuns of York (@carmelnuns) December 2, 2023

O God, who in thy providence didst call Channing Moore Williams to the ministry of this church and gave him the gifts and the perseverance to preach the Gospel in new lands: Inspire us, by his example and prayers, to commit our talents to thy service, confident that thou dost uphold those whom thou dost call; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Today the Episcopal Church commemorates Channing Moore Williams, Bishop and Missionary, 1910 https://t.co/ZOU8hteijR

Bishop Williams was the 1st Bishop of the Nippon Sei-Ko-Kai (Anglican-Episcopal Church of Japan)

Image: Statue at Rikkyo University, Tokyo. Photo: DT Johnson pic.twitter.com/3hXGauARtz

— The Anglican Church in St Petersburg (@anglicanspb) December 2, 2023

O Almighty God, Who sittest upon the throne, make all things within us new this day. Renew our faith, and hope, and love; renew our wills, that we may serve Thee gladly and watchfully with all our powers; renew our delight in Thy truth and in Thy worship; renew our joy in Thee, our longing that all may know Thee, our desires and labours to serve others. And so take care of us Thy people, who embrace the Cross of Thy Son and desire to walk in the light and power of Thy Spirit, now and evermore.

–Frederick B. Macnutt, The prayer manual for private devotions or public use on divers occasions: Compiled from all sources ancient, medieval, and modern (A.R. Mowbray, 1951)

Wishing you a wonderful weekend from Lockwood Beck, North Yorkshire 😊 pic.twitter.com/KDGeipxGOZ

— Nicky (@Nicky13Johnson) December 2, 2023

The end of all things is at hand; therefore keep sane and sober for your prayers. Above all hold unfailing your love for one another, since love covers a multitude of sins. Practice hospitality ungrudgingly to one another. As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who utters oracles of God; whoever renders service, as one who renders it by the strength which God supplies; in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

–1 Peter 4:7-19

Vue sur les sommets enneigés depuis #Antibes ️
Bon samedi à vous pic.twitter.com/WgnRDlZanh

— Brigitte B ♡♡ (@BrigitteB55) December 2, 2023

The Rt Revd Colin Buchanan, an Honorary Bishop in the Diocese of Leeds and eminent theologian, has passed away peacefully with his beloved family around him.

In tribute, the Rt Revd Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds has written to clergy following the sudden death of Bishop Colin in the Leeds General Infirmary on November 29.

Bishop Nick writes: “Colin is loved and respected around the world, but especially here in the Diocese of Leeds.

“Many parishes and individuals owe him a huge debt for his pastoral care, teaching and faithfulness. He will be greatly missed.

Read it all.

Lovely to have Bishop Colin Buchanan formerly of @SouthwarkCofE and @StJohnsNottm with us today here at #StStephensWithEastburn giving fantastic encouragement to me as new vicar and rekindling old friendships with the parish from his lent preaching and teaching @LeedsCofE pic.twitter.com/JjtSc43I6B

— David Coleman aka Sportswear Dave (@revdavidcoleman) December 8, 2019

The 137-year-old pharmaceutical and medical-device company has hired 6,000 data scientists and digital specialists in recent years, and spent hundreds of millions of dollars on their work, such as using machines to scour massive health-record datasets. Last year the company opened a state-of-the-art research site near San Francisco that houses advanced data science.

Some early efforts focus on diagnostics, like an algorithm that analyzes heart tests to spot a deadly type of high blood pressure much sooner than humans can, and voice-recognition technology to analyze speech for early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. There’s a virtual-reality goggle set to help train surgeons on procedures like knee replacements.

The long game, though, is a goal that has seen a lot of hype but less concrete proof that it will become a reality: using AI for drug discovery.

Read it all.

Can 6,000 data scientists and a massive database speed up discovery of new drugs? J&J is trying it. https://t.co/9KKphmEx1U https://t.co/9KKphmEx1U

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) November 30, 2023

The problem is that, as with the former Prime Minister’s claim, nobody really believes this is the case. How many people really believe that:

• what will be commended in the PLF Suite of Resource—public prayers for God’s blessing on two people of the same sex many of whom will be in a sexual relationship and/or a civil same-sex marriage—has always been lawful in the Church of England and could have been commended by the bishops and used by clergy at any point in the past? 
• the use of such prayers does not represent a major change from the historic and current situation? 
• while the doctrine of marriage remains unchanged, the proposed use of the PLF is neither contrary to doctrine nor indicative of a departure from in doctrine in any essential matter? 
• all these claims have been shown by the House of Bishops to be theologically and legally coherent and convincing?

Charlie Bell, a supporter of getting PLF done but also a severe critic of the latest proposals, recently wrote “what the bishops have done may be legal, but it is not honest”. This echoes the language of Canon C1 and the oath of canonical obedience. The way in which the bishops are proceeding—the “nothing has changed” argument and the refusal to publish the written legal advice they have received—is very difficult to view as honest and to trust. Given the law has not formally been changed, for many the introduction of PLF means that the doctrine to which the law refers has changed in practice. If, as it is being claimed, doctrine has not changed, then what is being proposed seems to many to be not only “not honest” but also, as shown by past legal advice, probably “not legal”. 

In short, unless we sincerely believe and are convinced that “nothing has changed”, then we have to say that it appears the bishops are acting in their commendation, and thereby encouraging clergy to act in their services, in ways which are unlawful. In addition, those liturgical actions are now—because of the bishops’ decisions, which do not alter the legality of what they commend and so in one sense could be described as simply symbolic or “virtue signalling”—going to attract much more attention when they take place then they have done in the past. This means clergy who accept at face value and act on the basis of the bishops’ commendation are probably more likely to face legal challenge than they were in the past.

In the light of this, it even more unacceptable that the bishops are now so reticent to set out clearly for parish clergy, and those who advise them such as archdeacons, both

1. the changing written legal advice which they have received throughout this process, particularly for their 9^th October meeting, and
2. a clear explanation as to how what they are now proposing in PLF is, and indeed always has been, legal and how this judgment relates to the content of past legal advice which they have published that would suggest otherwise.

Read it all.

It has repeatedly been stated that the CofE's doctrine of marriage has not changed. Can the bishops commend the Prayers of Love and Faith with any credibility without sharing the legal and theological basis on which they are doing so? @theologyethics1 https://t.co/3c7RlIvjb9

— Dr Ian Paul (@Psephizo) November 28, 2023

Nicholas Ferrar, like his great friend, George Herbert, was a courtier turned clergyman. Born in London, he was educated at a boarding school in Berkshire and at Clare College, Cambridge. He was appointed to the service of Princess Elizabeth, daughter of James I, who married the Elector Frederick V, and travelled to the continent. In the coming years, Ferrar travelled widely and, a brilliant scholar, learnt to speak Dutch, German, Italian and Spanish, as well as engaging in the study of medicine in Leipzig and Padua.

On his return to England in 1618, Ferrar was involved with the London Virginia Company, which was the family business, and he was also, for a time, a Member of Parliament. In 1626, following ordination as a deacon by the controversial Bishop (later Archbishop) William Laud, there was a major life-change when he and his extended family moved to the manor in Little Gidding in Huntingdonshire and restored St John’s church for their own use. There they lived a life of extreme simplicity, devotion and practical service.

Read it all.

Died #OnThisDay in 1637: Nicholas Ferrar, Deacon, Founder of the Little Gidding Community https://t.co/ur33uw8zDK

Image: Panel in Old St Andrew's Church, Bemerton, Wilts. Photo: Zorba the Greek, CC-BY-SA 2.0, via https://t.co/xBsaV3ToKX pic.twitter.com/Ip0mu8gdm6

— The Anglican Church in St Petersburg (@anglicanspb) December 4, 2022

Lord God, make us so reflect thy perfect love; that, with thy deacon Nicholas Ferrar and his household, we may rule ourselves according to thy Word, and serve thee with our whole heart; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

"Then this deacon, being in his surplice and hood, for so habited he ever went to church, stepped into the reading desk and officiated at divine service" – from Francis Turner's memoir of Nicholas Ferrar, describing Sunday Mattins at Little Gidding. pic.twitter.com/7Ryijl5i8w

— laudablePractice (@cath_cov) December 4, 2020

Almighty and everlasting God, who hast put thine own eternity into our hearts, and desires which the world cannot satisfy: Lift our eyes, we pray thee, above the narrow horizons of this present world, that we may behold the things eternal in the heavens, wherein is laid up for us an inheritance that fadeth not away; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

–W. E. Orchard, The Daily Service (Revised Edition); A Book of Public Worship; Divine Service (OUP, 1919 original)

Sunrise – Ardvasar, Isle of Skye #HelloDecember @angie_weather @StormHour @ThePhotoHour @VisitScotland pic.twitter.com/s0ARC8BuqG

— James MacInnes (@Macinnesplant) December 1, 2023

Surely the righteous shall give thanks to thy name; the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

–Psalm 140:13

Not in Oxford, but in Cambridge on this crisp, clear, cold night. And the views are magical. pic.twitter.com/sgyxJX5Kjk

— Jacqueline Thalmann (@jmthalmann) November 30, 2023