Two things should make you consider what artificial intelligence could mean for humanity. One is that those working with the technology are warning about it leading to a catastrophe—human extinction, even. The other is how technological innovation is aggravating the destruction of Ukraine. These things offer conflicting lessons for whether AI’s rapid progress can or should be slowed down.

For years, leading AI bosses have signalled that their technology could become lethal. Bots may become brainy enough to outwit their creators before they are “aligned” with humanity’s goals and ethics. Bad people could use AI to wreak havoc. These warnings have become more credible as AI agents have escaped their sandboxes during testing, co-ordinated with one another and hacked organisations, including an AI lab itself. Anthropic, one model-maker, has caught people using its models for malign ends, from Mali’s intelligence services getting a mass-surveillance system built, to Houthi rebels in Yemen thought to be writing software for ballistic missiles.

Following the recent resignation of a researcher at Anthropic, public fear of AI doom has spread. In a post viewed more than 170m times, he said that it and OpenAI were “gambling with our lives”. AI is rapidly growing more potent, for good and ill. In May prediction markets priced a less-than-one-third chance of AI solving any millennium prize maths problem before 2030; on September 8th OpenAI said it had solved one of them, causing angst among mathematicians. On September 12th Sam Altman and Elon Musk, two AI titans, endorsed a call by Dario Amodei, the head of Anthropic, to “pace the frontier”, ie, to slow AI’s progress. Those in favour of a slowdown include Bernie Sanders, a left-wing senator, and Steve Bannon, a right-wing populist.

Read it all.

Can the AI arms race be stopped?https://t.co/iuG0rZA8CW

— Héctor Dedrick Guerrero (@hectordguerrero) September 17, 2026

O God, by whose grace thy servant Hildegard, enkindled with the fire of thy love, became a burning and shining light in thy Church: Grant that we also may be aflame with the spirit of love and discipline, and may ever walk before thee as children of light; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with thee, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, liveth and reigneth, one God, now and for ever.

St. Hildegard of Bingen (1179)

Born in Germany, she became a Benedictine nun and Abbess. She received visions since the age of three, and was ordered to write them down. She composed short works on medicine and physiology, and sought advice from St. Bernard of Clairvaux. pic.twitter.com/a5a3HFpMf0

— Memento Mori (@TempusFugit4016) September 17, 2026

Lord Jesus Christ, who for our sake didst endure the cross, and hast bidden us to follow thee: Take away from us all fear, all coldness of heart, all unwillingness to suffer; that we, glorying in thy cross, may glory also that thou hast called us to bear it with thee; for thy name’s sake.

—Daily Prayer, Eric Milner-White and G. W. Briggs, eds. (London: Penguin Books 1959 edition of the 1941 original)

Autumn sunrise through the trees – Armadale, Isle of Skye #Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 @ThePhotoHour @StormHour @VisitScotland @BBCHighlands @krobertsonitv pic.twitter.com/H1yrI81UZA

— James MacInnes (@Macinnesplant) September 17, 2026

“But where shall wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
Man does not know the way to it,
and it is not found in the land of the living.

–Job 28:12-13

Good morning from Ely 🧡
A little bit of colour at sunrise, before the drizzle 🌧️ started. pic.twitter.com/mDBjviVotp

— Veronica in the Fens 🧚🏼‍♀️ My Heart in Nature (@VeronicaJoPo) September 17, 2026

Julian Atkins, the Church of England’s Net Zero Carbon Programme Director, said: “As Christians, we believe we have a responsibility to care for God’s creation and to bear witness to the love we have for our neighbours, particularly those who are most vulnerable to the devastating effects of climate change. That is not about politics, but about living out our faith in a practical and demonstrable way. 

 “Across the country, parishes are taking action in ways that make sense for their own buildings and communities – raising money locally, making buildings more energy efficient and finding other practical solutions to reduce carbon emissions. 

“We are deeply grateful to all our many committed volunteers who make this possible. Our role through the national Net Zero Carbon Programme is to create the conditions and provide the funding and expertise to help them do that. 

“For many churches, this is about much more than reducing carbon.

“It is about creating warmer, more welcoming buildings that can serve their communities well, while using resources wisely and, where possible, reducing energy costs so that more can be invested in mission and ministry. 

“That is why this work matters. 

Read it all.

As energy prices surge, I spoke to churches that have got rid of oil fired boilers in favour of 'green' heating alternatives and energy efficiency measures, backed by the @churchofengland Net Zero carbon programme. https://t.co/aYXtN5nTsp via @churchofengland

— Martha Linden (@MarthaJLinden) September 16, 2026

Roman Catholic or Jewish prime ministers from being involved in the process of making Church of England appointments.

It was among the first pieces of legislation to be introduced to Parliament under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, himself a Catholic, who has called the current laws “unacceptable”.

When appointing bishops and archbishops, the Church presents a candidate to the prime minister who then advises the monarch on who to install in the role.

Although the involvement of the prime minister in this process has become more of a formality in recent years, legislation still exists that specifically bars Roman Catholics and Jews from exercising this responsibility.

That is why earlier this month Burnham, the first Catholic prime minister, transferred the responsibility of advising the King on Church appointments to the Lord Chancellor.

Read it all.

Government to end ban on Catholic and Jewish PMs' involvement in Church appointments https://t.co/2p9sAwzXeZ

— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) September 16, 2026

Teddy Wojtowicz hasn’t gambled in about three years, after his betting habit cost him his career and enough money to have bought a house, and left him with a criminal record.

He says his addiction escalated from spending $20-$40 on a night out, to wasting his paycheque every two weeks, to getting payday loans — and writing $22,000 in cheques to himself from his workplace.

“When you’re gambling and you see that you keep losing and you know that you’re losing, there’s some part of you saying, ‘Well, the next time I’m gonna win,'” Wojtowicz said.

The former accountant, who also had an alcohol addiction, admitted himself to a hospital in Dauphin, Man., in April 2023, after he began to think about suicide, and went through weeks of treatment to deal with his gambling. It was the second time he had sought help in the past decade.

Wojtowich is one of a rising number of men and boys who are turning to hospital emergency departments after reaching rock bottom with gambling and related addictions and disorders, according to a new study published Wednesday in The American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Researchers in Ontario found a dramatic increase in emergency department visits in just the past few years, following the rapid growth of online gambling in that province and the legalization of betting on single sports events.

Read it all.

‘Tip of the iceberg:’ More Ontarians with gambling disorders are showing up in emergency departments, study finds https://t.co/3yqZYzzvip

— CTV News Northern Ontario (@CTVNewsNorthern) September 16, 2026

“It’s like the countries don’t trust the U.S.,” said Daniel Tannebaum, a partner in Oliver Wyman’s finance and risk practice who served at the Treasury Department as the Office of Foreign Assets Control compliance coordinator for the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. “I do think that there is a fear factor.”

That fear factor is also creating blowback for American companies that are trying to do business abroad.

Mr. Tannebaum, who is a partner in Oliver Wyman’s risk and public policy practice, said that the aggressive use of tariffs and export controls by the United States has made European countries and companies wary of adopting American technology for sensitive industries such as artificial intelligence. They worry that if they are dependent on the United States for such infrastructure it could be used against them if Washington decides to ban or disable the technology, as it has done during disputes with China and Russia.

All of this has contributed to an erosion of America’s status as a safe haven.

Read it all.

The World Economy Is Becoming Wary of the U.S. https://t.co/BkvAF43pOj via @NYTimes

— John Bresnahan (@bresreports) September 16, 2026

O God, who by the preaching of thy blessed servant and bishop Ninian didst cause the light of the Gospel to shine in the land of Britain: Grant, we beseech thee, that, having his life and labors in remembrance, we may show forth our thankfulness by following the example of his zeal and patience; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Today the Church of England celebrates Ninian, Bishop of Galloway, Apostle of the Picts, c.432

Image: Detail of the St Ninian window (D. Marion Grant, 1954) in @GlasgowHighKirk. Photo by Lawrence OP, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, via flickr pic.twitter.com/9wUH1tmf93

— The Anglican Church in St Petersburg (@anglicanspb) September 16, 2024

 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)

Wednesday Wonder!🌅⛵️⚓️ Good morning world! 🌎#Cornwall #StormHour #WednesdayVibes #Sunrise pic.twitter.com/mc4FZWCR33

— Kate 🏄‍♀️🌊🤙〓〓🏴‍☠️🤿🪼⛵️⚓️🌅 (@CornwallK8) September 16, 2026

As we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a slave girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners much gain by soothsaying. She followed Paul and us, crying, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to you the way of salvation.” And this she did for many days. But Paul was annoyed, and turned and said to the spirit, “I charge you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour.

But when her owners saw that their hope of gain was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the market place before the rulers; and when they had brought them to the magistrates they said, “These men are Jews and they are disturbing our city. They advocate customs which it is not lawful for us Romans to accept or practice.” The crowd joined in attacking them; and the magistrates tore the garments off them and gave orders to beat them with rods. And when they had inflicted many blows upon them, they threw them into prison, charging the jailer to keep them safely. Having received this charge, he put them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.

–Acts 16:16-24

Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday from Skinningrove, North Yorkshire 😊 pic.twitter.com/yxG1BCJMY0

— Nicky (@NickyJohnsonNY) September 16, 2026

Parish-church and cathedral choirs are among the beneficiaries of the £438,955 awarded by the Cathedral Music Trust this year.

Among the 27 grants is a Church Choir Award of £8,655 to establish a junior training choir at Lancaster Priory as an “inclusive, high-quality pathway to choristership”; £4,000 to provide singing tuition to choristers at Kendal Parish Church; £3,800 to launch a new junior choir at Holy Trinity, Stratford upon Avon; and £3,700 to enable Halifax Minster to launch a schools singing programme.

Twelve Anglican cathedrals in England and Wales have received awards, several of which will support the salaries of musicians; these include assistant directors of music at Truro, Chelmsford, and Wakefield, and lay clerks at Bradford, Newcastle, and Coventry. Llandaff Cathedral was awarded £22,350 to provide vocal coaching and theory tuition for cathedral choristers, and targeted vocal development for back row singers.

Read it all.

Parish-church choirs are among the beneficiaries of the £438,955 awarded by the Cathedral Music Trust this year. #ChurchNews #ChurchTimes @_cathedralmusic https://t.co/NULMuRHxLp

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) September 15, 2026

In its latest (fourth) report on AI “misuse”—more essential reading—Anthropic revealed that its most popular models (Claude Haiku, Sonnet, and Opus) are being, or have recently been, misused by a variety of Generative Threat Groups (GTGs) in “seven harm areas: cyber operations, influence operations, surveillance, scams and fraud, biological misuse, conventional weapons development, and distillation.” In each case, AI was making bad human behavior much more effective, until Anthropic spotted what was going on.

The interesting thing is who out there is up to no good. GTG-20006 (Anthropic gives each case a number) was the inevitable Russians, “attacking military intelligence targets in Ukrainian and European governments as well as diplomatic and defense organizations and individuals connected to U.S. foreign policy.” Putin and his little green men have been doing this kind of thing for years, of course. But AI makes the mobile exploitation kit, the credential-stealing tool, and the phishing platform all work better and faster as well as helping evade detection.

I have long shared the view articulated by Gregory Conti, a professor of politics at Princeton, that “even if AI does not end life on Earth, it will destroy our way of life”.…..To understand why Conti is right, you need to grasp the four forces inexorably driving p(Doom) upward above 10 percent: Recursive self-improvement, The unscrupulousness of Sam Altman, The complete confusion in Washington, The utter cynicism in Beijing.

Read it all.

Niall Ferguson: AIpocalypse Now
It’s not just the next 9/11, enabled by AI, that is coming. It’s the next global financial crisis. It’s the next pandemic. It might even be the next world war. What, if anything, can we do about it? https://t.co/DRLqpVxqKF

— Juan Carlos Zapata S. (@jczapata_s) September 14, 2026

For most of modern history, the household was a bundle. Under one roof, families pooled rent and meals, raised children, cared for parents, kept each other company and insured one another against bad luck. Nobody itemized it, and national accounts barely noticed.

Across East Asia, that arrangement is coming apart, and one line item after another has turned into something you pay for. The loneliness economy is the usual name for the result; the unbundling of the family household is the more accurate one.

In South Korea, single-person households are now 36% of the total, the largest category. Japan was at 38% in 2020 and is expected to reach 44% by 2050; Tokyo is already past half.

China’s 2020 census found 125 million people living alone, equal to one in four households. Fertility has fallen in step. South Korea’s rate is 0.80, Hong Kong’s is 0.84 and Taiwan’s births fell 20% in 2025 alone.

The money has followed. Discovery Reports, a Chinese research firm, puts spending by singles in China at more than US$1 trillion in 2025, up about 50% in two years. The “silver economy” serving the elderly is expected to reach 30 trillion yuan, about $4 trillion, by 2035. Pop Mart, the toymaker behind Labubu, reported $5.4 billion in revenue last year, up 185%.

Read it all.

#Asia’s $1 trillion singles economy is not simply a demographic crisis or a retail boom. Much of it reflects family functions becoming paid services, while care, emergency support and social insurance remain stubbornly hard to unbundle. #LonelinessEconomyhttps://t.co/ufYz5N1MdD

— Asia Times (@asiatimesonline) September 14, 2026

Peter Green’s translation of the Odyssey keeps Homer’s repeated epithets and formulaic phrases fully intact. Achilles remains “swift-footed” whether he is fighting or sitting in his tent. Green’s English is plain and meant to be read aloud; he preserves the repeated epithets and formulaic phrases precisely because the repetition itself is part of the point. Read Green and you will hear “wine-dark sea” and “rosy-fingered dawn” exactly as Homer repeated them. 

Robert Fagles took the opposite approach. Uncomfortable with straight repetition, he worked to make the epithets contribute to the drama of each moment. Where Homer has Hector carry his “shining helmet” unchanged from line to line, Fagles makes the helmet flash repeatedly, until the device starts to feel more like a cinematic lighting effect than a Homeric formula.  

More recently, Emily Wilson made the choice consciously rather than instinctively. She explained to the Chicago Review of Books that repetition means something different depending on who is listening: in Homer’s oral culture, repetition signaled that something is important and worth listening to and remembering. Back in 2017 she shared in that same interview her belief that in a literate culture like ours, the same repetition reads instead as unimportant, something to skip. She therefore chose to preserve the feeling of Homer’s repetition through variation, rather than reproduce the exact words. Dawn still appears as often as she does in the Greek, and each appearance keeps the recurring imagery of roses, flowers, pinkness, fingers, and newness, but the phrasing changes from occurrence to occurrence. 

Wilson has since reconsidered that decision. After finishing her Iliad and living longer with the Homeric material, she returned to the Odyssey and began an entirely new translation. In a March 2026 talk at the University of Iowa titled “Realms of Gold: Re-translating Homer in the Twenty-First Century,” and in subsequent interviews, she has said that her experience has changed her understanding of repetition: she now sees more clearly how repeated phrases create patterns across the poem and help readers recognize connections between scenes. She is allowing herself more lines and syllables than in the first version precisely so that more of those repetitive elements can remain. The fact that she is willing to redo one of the most successful and widely read translations of the last decade because of this shift is rare and revealing. 

Read it all.

Homer Against the Attention Economy – Public Discourse
https://t.co/X74jw8MZ7O

— rogueclassicist ~ david meadows (@rogueclassicist) September 11, 2026

Gracious God, reveal to thy church the depths of thy love; that, like thy servant Catherine of Genoa, we might give ourselves in loving service, knowing that we have been perfectly loved by thee; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

"Everything comes from love,
all is ordained for the salvation of man,
God does nothing without this goal in mind."

– St. Catherine of Siena pic.twitter.com/JcCOAggoYX

— ‘The Warning’ (@jainelsonwinck) September 13, 2026

O God, because without you we are not able to please you, mercifully grant that your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule our hearts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Guten Morgen ☕☕☕ pic.twitter.com/Vl0gNwPrD3

— Die Kellner's (@andreas_kellner) September 15, 2026

Let me dwell in thy tent for ever!
    Oh to be safe under the shelter of thy wings!Selah
For thou, O God, hast heard my vows,
    thou hast given me the heritage of those who fear thy name.

–Psalm 61:4-5

Met wat kleurtinten sloot de dag mooi af. Fijne dinsdag😀 #zonsondergang pic.twitter.com/iLG7NNyM5z

— Tjark Dieterman (@DietermanTjark) September 15, 2026

The Prime Minister has pledged to change what he calls the “unacceptable” law that prohibits Roman Catholic and Jewish Prime Ministers from advising the Crown on ecclesiastical appointments.

In a statement to the House of Commons on Thursday of last week, Andy Burnham, who is the first Prime Minister to be a Roman Catholic on taking office (News, 4 September), said that the restrictions were an “antiquated and archaic anomaly”.

The “restrictions set out in the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 and the Jews Relief Act 1858 prevent persons professing the Roman Catholic and Jewish faiths only from advising the Sovereign on appointments to the Church of England and Church of Scotland”, he said.

As such, Mr Burnham had transferred his constitutional responsibility for advising the Sovereign on church appointments to the Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary, Alex Norris.

Read it all.

EXC: Legislation to remove the constitutional bar on Catholics advising the King on Church of England appointments being introduced in the Commons tomorrow

It’s our first Catholic prime minister’s first billhttps://t.co/ojXo0L6Yuv

— Patrick Maguire (@patrickkmaguire) September 14, 2026

MPs have voted against proposals to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales, bringing the latest effort to change the law to an end.

Following a debate in which both sides made emotional speeches, the House of Commons voted 286 to 270 – a majority of 16 – against the proposed legislation.

The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would have allowed adults with fewer than six months to live to apply to be given help to end their own life, subject to certain safeguards.

A similar bill in the last parliamentary session was supported by MPs before stalling in the House of Lords. The decision from MPs on Friday rules out the prospect of changes to the law on assisted dying in the short term.

Read it all.

The assisted suicide Bill is dead. After two years of debate, MPs have rejected it by 286 votes to 270.

A victory for vulnerable people — and a reminder that bad legislation becomes harder to defend the more closely it is scrutinised, writes @AdamPollockhttps://t.co/d7JZTQ5iiU

— The Critic (@TheCriticMag) September 12, 2026

Among the growing fears about artificial intelligence, one threat has proved particularly alarming: the possibility that A.I. could be used to create a new wave of biological weapons.

In April, biosecurity experts warned that it was disturbingly easy to get advice from chatbots about making pathogens more dangerous. In June, scientists and A.I. executives signed an open letter calling for new controls on the fabrication of DNA because A.I. can now speed up the design of toxins and viruses.

In August, scientists reported that they had used A.I. to build viruses not seen in nature. And on Thursday, Anthropic announced that it had blocked several attempts to use its models by people who might have been trying to weaponize pathogens.

Dario Amodei, the chief executive of Anthropic, followed up with a call on Saturday to slow down the development of A.I., with a set of proposals to keep it safe.

Read it all.

A.I. Queries From Abroad Raise Fears of a Biological Weapons Race
Today’s chatbots aren’t likely to help lone actors invent a deadly pathogen, experts say. But newer models, trained in biology, may need stronger safeguardshttps://t.co/x3XhW9s4ph

— Emily Turrettini (@textually) September 14, 2026

The trial of Archbishop Steven Wood concluded September 11, 2026, following five days of testimony from 38 witnesses. The Court expects the process of reviewing the transcript, receiving submissions, and deliberating could take up to 101 days, with an opinion due no later than December 21, 2026. The Court’s full statement is here.

The story keeps getting messier and messier and the questions about ACNA leadership keep multiplying–“The ACNA officially communicated a false narrative about our efforts, stating repeatedly that we had not approached any bishops but went directly to the media. Bishops who knew…

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) November 8, 2025

Today is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (‘Holyrood day in harvest’, as it was sometimes called in the Middle Ages), so here’s a fourteenth-century translation of the Crux Fidelis, a verse of the sixth-century hymn Pange Lingua:

Steddefast Crosse, inmong alle other,
Thou art a tree mikel of prise;
In brawnche and flore swilk another
I ne wot non in wood no ris.
Swete be the nalis, and swete be the tree,
And sweter be the birdin that hangis upon thee.

That is:

Steadfast cross, among all others
Thou art a tree great of price;
In branch and flower such another
I know not of, in wood nor copse.
Sweet be the nails, and sweet be the tree,
And sweeter be the burden that hangs upon thee.

From the Latin:

Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis:
nulla silva talem profert,
fronde, flore, germine.
Dulce lignum, dulces clavos,
dulce pondus sustinet.

This verse is used in the liturgy several times through the course of the year, and at different seasons its poetry will resonate in subtly different ways. This tree is like no other, and it bears at once both flower and fruit; what kind of tree you picture as you sing this verse will depend on what your eyes are seeing in the world around you. The hymn is sung in the spring, on Good Friday and at the cross’ first feast in May, and at that time of year the image of a flowering tree evokes blossom and the spring of new life; and it’s sung again at this feast in the autumn, when trees are laden with fruit (their own ‘burden’), and the image instead speaks of fruitfulness, sustenance, the abundance of divine gift. 

Read it all.

14 September is the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, once known as 'Holyrood Day in harvest'. As summer moves into autumn, this festival extols a holy tree, bearing the fruit of life, standing steadfast at the still point of the turning world. https://t.co/4GPLwUH3hE pic.twitter.com/rGuc7yPzLd

— Eleanor Parker (@ClerkofOxford) September 14, 2026

Almighty God,
who in the passion of your blessed Son
made an instrument of painful death
to be for us the means of life and peace:
grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ
that we may gladly suffer for his sake;
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Today marks the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. https://t.co/Tlt2oBqV6L pic.twitter.com/vinTowag3p

— Church in Poland (@ChurchInPoland) September 14, 2026

And after some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Come, let us return and visit the brethren in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord, and see how they are.” And Barnabas wanted to take with them John called Mark. But Paul thought best not to take with them one who had withdrawn from them in Pamphyl′ia, and had not gone with them to the work. And there arose a sharp contention, so that they separated from each other; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus, but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of the Lord. And he went through Syria and Cili′cia, strengthening the churches.

And he came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek. He was well spoken of by the brethren at Lystra and Ico′nium. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they went on their way through the cities, they delivered to them for observance the decisions which had been reached by the apostles and elders who were at Jerusalem. So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and they increased in numbers daily.

–Acts 15:36-16:5

Today is #HolyCrossDay, when we celebrate the cross as an instrument of salvation.

Everyone is welcome to join us in the Abbey at 5pm for Evensong with music by Sumsion and Pärt.

Find out more about worshipping with us: https://t.co/rBMbYsebRn pic.twitter.com/qMYrbu8k7J

— Westminster Abbey (@wabbey) September 14, 2026

God, who in generous mercy sent the Holy Spirit
upon your Church in the burning fire of your love:
grant that your people may be fervent
in the fellowship of the gospel
that, always abiding in you,
they may be found steadfast in faith and active in service;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Tower of St. Peter’s, dating back to 13th century
Braunstone, Rutland pic.twitter.com/o9mYkiTqCx

— Zara Handley (@zarahandley) September 13, 2026

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

Guten Morgen und einen schönen Sonntag ☕️ pic.twitter.com/fPt18nh67n

— Renate Umundum (@RUmundum) September 13, 2026

O Lord, our heavenly Father, by Whose providence the duties of men are variously ordered: grant to us all such a spirit that we may labour heartily to do our work in our several stations, as serving one Master and looking for one reward.  Teach us to put to good account whatever talents Thou hast lent to us; help us to overcome all sloth and indolence; and enable us to redeem our time by zeal and patience; through Thy Son, our Saviour.     

–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)

St. Paul’s Church at Jarrow in Northumberland. The chancel is Anglo-Saxon in date, and formed part of the double monastery of Wearmouth-Jarrow founded by Benedict Biscop during the C7th, and also home to the Venerable Bede. 📸 My own. #SteepleSaturday #Jarrow #Northumberland pic.twitter.com/jJSa71NoeZ

— Kevin Wilbraham (@KPW1453) September 12, 2026

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind:

“Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?
Gird up your loins like a man,
I will question you, and you shall declare to me.

“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth?
Tell me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements—surely you know!
Or who stretched the line upon it?
On what were its bases sunk,
or who laid its cornerstone,
when the morning stars sang together,
and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

“Or who shut in the sea with doors,
when it burst forth from the womb;
when I made clouds its garment,
and thick darkness its swaddling band,
and prescribed bounds for it,
and set bars and doors,
and said, ‘Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
and here shall your proud waves be stayed’?

–Job 38:1-11

#Sunrise on Saturday over the Potomac River! @capitalweather @StormHour pic.twitter.com/6eEmWmxFlk

— Jeanne Stuart McVey (@RiverGirl707) September 12, 2026