My Greatest Adventure – Bear Grylls

Barry Unwin 08/09/2016

Over the past few years Bear Grylls has become the embodiment of adventure and outdoor survival in the public imagination. A former reservist in the SAS, Bear has climbed Everest, navigated the Northwest Passage and Paramotored over the Himalayas.

Whether it’s from the streets of the Philippines or the sidewalks of New York it’s great to be reminded that everyone’s journey is different, and everyone’s story is unique.

Bear’s is one of millions of different stories of exploration—of asking life’s biggest questions without knowing what will be found. Despite a life characterised by risk, danger and the unknown, it is this exploration that he describes as his ‘greatest adventure’. Watch Bear’s story:

In defence of Justin Welby: mediator, not homophobe

Barry Unwin 03/09/2016

Journalist James Macintyre writes an interesting article on the Christian Today website looking at the Archbishop of Canterbury’s much-misrepresented comments on gay marriage at the Greenbelt Festival this summer.

How strange it is to be at an event and then see it misreported. Stranger still to see that misreporting to be based on your own report of that same event.

Last weekend, Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury came to the Greenbelt festival in Northamptonshire for the first time. There was a mood of enthusiastic anticipation on the Saturday lunchtime when Welby sat down on the main stage with the ‘Gogglebox vicar’ Kate Bottley, in front of hundreds of festival-goers. But despite the initial applause, there was no guaranteeing a favourable reception for what he had to say, especially on the inevitable question of sexuality. Greenbelt veterans warned that the festival’s crowds could be “spiky”. Their centre of gravity was certainly left-of-centre.

Yet in the event, Welby’s carefully balanced answer when the question came was well received, not just because it was unusually human, but because it was, broadly, progressive.

Read the rest here.

Music at St Peter and St Paul, Upton – September – December 2016

Barry Unwin 30/08/2016

Between September and December we’ve a number of concerts and recitals at St Peter and St Paul’s Upton

Wednesday September 7^th – 12.30 pm – Organ Recital by Paul Derrett

Paul was Director of Music at Upton and now has a career as an internationally known recitalist. It is good to welcome him back to St Peter and St Paul.

Saturday October 1^st – 10.00 am – Come and Sing Messiah

An opportunity to enjoy a day singing this great work with soloists and instrumental accompaniment under the direction of John Holloway.

Wednesday October 26^th –12.30pm – Organ Recital by John Hocking

John makes a welcome return to Upton after his enthusiastically received recital last year.

Saturday November 5^th – 7.30 pm – Hanley Voices – Fauré Requiem

One of the great favourites of the choral repertoire presented by our excellent local choir under the inspired direction of Ben Sawyer.

Wednesday December 7th – 12.30pm – Organ Recital by John Wilderspin

John is organist for the Worcester Cathedral Voluntary Choir and director of the Silurian Singers.

Sunday December 18^th –4.00 pm – Service of Nine Lessons and Carols

The high point of the church choir’s musical year. Join us to sing well loved carols and to enjoy the best of Christmas music.