Gladstone's Library

William Gladstone (1809-1898) was arguably one of Britain's greatest statesmen. A parliamentarian for sixty-three years and four times prime minister, few politicians have achieved as many lasting reforms as Gladstone. He was a pragmatic political leader with an incessant concern with history, literature, the classical world and theological disputes.

Gladstone was a voracious reader having devoured more than 20,000 books. In 1889, he established a library to create 'a congenial society for the pursuit of divine learning'. He sought to bring together scholars from all disciplines for solid and serious work for the benefit of mankind. A truly unique residential library in operation today, one can drop in, stay a night or several months, lingering amongst Gladstones' collection. It is located just three hours from Newbold College at St Deiniols in Hawarden, North Wales.

Gladstone believed that where there is truth, there is God. Oh, may we also become miners for truth and discoverers of the Divine.

Dinner at Windsor Castle

Last evening the Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce hosted a meeting at Vicars' Hall, Windsor Castle. While the evening's conversation focused on pursuit of business opportunities in India, my attention turned more toward having dinner at THE Castle.

There was so much to absorb - such as the motto of the English Order of the Garter posted on the wall. It read, "Honi soit qui mal y pense" which translated means "Let he who thinks ill there be shamed." This statement supposedly originated when King Edward III was dancing with Joan of Kent. Her garter slipped down to her ankle, causing those around her to snicker at her humiliation. In an act of chivalry Edward placed the garter around his own leg, saying "Honi soit qui mal y pense" and the phrase later became the motto of the Order.

The Vicars' Hall itself is simply stunning. It was constructed in 1415 as part of the lodgings and common dining room for the vicars and other junior members of St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Evidently, in the 1550s, after the Reformation, the building was turned into schoolmasters' lodgings and then, in the late 17th-century, into a library, a lecture room and concert hall.

The warmth of the fireplace, the grand piano, the historic paintings, the remarkable architecture, the endless shelves displaying an eclectic range of book titles and the most scrumptious dinner (goat cheese and watercress salad, vegetarian Wellington, root vegetable mash, green beans, pecan & chestnut pie, creme anglaise, and peach compote) must surely make residents of Windsor Castle feel like royalty. It surely had that affect on me having been granted the privilege of one evening in such environs.

Thanks, Your Majesty, for having shared such elegance with this humble American cousin.

Annual Civic Service

This past Sunday, dignitaries from the Bracknell Forest Borough gathered for the Annual Civic Service, led by Mayor Ian Leake and Mayoress Enid Leake. The affair was held at the Binfield All Saints Church in the Parish of Binfield, in the Royal Country of Berkshire.

Reverend Duncan Leake based his address on readings taken from Daniel 1 and Romans 13.The Vicar shows how Daniel faces the challenge of living as a stranger and an alien in Babylon. In some cases he cooperates and seeks to bring blessing to the Babylonians by serving them faithfully. In other cases, he refuses to compromise his faith. In many ways our own situation is like that of Daniel, concludes Leake, calling upon government officials and citizens alike to pursue justice, dispense mercy and walk humbly before God.

This moving ceremony concluded with our singing, 'I Vow to Thee My Country'. The words of this great English hymn were written in 1918 by Cecil Spring-Rice with music added three years later by Gustav Holst. This hymn was composed after World War I, the first verse referring to England, the second to Heaven. This piece of music was made famous when Princess Diana requested it for her wedding and it was sung at her funeral. In national polls 'I Vow to Thee My Country' placed among the contenders to replace 'God Save the Queen'.

Just consider these stirring words accompanied by most majestic music -

I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above;
entire and whole and perfect, the service of my love.
The love that asks no question, the love that stand the test,
that lays upon the alter the dearest and the best,
the love that never falters, the love that pays the price,
the love that makes undaunted the final sacrifice.

And there's another country, I've heard of long ago;
most dear to them that love her, most great to them that know.
We may not count her armies, we may not see her King.
Her fortress is a faithful heart, her pride is suffering.
And soul by soul and silently her shining bounds increase
and her ways are ways of gentleness and all her paths are peace.

All I can contribute to this is to say, Amen.

Battle of Hastings 1066

King Edward III of England died on 05 January 1066 after a reign of 23 years. Leaving no heirs, Edward's passing ignited a three-way rivalry for the crown. The political intrigue culminated in the 14 October 1066 Battle of Hastings.

The history of this battle is amazingly recorded on the Bayeux Tapestry while the event is fully staged each year by English Heritage at the Battle Abbey. (You can view the event by going to YouTube and typing in 'Battle of Hastings - English Heritage'.)

Although one knows the outcome - the Normans win, Harold is killed, William becomes king - still this on-site, re-enacted battle makes one more acutely aware of the true costs extracted when we allow anger, jealousy or thirst for power to govern our lives. May God forgive what we politely term 'man's inhumanity to man' and deliver on his promise to remove our hearts of stone and give us, instead, a tender heart like his.

Free Houses

During my time in England, I've not driven through a village that doesn't have at least one pub. Perhaps that is why the writings of Samuel Pepys describe the pub as the heart of England.

Regrettably, today the number of pubs is in rapid decline, perhaps due to competition from chain restaurants and hotels (the landowner's wife having offered cooked meals, nights lodgings and simple entertainment such as chess games, skittles, billiards and darts in addition to functioning as a bar). Another explanation for the closing of pubs might be that modern society is finding its identity more with continental coffee shops springing up throughout the land. A third explanation offered by pub owners for having left the business was the April 2006 ban on smoking in all enclosed public places in England.

The ambiance that this part of British history provides would be sorely missed should pubs give way to international shops - one such feature being their decorative signs. It was in 1393 that King Richard II required pubs to erect signs outside their premises. The legislation stated 'Whosoever shall brew ale in the town with intention of selling it must hang out a sign, otherwise, he shall forfeit his ale.' This was in order to make pubs easily visible to passing inspectors, borough ale tasters, who would decide the quality of the ale they provided. William Shakespeare's father, John Shakespeare was one such inspector. Another reason for the decorative signs was that during the Middle Ages a large percentage of the population was illiterate and so pictures on a sign were useful as a means of identifying a public house. Later, pub names (such as the Lakeside Pub, the Nutshell, the Olde Fighting Cocks)were derived from the illustration on the public house's sign.

Formerly, pubs were controlled by breweries and so the publican (manager of the pub, employee of the brewery) was restricted in the variety of brews on tap - known as a 'tied house'. But some entrepreneurs ventured out on their own - selling alcohol produced by competing breweries. These establishments became known as 'free houses'.

Perhaps the best representation of pubs is carried by the theme song from that 1980s American television programme, Cheers. 'Making your way in the world today takes everything you've got; Taking a break from all your worries sure would help a lot. Wouldn't you like to get away where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came....'

My heartfelt wish is that you have such a place in your life - a place where you are known and where they are glad you came.

Traffic Calmers

Imagine creating a perfectly passable road - with proper asphalt, curbs and lighting, then placing obstacles purposefully along the way. My British driving instruction manual refers to these impediments as 'traffic calmers' - intended to slow the speed of vehicles, to deter those who would drive with too heavy a foot through a neighbourhood or other speed-sensitive area.

All too often we speed through life, unaware of the special gifts that present -dramatic autumn colours, the true flavours of lunch, instantaneously accessing information via the internet, hearing friendly voices from across the pond. What I periodically require in my day is a 'traffic calmer' - something that encourages me to do more than speed throughout life. I discovered 'traffic calmers' in everyday problems that require me to pause; in the prose written by an ancient king, 'Be still and know that I am God.' Psalm 46.10.

Strange as it may sound, rather than cursing 'traffic calmers', I have come to give thanks.

Secret Places of Significance in England

Recently, I was invited to lunch with the local Rotary Club. We met at a local pub, the Old Manor, in the town centre of Bracknell. In this private dining room, beside the chimney, was what one member pointed out to be a 'Priest hole', yet another feature from English history, unfamiliar to me.

'Priest hole' is the term given to hiding places for priests during the period when Catholics were persecuted by law in England, from the beginning of Queen Elizabeth I reign in 1558. This Act prohibited a member of the Roman Catholic Church from celebrating the rites of his faith on pain of forfeiture of property and position for the first offence, a year's imprisonment for the second offence and imprisonment for life for the third offence. Records reveal one priest being hanged, in December 1591, for having said Mass.

Search parties would bring with them skilled carpenters and masons, trying every possible measure and sounding to physically tearing down panelling and pulling up floors. It was common for a rigorous search to last two weeks.

The construction of many priest holes are attributed to a Jesuit lay brother, Nicholas Owen, who devoted the greater part of his life to protecting persecuted priests. He sometimes built priest holes as an offshoot from a chimney or incorporated into water closets. Owen would never disclose these places to another. He alone was both the architect and the builder. No one knows how many he made. Some may still be undiscovered.

You can learn more about these secret places of significance in the History of Roman Catholicism in England.

Let's hear it for the Nicholas Owens of this world - those with courage to stand against popular opinion.

Bunyan in Bedford

Henry II granted Bedford its Charter in 1166 making it the 2nd oldest Charter in England.

For me, Bedford's greatness rests not so much on its political importance as on it being the birthplace of John Bunyan, author of The Pilgrim's Progress, reportedly the most translated book ever except for Holy Scriptures. The town offers an exceptional museum presenting the life and times of Bunyan, a replica of the prison cell in which he was unrelentingly incarcerated for his faith and a book shop that carries most of Bunyan's writings. Adjacent to the museum is the Free Church from which pulpit Bunyan delivered his weekly diatribes against state-led religion. The Free Church has a series of stunning stained glass windows depicting scenes from The Pilgrim's Progress. You musn't forget to ask the docent to relate the amazing story of the Church's main door. A short walk from these Bunyan buildings is the Ouse River, a lovely place at which to picnic and reflect on what makes one so anchored in faith as to cheerfully endure hardships and repeated imprisonments.

A second favourite stop of mine in Bedford is the Museum of Military Intelligence. This museum displays fascinating exhibits that chart the development of British military intelligence including how this army post played a part in breaking the Enigma Code during WWII. For reasons of security and its continuance as a working site, access to this museum is by appointment only but well worth the effort.

Two very contrasting (heavenly and earthly) yet similarly significantly (against an enemy invasion) historical acts - all within one community.

Nice Cuppa Tea

Trees exchanging coverings of effervescent greens for shades of flaming tones of red and gold, chilled bodies warming beside pub hearths, the start of school and the end of the cricket season, - all signal the arrival of fall in England. And, for many, the arrival of cooler weather begs more leisurely time to be spent over 'a nice cuppa tea.'

Tea is often thought of as being quintessentially British but it was the marriage of Charles II to Catherine of Braganza that established tea as the national drink of England. She was a Portuguese princess and a tea addict and it was her love of the drink that made tea a fashionable beverage first at court and then among the wealthy classes as a whole. Capitalising on this, the East India Company began importing tea to Britain, its first order being place in 1664 for 100 lbs of China tea.

By the 18th century many Britons wanted to drink tea but could not afford the high prices and their enthusiasm for the drink was matched by the enthusiasm of an organised crime network to smuggle it in. Worse for tea drinkers was that taxation (as much as 25p per pound) also encouraged the adulteration of tea, particularly of smuggled teas which was not quality controlled through customs and excise. Leaves from other plants or leaves which had already been brewed and then dried, were added to tea leaves. Sometimes the resulting colour was not convincing enough, so anything from sheep's dung to poisonous copper carbonate was added to make it look more like tea.

By 1784, the government realised that heavy taxation was creating more problems than it was worth. The new Prime Minister, William Pitt, slashed the tax from 119% to 12.5%. Suddenly legal tea was affordable and smuggling stopped virtually overnight.

In 1851, when most all tea in Britain came from China, annual consumption per head was less than 2 pounds. By 1901, fueled by cheaper import of tea leaves from India and Sri Lanka (then Ceylon), consumption rocketed to over 6 pounds per head. Tea-drinking as an established part of British life was officially recognised during the 1st World War, when the government took over the importation of tea 'to ensure that this essential morale-boosting beverage continued to be available at affordable prices.' The government took control again during WW2 and rationed tea from 1940 until 1952.

Nowadays it would be hard to imagine British life without tea. In fact, so important is this relationship with tea that masterclasses are offered in the fine art of tea making and tea tasting for the modest sum of £175 for the day, by Jane Pettigrew at the upscale Chesterfield Hotel, London. (One fact you might be taught is that the tea bag was invented by an American in the early 20th century.)

Although possessing little knowledge or expertise in the matter, I thoroughly enjoy preparing and sharing a nice cuppa tea with a friend. Do you take yours white (with milk)?

Hadrian's Wall

A miniature version of China's Great Wall is Hadrian's Wall located in northern England. Constructed in 122AD by the Roman Emperor Hadrian, this Wall was intended to defend Rome, then occupiers of Britannia, from invading barbarians.

Masterful in design, awe-inspiring in its scale, this World Heritage Site spans 73 miles, from Wallsend on the River Tyne to Bowness-on-Solway. The Wall runs through remote countryside, over moors, salt flats and sand dunes, and traverses present-day urban cities of Newcastle and Carlisle. It took three legion of soldiers some six years to construct. Along the way, one finds the remains of 17 Roman forts from which the soldiers worked to construct the Wall, then guarded the frontier.

This summer, I hiked Hadrian's Wall and viewed the Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders film, How to Train Your Dragon. These two seemingly disassociated events merged together for me in a wonderfully moving way. While the Wall was constructed in an effort to keep out those unlike us, the film portrayed a hapless young Viking who aspired to hunt and slay dragons as his ancestors before him. But then an encounter with a young dragon convinces the Viking-boy that there is more to the 'enemy' than he had assumed and had been told.

Too often we build personal walls that keep others out - by our criticism, by prejudging their hearts and motives, or simply by being too preoccupied with our own lives to give others entre. Oh, may it be that history will recall us as having been, not constructors of walls but rather, like the young Viking lad, bridge-builders.

Ancient Ways Are Not Passe

There are more thatched roofs in the UK and Ireland than in any other European country but Winkle Street, in the quaint Village of Calbourne, on the Isle of Wight, England is one of the most charming displays of this ancient roofing technique. There, most all the dwellings employ this three century year-old, quintessential English way to provide covering for one's home ensuring warmth in winter and cool in summer. Once employed only by the poor, it now has become the choice of affluent people, a sign of wealth rather than poverty.

Thatched roofs can be made from straw, sedge, rushes and heather, but most preferably water reed. The availability of good quality thatching straw declined in England after the introduction of the combine harvester in the late 1930s-40s and the release of short-stemmed wheat varieties. The increasing use of nitrogen fertiliser in the 1960s-70s also weakened straw. However, since the 1980s, specialist farmers have returned to growing heritage varieties of wheat in organic conditions.

Interestingly, 80% of the water reed used in the UK is now imported from Turkey, Eastern Europe and China. It requires 4-5 acres of reed to thatch an average house. Depending on the type and quality of materials used, a new thatch lasts between 15-35years. Thatch is quite adept at shedding water, it is a renewable resource and a way to properly preserve historic buildings.

Nesting birds can end up making a hole in the pocket of the thatch. Squirrels are particularly fond of hiding their nuts in thatch in the autumn. But the worst damage is caused by rats, which gain access to the roof space and then burrow their way through the thatch. So vigilance and the right precautionary measures are essential.

Perhaps the prophet Jeremiah sat under a thatched roof as he wrote, 'stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls' (Jeremiah 6:16). According to Jeremiah, it seems that ancient ways are not all passe. Just like thatched roofs, returning to certain former ways has merit.

If you'd care to see a demonstration depicting the complexity involved in thatching a roof, check out the following YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrmhXww92Lk&feature=related

Sculling the Thames

Each summer, the Maidenhead Rowing Club offers courses in Learning 2 Row. Each Monday and Wednesday for four weeks throughout the summer, small groups are groomed in the art of sculling. Where better to learn this sport, I thought, as Britain is among the world's leading rowing nations as evidenced by the many Olympian medals and annual regattas.

Acquiring this skill has fulfilled a personal lifetime dream. I remember as a youth, being impressed watching an American television report portrait of an eighty-seven year old British grand dame rowing in the early morning mist near Harvard University. She made the exercise look deceptively effortless.

Somehow I thought that rowing was about strength and endurance. While those are necessary requisites, the key quality required is balance. Seating oneself on a scull is comparable to straddling a toothpick in the midst of the Thames River while hoping to remain dry.

As I find myself once again in the viewing stand for the women's (17-19 June 2010) and men's (4th July weekend) regattas at Henley-on-the-Thames, I'll be focused on the gingerly balance and synchronized efforts of these pros - two essentials that constitute life. God grant us both these qualities in liberal measure as we seek to serve Him, others and self.

Newbold Students Talk with Google

Today marked an important 'first' in history, when Newbold College students Jose Escobar, business major and NSA President, and Fanni Tuske, English literature major joined the Principal for a presentation organised by the Bracknell Forest Chamber of Commerce (purportedly the largest Chamber in the UK) at Ascot Racecourse.

The presenter was Richard Robinson, Head of Google's Business Markets. Robinson focused on how businesses can maximize their impact in today's market via the internet, he shared some of the strategies behind Google's success and he predicted that cloud computing and use of mobile devices (smart phones) to access information to be the current sweeping trend. Laptops are fast fading - handheld devices are 'in'. Anyone with a web presence in today's market would have deemed this presentation to be cutting edge!

The Principal, newly elected member of the Chamber of Commerce Council, has been asked to head an initiative intended to engage the educational and business sectors in more meaningful ways. Today was the maiden voyage of such an endeavour.

British Bobbies

Where does the term 'bobby' originate?

Sir Robert Peel is acknowledged by many as one of Britain's greatest statesmen of the 19th century. He served as a member of parliament, home secretary and twice prime minister. He has been seen as both the founder and betrayer of the Conservative Party and also the real founder of the Liberal Party. However, his greatest achievement was creating the modern British police force, affectionately referred to as 'bobbies', derived from Sir Robert Peel's nickname, 'Bobby'.

Pageantry and Symbolism

The announcement read, 'The Mayor Councillor Ulla Karin Clark cordially invites Dr Jane Sabes to attend her official installation as Town Mayor of Wokingham in the Town Hall on Tuesday 11th May 2010.'

There everyone was in royal robes and regalia - the town crier, the macebearer and mayor's attendant and chaplain, the town council, the mayor's consort, Lady Elizabeth Godsal, holder of the Office of High Steward appointed by the Queen and other honourable dignitaries. Formal nominations were read to appoint the new mayor with subsequent formal speeches seconding the nomination. The same process followed for appointing the Deputy Mayor. Then came the acceptance speeches and appointment of honorary constable, honorary parade marshall, honorary meteorologist, and honorary translator. Those congregated concluded the service with a rousing rendition of God Save the Queen.

A few months prior to this auspicious occasion, Jan Pearce, dear friend from Stanborough Press, gifted me with a treasure from her library, The English Ceremonial Book - A History of Robes, Insignia and Ceremonies still in use in England authored by Roger Milton. This is a 'must read', background knowledge necessary to understand the significance of such ceremonies.

I am convinced that no one does pageantry and pomp quite like the British! It is absolutely beautiful to behold, sends chills up my spin and creates a large lump in my throat. Most importantly, I offer Brits my sincerest gratitude for these official occasions that help me visualize just how majestic it will be when we someday participate in crowning our Saviour the Lord of all lords, the King of all kings.

Church Official and Students Converse

You should have been part of today's lunch and afternoon discussion, conversation between 20 Newbold students and Lowell Cooper, Vice President of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

The occasion of Cooper's visit to Newbold College is to provide Board training at this Sunday's spring meeting. But, it seemed important to include a conversation between students and church leadership, to assure youth that the Church leadership welcomes, even actively seeks their input.

Newbold College of Higher Education is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The Church has a global membership rapidly approaching 20 million, with 66,000 churches and an equal number of 'companies' (fledgling churches), operating nearly 8,000 schools, 750 hospitals, clinics, retirement centres and orphanages, 61 publishing houses and 116 ADRA (Adventist Disaster Relief Agency) offices located throughout 232 countries of the world and regularly employing 891 languages to share God's love.

As you might imagine, the students' questions reflected the youth and international character found at Newbold College and within the Church. The students wanted to hear what plans the Church leaders have to ensure proper representation of young people at the upcoming world church quinquennial gathering, how initiatives designed to better communicate the gospel to the modern mind(e.g. traveling theatrical companies) might secure funding for their innovative work and how we can retain individual culture while remaining a global church.

The most poignant observation Cooper offered, to my mind, was that 'we are not called to individualism; rather, we are called to community.' It is true. Psychologists claim that the most common malady suffered by society today is a sense of alienation. And so, perhaps we should focus less on consensus and more on a commitment to one another. After all, family is defined, not so much by being alike but by being in love.

The Bulls Eye

Crown glass was the most commonly used type of glass for window panes until the 19th century. The process was first perfected by French glassmakers in the 1320s and kept a trade secret for many years. Crown glass began to be made in London in 1678.

Window panes were made by blowing a bubble, then spinning it until flat. This produced a sheet of glass that left a bump, or crown, in the centre. The thinnest, most desirable glass was at the edge of the disk while the glass became thicker and more opaque toward the centre. This thickening of the centre piece produced a distortion through which everything looked curiously wavy, and the glass itself was seen to be faulty and uneven. Thus, the 'bulls eye' was reserved for less expensive homes or for the more inconspicuous windows in costlier dwellings.

By the end of the 19th century, mass-produced flat glass, such as my grandfather and uncle used to install in school houses, replaced the old method. However, this once least desirable portion of crown glass has become the 'in thing' to have in one's home with a price tag to match. Curious, items that once were considered least desirable have become priceless.

This photo was taken of an office window pane along the docks in Liverpool but I've found crown glass being installed in upscale restaurants of Maidenhead and trendy home remodellings.

I do hope that you enjoy my sharing yet another example of new knowledge I've gained since coming to England. Wishing you happy wanderings and unanticipated encounters as well.

Unchanging

Each morning I take time to read the Daily Dose of Charles Spurgeon found on the internet. This great 19th century British preacher speaks to my soul.

Several months ago, the reading focused on Christ being the Bread of Life. Spurgeon then drew on the example of The Hospital of St Cross. (Rather than being a medical facility, this oldest almshouse in England derives its name from 'hospitality'.) Instituted in 1132 AD, the brothers of The Hospital of St Cross have been dispensing a Wayfarer's Dole - a small beaker of beer and a morsel of bread to anyone who is hungry. Here at this place is found an inspiring chapel, a lovely gift shop where attendants share their rich history, along with a Hundred Men's' Hall (pictured) where up to one hundred poor received a daily ration of food, particularly during the depression.

Charles Spurgeon wrote of the practice of these pious brothers in the mid-1800s. Gathering up a carload of 21st century Newbold College students, we set off for Winchester one recent Sabbath afternoon to ascertain if this tradition, this service continues today. Indeed, while the beer is no longer part of the dole, every day since 1132 AD the brothers of of St Cross have been giving bread to anyone in need. Imagine, 878 years of uninterrupted service offered to fellow humans in need!

While today's fast-paced society continually calls for change, some things are better left preserved - such as a deep caring for and commitment to one another. May God help us to be as constant in our regard for others as are the brothers of St Cross.

This Week's Historic Political Event

From all appearances this looks to be just an ordinary field. And yet here at Runnymede, just up the road from Newbold College, the Magna Carta (Latin for 'the great charter') was sealed by King John in June 1215. In this document the aristocracy and barons listed 63 specific grievances against the King, calling for an end to his excessive and arbitrary government. Through its statement of liberties, it sought to prevent the king from exploiting his power and made it clear that the king was subject to the law, not above it.

I couldn't help but recall this historic occasion as I sat with Newbold colleagues watching another momentous event - Britain's first ever prime minister debates. Two days ago, representatives from the Labour Party, the Tory Party and the Liberal Democratic Party squared off before a live audience in Manchester and on national television to try to convince the electorate that the policies of their party would contribute best to the health of this nation.

Perhaps the single greatest problem with politics is that we focus more on gaining or retaining power rather than simply 'administering justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with our God' (Micah 6:8). May God grant us such noble leaders!

Yet, as was so clearly evidenced with the signing of the Magna Carta, the path to having noble leaders is to have an engaged citizenry. May God grant us both noble leaders and engaged citizenry as we approach this May 2010 election in Britain.

Springtime in England

The comment is often made that to relish the journey is as important as reaching the destination. That could not be more true than this past weekend as I traveled to a speaking appointment in Liverpool.

Traveling along the back roads of the M49, I reveled in the profusion of blossoms and budding trees, the verdant valleys and hillsides - all nature coming alive following the cold hibernation of winter. But what most delighted my senses was coming upon newborn lambs. They do more than frolic and play - they literally spring straight into the air as if their wobbly little limbs are attached to coils. This action is referred to as gambolling.

Sheep have three curious markings placed on them throughout the mating season. The first scoring - typically a blue powder - is painted on the underside of the ram so as to indicate when he has mounted a ewe - to be alert to her possible pregnancy. A colour marking is placed on the ewe once the shepherd runs an ultrasound to discover if she is carrying one, two or three embryo - so that he can take the steps necessary to prepare for the impending delivery. (Most sheep deliver twins.) And a final marking, a large number is placed on the ewe to match her up to her newborn lambs, so that there is no mistaking who belongs to whom.

Now, doesn't all this make a fine sermon - we being marked by the Shepherd's blood so as to distinguish us as sheep of his pasture. That, in fact, is our goal at Newbold College - introducing sheep to the Good Shepherd (John 10), to convince young people of God's loving care (Luke 15:1-7), and to have them commit to a lifetime of following him (Psalm 23).

Bright British Blokes

I was introduced to Alexander Fleming when yet in primary school. This British scientist developed a substance that would revolutionize medicine when accidentally leaving a petri dish uncovered. The substance - penicillin.

As trawling for fish in the North Sea grew, so also did the popularity of fish and chips with the British working class. In 1860, the first fish and chips shop was opened in London's East End by Jewish proprietor Joseph Malin and, by 1910, there were 25,000 fish and chips shops in Britain. It is impossible to estimate the number of fish and chips places currently in operation! (My favourite is Rock & Soul, established in 1871. It is London's oldest fish and chips shop, located at 45 Endell Street WC2H 9AJ, near Covent Garden.)

In 1925, John Logle Baird became the first man to televise moving images - the precursor to today's television. As is so often the case, he was initially dismissed as a nutter by the British press.

The reflective cat's eye safety devise used along roads and motorways originated in the UK in 1933. The inventor was Percy Shaw of Halifax, West Yorkshire, who was inspired by the eyeshine of a cat sitting by the side of the road one dark night.

More recently, Sir Timothy Berners-Lee, an MIT professor, implemented the first communication between an http client and the computer server thereby creating the world wide web.

I stand in awe of these cleaver Brits and am so grateful for the contributions that they have and continue to make to our lives!

England - The Ringing Isle

Although far from competent, I am becoming a campanologist under the expert tutelage of John Harper.

Last year, one of our business professors informed me that the local All Saints Anglican Church was in search of individuals interested in learning how to ring bells. I naturally thought of handbells. So, imagine my surprise when, the first night of training, I encountered six long ropes suspended from the ceiling. I was being introduced to a very special form of church bell ringing, very much a British tradition started centuries ago.

Over 90% of all the bell towers in the world - over 5,000 with ringable bells - are located in England thus rightfully earning it the name, the 'Ringing Isle.' Besides calling the faithful to prayer, church bells were employed as an ancient form of communication - announcing weddings, funerals, arrival of dignitaries and warning of invasion during World War II.

Church bells are mounted in a strong frame made of wood, iron or steel. The largest bell is in St Paul's, London, weighing 16.7 tons. The heaviest full-circle ringing bell, at 4.1 tons, is the tenor at Liverpool Cathedral. They are sounded by a group of generally three to six persons pulling on ropes and because of the bell's weight, the ringing must be based on technique rather than on brute force. (Think of the film Four Weddings and a Funeral.)

Change ringing is quintessentially English, combining music, math, sports and tradition. This method, ruled by numbers and patterns, allows church bells to ring in a series of mathematical patterns called 'changes'. This form of bell ringing creates 'tunes' and so sound different from bells in other traditions. The only other places in the world where bells are rung in this manner are in places where the English once dominated: e.g. Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Africa, India, Australia and New Zealand.

The library of change ringing recordings compiled by John Ketteringham demonstrate the wonderfully rhythmic tunes which can be made to sound merry, sad or dignified depending upon the occasion and can be found at http://cccbr.org.uk/bellrecordings/.

I hope that you enjoy these melodious sounds as much as I enjoy ringing (playing in the 'band'). And, next time you're in England, do stop and listen to the sweetness of the church bells.

Britain by the Brits

Somehow I assumed that because we share a common heritage and language my transition from the States to the UK would come rather easily; surely not the steep learning curve required when I moved to China in 1996. However, it only takes a quick read of anthropologist Kate Fox's book, Watching the English to underscore the uniqueness of this most amazing people and their culture.

And so, if possible, I would transport all American high school and college/university students to share in the Cultural Experience being offered by Newbold College this June, when the Department of Management, Arts and Social Sciences introduces young people to real 'Britishness'. Students will engage in a comparison of UK business, literature, historic institutions, religion and sports - even democracy - to that of America throughout the two-week tour of England, Scotland and Wales.

To learn about Britain from the Brits - everything from the more genteel afternoon cream tea to the more raucous game of World Cup soccer.... Bravo to academicians like Rod Rosenquist, Peter Balderstone, Val Bernard-Allan, Robin Anthony and Karl DaSilva who know how to design creative learning experiences beyond classroom walls!

Newbold at UNESCO

Doctor Jean-Claude Verrecchia, principal lecturer in New Testament at Newbold College participated in the launching of an impressive exhibition on the Bible - a project of the French Bible Society entitled The Bible, Heritage of Humanity.

As one of the redactors of the exhibition, Dr Verrecchia was in charge of the module dealing with the transmission of the Bible: the different manuscripts and their reliability. It took more than two years for J-C to complete this project.

The quality of the exhibition - its contents and layout - was so impressive that the UNESCO has accepted to sponsor it! The exhibition will now travel from town to town, in France to start with, but not only, as discussions have already begun to translate it into other languages. Dr Verrecchia's hope is to eventually bring the exhibit to Newbold College. We can't wait!

Newbold College Board Members

You can't help but appreciate the exceptional talent that constitutes the Newbold College Board of Governors - the fine professionals that aid the College in becoming the best it can be in higher education offerings.

Take, for example, John C. Walton. Dr Walton is a professor of Reactive Chemistry at St Andrews University, Scotland with more than 270 professional publications to his credit! His research focuses on designing reactions that can be used to create free radicals that make novel materials and medicines.

Dr Walton holds two doctoral degrees - a PhD from the University of St Andrews and a DSc from the University of Sheffield. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Royal Society of Edinburgh, a EPSRC Peer Review College member and serves on the editorial board of ARKIVOC and Stanborough Press.

At Newbold College, Dr Walton (John) is known as a reflective board member issuing great insights all dished up with bantor. He shows himself to be a passionate educator, seeking to create life-changing opportunities for young people and as a valued friend of the College. How blessed we are!

Knowledge with Passion

No longer could I postpone this most eagerly anticipated journey to a scholar's mecca - the British Library. As best reflected by C. S. Lewis, "you can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me." I planned a Sabbath afternoon outing but could have lingered for days.

Among the 25 million books and manuscripts (388 miles of books with 3 million books added per year) are items of historic, religious and literary import such as the Magna Carta, the Gutenberg Bible, the journals of Captain Cook. Almost every major author - Charles Dickens, Jane Austen, Lewis Carroll, Rudyard Kipling, Keats, and hundreds of others - is represented in the section devoted to English literature located in the most magnificent Humanities Reading Room where, with relative ease and relish, I could have taken up permanent residence.

Particularly enjoyable to me was the section known as 'Turning the Pages'. By use of headsets you are electronically read to from Leonardo da Vinci's notebook, The Canterbury Tales from 1410 and Beowulf (ca 1000). In the Historical Documents section are letters from Henry VIII to Napoleon and from Elizabeth I to Churchill. One can also view the 45,000 books belonging to King George III with some works in the British Library dated as early as 300 BC.

Did I mention that all this is free?!!!

As I thought of the knowledge we, at Newbold College, attempt to impart to young scholars, I prayed that we might also be able to ignite within our students the same passion found in those whose works are now on display at the British Library.

Youth Day of Fellowship

Friends, you should have seen it! You should have been here to experience 835 youth from throughout the United Kingdom (even some coming from Denmark - thanks to the Danish youth leader, Thomas Rasmussen)descending upon the Newbold College campus this past Sabbath!

According to coordinator, Kay Choudary, the day was designed to provide youth with a high spiritual experience similar to that of the New Testament church (ACTS 2:42), a coming together to search the Word, to fellowship, to share a meal, to sing and pray - leaving refreshed, reinvigorated in the Lord.

The day began with back to back preaching by seven dynamic speakers followed by dining delights of Chef Zak Ambrus. There were nineteen afternoon workshops from which to choose: Sex & Spirituality-Do They Mix?, Prayer-How to Get Really Real with God, Cooking from the Garden of Eden, Employed by the World but Working for God, ValueGenesis Report, Using Art Therapy to Sort Out Emotional Baggage, How to Conduct Actual, Practical Outreach, Expressing Your Faith Through Technology, to name just a few of the options.

The Sabbath concluded with the baptism of Tetanda conducted by Sam Neves, pastor of the Wimbledon Church. Following sundown, the place to be was at the Stanborough Press booth where Christian books and CDs moved quickly off the shelves. Debbie McReynolds coordinated the supper food booths(Caribbean foods, jacketed potatoes and salad, vege dogs and hamburgers, desserts, drinks and popcorn). The day concluded with a Sacred Concert organized by Trevor Johnson - the best sounds that the UK has to offer in musical groups.

You musn't miss out.... Mark your calendars for Sabbath, February 26, 2011 for the next ACTS: Newbold Youth Day of Fellowship. We look forward to hosting you.

Newbold College - a gloriously, global community

It is just 40 miles, a short train ride, from the front doorstep of Newbold College to the heart of London, the biggest city in Western Europe. One advantage of having London nearby is its cosmopolitan offerings (international businesses, visits from world leaders, international events such as London Fashion week and the London Film festival) - where 256 languages can be heard on a daily basis. For this reason London is often referred to as the capital of the world.

Impressed? Well, consider Newbold College, a place where students, faculty and staff from 60 nations gather to form a gloriously, global community. The Dean Team has designated the first Monday of each month as cultural night - a time to celebrate our unique cultures. I've just returned from a festival of Korean food and culture (see photos); last month it was Zimbabwean, the month prior French students prepared culinary delights, music and atmosphere and before that, 19 Hungarian students took a turn in the kitchen.

Newbold College - a place where we seek to create an appreciation for and 'the dignity differences' (Jonathan Sack's expression) while taking seriously God's invitation to become one as the Father, Son and Spirit are inseparably one.

The Blessing of the Clowns

Last Sunday some from the Newbold College community visited Holy Trinity Church, London. Our purpose was to participate in the 64th Annual Blessing of the Clowns. This extraordinary church service is held on the first Sunday in February. Clowns from all over the world attended in full make-up and costume. What a remarkably colourful service it was, deepening my awareness that whether we be clown or cabby, parliamentarian or pastor, student or staff, we all earnestly seek God's blessing in order to bless others.

But, what particularly moved me was when those of us gathered were led in a prayer of forgiveness: 'for the times when we have lost our sense of humour and perspective, for the times we have laughed at others instead of with them, for the times we have abused your great gift of laughter with offensive content, and for the times we have erased smiles from another....' May we, like Jesus, be joy-givers.

Launching my blog

This being my first blog I'm uncertain as to how best to address you. Based on my love of travel I think that I will simply refer to you as a fellow traveler in life.


Launching this blog has me recalling the myriad of ways in which humans have communicated with one another over time. The British postal service was first made available to the public by Charles I in 1635 - 375 years ago! Then, email came into being around 1973, offering a method for speedy exchanges of digital messages. Today, we (my 80+ year old mother included) engage in social networks, underscoring the importance of communications amongst a community rather than with just to one individual.


Imagine - this blog allows me to share with you words, favorite photos and video, music and audio sounds. The latest measurement recorded 112,000,000 blogs for 2007. And now, even I have become a blogger.


No matter the mechanism employed - be it smoke signals, tin cans with a piece of string between, pen and paper or electronic means - 'may the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your sight, oh, Lord our strength and our Redeemer.' Psalm 19:14