DISCOVERY! I am woken at 5 30 am by an extraodinary combination of noises – the wind off Lake Michigan, a helicopter and police sirens. Life in a city – as the clamour dies down and I come to I think that I am in my own bedroom in Temple House and then realize that […]
The University of Chicago
Posted on by James Woodward
I see that Mr Brown has had an inevitable thrashing at the polls – I hope it causes a wake up in some sort of shape. From this distance and looking at the newspapers here I have come to see that there is some poverty to the quality of politcal debate in the UK. And […]
Montgomery Place
Posted on by James Woodward
About a mile or 15 minutes brisk walk from Brent House is Montgomery Place – a continuing Care retirement community and (much to my surprise) a place where I thought I could live. I am invited to lunch by the Director of Pastoral Care, Bob Petite, an Episcopal priest who has been working here for the last fifteen […]
Welcome to Chicago
Posted on by James Woodward
I confess to a certain unease about flying – I never quite know how and why the plane manges to get off the ground – and this particular plane did seem to be oddly noisy! It doesn’t help sitting over the wing where if you look closely things do wobble a bit. However, American Airlines […]
Goodbye and thank you to VTS
Posted on by James Woodward
By the time that my English friends read this I should be in the air flying off to Chicago – how time passes! American Airlines from Ronald Regan airport – how many of you remember him?? I am full of gratitude to Virginia Theological Seminary for its warmth and hospitality over this month of April. […]
If music be the food of love …..
Posted on by James Woodward
play on – play on. It is heavy rain here in Washington and I can hear the sound of the water on the roof above me that has woken me up. I shall miss this small room that has been my home over April. The blogs have been part of my morning routine – I […]
Megachurch on a Saturday evening
Posted on by James Woodward
Megachurch is the term given (surprisingly) to a church that attracts over 2,000 people at a weekly service – they are indendepent Wvangelical churches – and in the USA there are about 50 Churches that manage to attract between 10,000 and 47,000 each Sunday. So – the statistics need converting into an experience – and […]
Successful Ageing?
Posted on by James Woodward
On the 25th of April I shared with you some random musings about age – let me try this concept which is all the rage here in the USA – successful Ageing. Close your eyes and think of an image that best captures this concept. Or perhaps you can think of a person that encapsulates […]
In praise of …
Posted on by James Woodward
Spring! This is my last weekend at VTS and I prepare to fly off to Chicago on Wednesday. I do not quite know where the month has gone – but I am full of deep gratitude to the community here for its space and hospitality. I take away many happy memories of people and conversations […]
What is he doing with all that time??
Posted on by James Woodward
Well – you may wonder and so do I!! Time passes by – sometimes we notce and sometimes we don’t. This space has given me valuable time to read and listen …. and that leads for me into writing. I have started some reflections on age for the more general reader and I thoughT that […]
Color as Field – American Painting from 1950 to 1975
Posted on by James Woodward
A decision to escape the activity of a community for a more solitary pursuit paid great dividends today in the shape of the discovery of Color Field painting. I travelled into he city to enjoy the National Portrait Gallery and its majestic space and exhibitions. Wandering is a good time to think and […]
Earth Day
Posted on by James Woodward
On Sunday morning I travelled to Washington National Cathedral ( ee 9th of April) for the Morning Eucharist at 11am. I would have guessed at 2,500 people or perhaps more – for worship that was much more than a spectator sport. The fact that I couldn’t see very much didn’t matter – it was […]
I know why the Caged Bird Sings
Posted on by James Woodward
I know why the caged bird sings, ah me, When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore, When he beats the bars and would be free; It is not a carol of joy or glee, But a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core But a plea, that […]
Social Injustice
Posted on by James Woodward
What makes you angry – and I do not mean just cross but really angry? What parts of the world around us should webe wanting or working to change? I am a great admirer of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and their social research that can hold a disturbing mirror up to us and the way […]
In praise of ……
Posted on by James Woodward
THE T SHIRT AND ITS SLOGAN!!! Time for a smile – (I hope). I popped into Alexandria this morning to sort out a few things – and to buy a couple of T shirts. It is very warm….. In the land of slogans here are some of my favourite ones that have found their […]
In praise of …….
Posted on by James Woodward
READING BOOKS – ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE YOURS!! The sun is high in the sky and doing its work without any hindrance from the clouds. I think that the temperature must be somewhere in the early 80’s and I buy some sun cream as a precaution. I will sit in and worship (the sun) […]
This green and positive land
Posted on by James Woodward
OK – he was waving at thousands of other people as well but smiling at me! Well – perhaps not just me. They do love him and my – they can shout and scream and wave and sing and dance and cheer. And at 81 what a star – dont you think? The sun […]
Learning what is important as we age ?
Posted on by James Woodward
There are some great liberations that surround old age. Abraham Maslow once suggested that wisdom was the accumulation of knowledge and experience and then living long enough to reflect on it, make sense of it, and apply it to oneself and others. Well not all older people are wise. However I have come to see […]
Creative Ageing and learning new tricks!!
Posted on by James Woodward
Be careful – learners around here! They are a hospitable, open, positive and friendly lot the Americans that I have had the joy of meeting so far. On Tuesday (yesterday!) I took the Metro train out towards the National Cathedral to meet Dr Gay Hanna. She is the Director of the National Centre for […]
What is the future for religion?
Posted on by James Woodward
RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS OF THE WORLD I watched the CNN programme which was entitled Faith and Politcs : The Compassion Forum – a head to head between Obama and Clinton. I have also been interested to read of Tony Blair’s Faith Foundation over here – there is much excitement about his coming to Yale […]