The Multi-Sensory Reminiscence Activity Book 52 Weekly Group Session Plans for Working with Older Adults Sophie Jopling and Sarah Mousley Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2017 ISBN: 9781785922398 There are few of us in early middle age who do not know someone who is living with some of the opportunities and challenges of growing older. Sadly […]
Blog: Pictures-Books-Reflections
Poetry and Dementia
Posted on by James Woodward
Poetry and Dementia: A Practical Guide John Killick Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2017 ISBN: 9781785921766 £16.99 I wonder what your relationship to poetry is? I have met some people that simply do not get this way of expression; others who simply haven’t got the time or the inclination to attend very closely to the […]
A crisis of Care ?
Posted on by James Woodward
Contrast two scenes. The first is a restaurant – where the food is carefully prepared and warmly served in an atmosphere which seeks to delight its customers. The second is a hospital. Parking the car is nearly impossible – the long impersonal corridors where people avoid eye contact. The noisy ward – the short temered […]
Holiday reading (1) Gordon Brown My life, Our Times Bodley Head 2017.
Posted on by James Woodward
Having successfully downsized my living and therefore ‘storage’ arrangements I think twice about buying a book! I was, however, immediately drawn to this political autobiography, not least because on the two occasions I met Gordon Brown I found him humane, reflective and generous. Retired politicians, we are told, are generally more attractive than […]
Bradbury on Practical theology and Pierre-Andre Liege : Book Review
Posted on by James Woodward
Practical theology and Pierre-Andre Liege : Radical Dominican and Vatican II Pioneer Nicholas Bradbury AshGate 2015 £65.00 ISBN 9781472418708 This is giant of a text from the priest with long experience of ministry, learning, leadership and reflective practice. The coherence and authority of this experience and skill as a reflective practitioner is demonstrated through […]
Conundrums in Practical Theology : Book Review
Posted on by James Woodward
Conundrums in Practical Theology. By Joyce Ann Mercer and Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore, Boston: Brill, 2016. 320 pages. $76. (PBK). ISBN 978-90-04-32423-7. Reviewed by: James Woodward, Principal of Sarum College, Salisbury and Visiting Professor of Theology, the University Winchester UK All those engaged in learning and teaching will have a system for organising books […]
Advent Offers an Invitation to Wait and Hope
Posted on by James Woodward
We are midway through the season running up to Christmas, which is called Advent. One of its key themes is the importance for us to see the possibilities that waiting might bring or us. I overheard a child in Tesco this week say to her brother, “I can’t wait for Christmas”. In her eyes, […]
Please pray for me
Posted on by James Woodward
As a priest, I should not be surprised at how often sometimes perfect strangers ask me to pray for them. Sometimes it is related to a specific difficulty or crisis – more often than not people understandably take comfort from the reality of being prayed for. Intercession, prayer that is to ask God for […]
Waiting and Wondering
Posted on by James Woodward
I find myself along with others caught up in quite absurd activity as ‘ the Christmas rush’ bears down. I discover that in this maddness I have no evenings free before Christmas and wonder how much of this is of my own making! An early flurry of sleet and the promise of snow for some tomorrow […]
Visiting the Memory Café ; Embracing better Dementia Care
Posted on by James Woodward
Visiting the Memory Café and other Dementia Care Activities Evidence-based Interventions for Care Homes Edited by Caroline Baker and Jason Corrigan-Charlesworth. Jessica Kingsley Publishers 2017, ISBN: 9781785922527 £16.99 They can be few families who are not affected by an individual who is engaging with some degree of significant memory loss. For some the prospect of […]
Enlarging our Hearts at the Cinema with Paddington2 and Wonder
Posted on by James Woodward
The Salisbury Odeon is one of the oldest buildings in town with an impressive mediaeval hall which leads into four or perhaps five screens. Friends will know that it is a favourite haunt of mine – sometimes just a very helpful release from work – at other times important for us all to see beyond […]
Where do we look for treasure ?
Posted on by James Woodward
THE RABBI OF KRACOW There once was a pious rabbi, Eisik of Kracow, capital of Poland, who had a dream in which a voice told him to go to far-off Prague, where under the great bridge to the royal castle he would discover a hidden treasure. This same commanding dream was repeated twice. He […]
Sunday Pause for Thought Trinity 15 : God has No Favourites
Posted on by James Woodward
Sunday 24 September 2017 The Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity Common Worship Lectionary Proper 20 Exodus 16.2–15 The Lord sends manna from heaven Psalm 105.1–6, 37–45* God’s faithfulness to Israel Philippians 1.21–30 Living is Christ and dying is gain: live worthy lives Matthew 20.1–16 Parable of the labourers in the vineyard Discipline is the […]
Sunday Pause for Thought – The Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity
Posted on by James Woodward
The Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity Common Worship Lectionary Proper 19 Exodus 14.19–31 Israel saved by Moses parting the waters Psalm 114 or Israel fled from Egypt to sanctuary in Judah Canticle: Exodus 15.1b–11, 20, 21 Moses’ song after the Exodus Romans 14.1–12 Do not judge, for we are all accountable to God […]
The Moral Heart of Public Service
Posted on by James Woodward
The Moral Heart of Public Service – Edited by Claire Foster Gilbert Jessica Kingsley Publishers (2017) ISBN 9781785922558 £18.99 Westminster Abbey takes its location to serve our national life with utmost seriousness. As well as attracting visitors from across the world the Abbey also seeks to engage with a range of major institutions and public […]
On Inhabiting Creation Tide ( on taking notice)
Posted on by James Woodward
Almighty God We stand before the mirror of your eternity, within the radiance of your majesty. Through your Holy Spirit, enlighten the darkness of our minds, challenge the comfort of our perception, giving us a right faith, a firm hope, and a perfect love; that the world may behold your glory through Jesus Christ our […]
Sunday Pause for Thought – The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity
Posted on by James Woodward
The Thirteenth Sunday after Trinity Common Worship Lectionary Proper 18 Exodus 12.1–14 Instructions for celebrating the first Passover Psalm 149 God is on Israel’s side Romans 13.8–14 Awake from sleep – put on the armour of light Matthew 18.15–20 Reprove sinners; bind and loose on earth and in heaven We all […]
Sunday Pause for Thought – The Twelfth Sunday after Trinity
Posted on by James Woodward
The Twelfth Sunday after Trinity Common Worship Lectionary Proper 17 Exodus 3.1–15 God reveals the divine name to Moses at the burning bush Psalm 105.1–6, 23–26, 45b* Seek the Lord, make known his deeds Romans 12.9–21 Let love be genuine; overcome evil with good Matthew 16.21–28 Jesus predicts his death; ‘Take up your […]
Poetry on Sunday
Posted on by James Woodward
a lyrical manifesto for large-hearted living. Walk through life Beautiful more than anything Stand in the sunlight Walk through life Love all the things That make you strong, be lovers, be anything For all the people of Earth You have brothers You love each other, change up And look […]
Sunday Pause for Thought – The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity
Posted on by James Woodward
The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity Saying yes to Jesus leads straight into a practical role. Peter, the rock, signifies the church in its day-to-day life – its ultimate victory on behalf of God is sure. We are reminded in the Old Testament readings that the greatness of God dwarfs us all and that we are […]