Povey Prattle

 I had lunch today with my friends B etty, B en and B ob at our local secret gem "Alma's Kouzine". Alma and her husband Benny are from Albania.  They are amongst the most friendly and welcoming restaurants you could hope to meet (as are their daughters, who work at weekend). Alma's specialises in whole wheat Crepes -  with sweet or savoury fillings (all superb). The menu also includes a wide array of Mediterranean dishes (wonderful Spinach pie), and some  all-American favourites. Today I chose a Fish sandwich, with Chips.  It was a well seasoned bit of fish (of what species I do not know), about twice as long as the Hamburger bun on which it was served (with lettuce, tomato and onion). But oh those chips!   You will remember then  from the olden days -  crispy on the outside and fluffy in the middle. I've not eaten chips since I was in the U.K. last year.   But I could not have broken my "chips/french fries fast" in any better ...

"Congratulations to The Longest Monarch To Reign Over The UK." ('nuff said,  jmp) 

I wrote this piece for  "The Vıntage Voice"  a newsletter which serves  The Church Pension Fund’s Family of Beneficiaries in  ■ April 2009   (I have edited it a bit for clarity) I Was a Stranger   “I was a stranger and you welcomed me.” (Matthew 25: 35b) In 1991, I was blessed to take a sabbatical leave from St. Stephen’s in Pittsfield, MA, where I was the rector. I hung my hat at St. Luke’s on Peachtree Street in Atlanta, GA, there to learn much about urban ministry. I also took three courses at the Interdenominational Centre at Atlanta University, a consortium of seminaries of historic black churches. My studies included courses on “Black People in the Bible” and “An Overview of Historic Black Churches,” as well as a terrific course on preaching taught by Dr. Henry Mitchell. Dr. Mitchell was slated to preach one Sunday at Beulah Baptist Church in Decatur, so I took myself there to hear him. I arrived a bit late, wearing a clerical coll...

 I goofed off from the Episcopal Church yesterday (6th September 2015) and attended the 360 Church in Sarasota. This Church meets in a warehouse building at the intersection of McIntosh and Ashton Roads in SRQ I wanted to find out more about one of the many new and growing  non-denominational congregations which are present throughout the United States (and most likely in countries such as the U.K., Canada, Australia etc) You can read about 360 Church here   http://www.the360church.com The 360 Church movement is an outgrowth of YWAM  (Youth With A Mission) an organisation which is well known amongst fundamentalist and evangelical Christians  in the U.S.A. 360 Church believes that relationships should be at the heart of the Christian life. It is a congregation with many small groups, known (in this Twitter age)  as @groups, small groups in which relationships in Christ can be fostered and grown. The service began with music led by a praise band (...

Lynne Olson and Stanley Cloud are the authors of "A Question Of Honor  The Kosciuszko Squadron" *'Forgotten Heroes Of World War II *   (Alfred A. Knopf, 2005). It is a thrilling and disturbing book. It was not only Britain which, according to Churchill "shall never surrender". The Polish Government and Military never surrendered to N-zi Germany or Soviet Russia. Poland was the only German occupied State where no citizen of any stripe was found to become a Quisling, a N-azi Puppet Ruler. It was Polish cryptographers who had enabled and provided the initial information for cracking Enigma. Scores of thousands of Polish soldiers, sailors and pilots escaped Poland to join the fight against tyranny. The Polish fighter pilots in exile became renowned for their skill and bravery.  R.A.F. pilots had much to learn from them. Of the "few" who defended my native Island in the Battle of Britain none were more valiant or successful than the Poles...