Dear friends, Some weeks ago we had the Christingle service in St John. That is when I took today’s picture. I hope you don’t find it inappropriate to show this now but I strongly believe that we should remember all the highlights of the Christian calendar throughout the year. By all means hum a Christmas song in summer and play the passions at Pentecost and, throughout the year, remember to donate to the Children’s Society and other worthwhile charities. God bless. Dineke van den Bogerd Notes-20250223.pdf Weekly Notes Readings-20250323.pdf Weekly Readings Post expires at 9:51am on Sunday February 22nd, 2026

Dear friends, Looking out of a window this week, contemplating how to get rid of the neighbours’ out-of-proportion Leylandii, I suddenly noticed a movement in the top. It turned out to be a resting buzzard. I took several photos and waited until he decided to leave. Maybe I won’t broach it with the neighbours after all. God bless, Dineke van den Bogerd Notes-20250216.pdf Weekly Notes Readings-20250216.pdf Weekly Readings Post expires at 10:08am on Sunday February 15th, 2026

Dear friends, It’s February and I have filed my TAX return (just in time as usual), the days are noticeably longer and soon the frogs will return to our pond. The daffodil buds are about to burst but there is not a lot flowering in the garden yet so I have attached a bunch of flowers for you to enjoy instead. God bless, Dineke van den Bogerd Candlemas-newsheet.pdf Weekly News Sheet Readings-20250202.pdf Weekly Readings Post expires at 9:18am on Sunday February 1st, 2026

Dear friends, The sermon of the Bishop of the episcopal church in Washington last Monday, where she implored the about to be sworn in US president to be kind and considerate has gone viral on social media. She has already received hate-mail for her words and we should pray for her safety and for the positive effect of her words on the new president and his administration. Today’s is the last picture of our break in Norway, I promise! This sweeping installation was one of two in the Vigeland museum in Oslo. God bless, Dineke van den Bogerd Notes-20250125.pdf Weekly Notes Readings-20250126.pdf Weekly Readings Post expires at 10:13am on Sunday January 25th, 2026

Dear friends, A belated happy new year to you all! The picture today is of a statue in Fauske, Norway that marks the arctic circle. Dik and I spend a very happy week in Norway, playing in the snow and celebrating a big-0 birthday of one of my nieces. This morning I circulated a message on Facebook: ‘You pray for the hungry. Then you feed them. That is how prayer works.’ God bless, Dineke van den Bogerd Notes-20250119.pdf Weekly Notes Readings-20250119.pdf Weekly Readings Post expires at 10:02am on Sunday January 18th, 2026

Dear Friends, How are you all holding up in the cold weather? I hope you are all well and warm. Dineke and I managed to pick just this week for a holiday. However, it isn’t warm here either. I’m writing this from the north of Norway, just above the arctic circle. As chance would have it, the temperature here is the same as in the Capel area. Tomorrow there’s a special Cafe Church, combined with Okewood and Forest Hill. We hope to see you there. Warm greetings from Valnesfjord, Norway Dik Sent from Outlook for iOS<aka.ms/o0ukef> Readings-20250112.pdf weekly reading notes-baptism-of-Christ-newsheet.pdf weekly news letter Post expires at 10:43am on Sunday January 11th, 2026

Dear friends, Last Friday I spent a glorious couple of hours on the coast. The sea air and sunshine were very welcome after the dull weather in December. It is quite wonderful how a different environment can conjure up a different outlook on life. It doesn’t have to be the beach or the weather. It can just as easily be a visit of a friend, a book or a craft that can give that lift and a new perspective. We just have to recognise it when it presents itself. Happy new year and God bless, Dineke van den Bogerd Notes-20250105.pdf Weekly Notes Readings-20250105.pdf Weekly Readings Post expires at 12:33pm on Sunday January 4th, 2026

Dear friends, Last week we had a small fire to dry the chimney before sweeping it. We hardly ever light a fire these days because we are all too aware that as a means of heating it’s very inefficient: 80% goes out through the flue to heat the great outdoors. Also wood fires have emissions that are not very environmentally friendly and we do have after all a most wonderful heatpump system. This time of year though, when we know the days are lengthening but we don’t quite see it yet, we indulge ourselves once or twice and enjoy a real fire in the grate. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and that you can soon experience the longer days of spring. God bless, Dineke van den Bogerd notes-20241229.pdf Weekly Notes Readings-20241229.pdf Weekly Readings Post expires at 3:19pm on Sunday December 28th, 2025

Dear friends, Today is the shortest day of the year and a star shining in the darkness seemed a good way to mark the hope of Advent. On this last Sunday before Christmas I would like to take the opportunity to wish you a good time and remember that Christmas has value only when followed by Good Friday and Easter. God bless, Dineke van den Bogerd notes-20241222.pdf Weekly Notes Readings-20241222.pdf Weekly Readings Post expires at 9:25am on Sunday December 21st, 2025

Dear friends, It’s the third Sunday of Advent already. I decided to give you a picture of one of the rooms in the hotel/museum we stayed in when we were in Paris last month. The building is Banksy themed and this particular room was all about boat migrants. It made quite an impression through it’s simple but significant details. Let us follow Jesus’ teaching of welcoming the stranger who knocks on our door, looking for shelter. Also we hope with them that when the time comes they can move on and be reunited with their loved ones back home as may now be the case for so many Syrians who fled the terror of the Assad regime and its war against his own people. God bless, Dineke van den Bogerd notes-20241215.pdf Weekly Notes Readings-20241215.pdf Weekly Readings Post expires at 1:54pm on Sunday December 14th, 2025

Dear friends, This year is the first I have used an Advent calendar (see picture). It has come as a bit of a surprise to me how it focusses the mind on the anticipation of the real Christmas. It serves as a meditation aid, a way to contemplate the imminent coming of Christ, the light of the world, in our darkness. I hope that we all experience some of that in our busy lives of shopping and prepping for the family get-together, travelling and frivolous, enjoyable pre-Christmas activities. Let us not forget all, far and near, who feel the darkness more than we do and may we be generous with our time and and money. God bless, Dineke van den Bogerd notes-20241208.pdf Weekly Notes Readings-20241208.pdf Weekly Readings Post expires at 7:42am on Sunday December 7th, 2025

Dear friends, The season of Advent starts today: the dark days before the Light of the World is revealed. We count the days (with of without advent calendar) and wait. Last weekend we were in Paris and the picture today is of the only vineyard in Paris, located on the slopes of Montmartre, a stone’s throw from the Sacré Coeur. God bless, Dineke van den Bogerd notes-20241201.pdf Weekly Notes Readings-20241201.pdf Weekly Readings Post expires at 2:32pm on Sunday November 30th, 2025