Duncan Courts

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Big news! Brand new lay clerkships at St. Peter's! This is an exciting paid opportunity to sing a wide range of sacred music at a high standard as part of our choral tradition. Find out more and download the job description here: …foundation.stpetersbournemouth.org.uk/lay-clerks

@Mjw690112061031 @lancelachlan @LindseyGrahamSC Clearly has no idea about the UK... or what 'authoritarian' means.

@lancelachlan @LindseyGrahamSC You should probably worry more about your own country right now if you are anti-authoritarian...

It is time to end the war between Russia and Ukraine justly and honorably, as President Trump is trying to do. Pushing the Ukrainians toward peace and trying to secure a critical minerals agreement with them makes perfect sense to me. Talking to Russia about how to end the conflict makes perfect sense to me. Ukraine has made major announcements in the last 48 hours about ceasefires, the minerals deal, and their willingness to engage in peace talks. Putin has been defiant and resistant publicly to President Trump’s overtures. If Putin refuses to seriously come to the peace table, I hope and expect that President Trump would unleash more economic sanctions on Russia’s banking and energy sectors, and if necessary, apply massive tariffs. The impact on Russia’s already weak economy will force them to the table. reuters.com/world/europe/p…

The rise of the AfD, Elon Musk and Donald Trump, Nigel Farage and Reform, and every other Far Right party isn't 'organic' or a popular reaction. It is due to unlimited, non stop support from the Far Right Billionaire Media, and the many idiots who will vote for blatant lies.

@liturgicalben For basic dignity. See fbca.org.uk/code-of-cremat… point 3 and footnote. It's also often the only practical way of receiving the coffin into the crematory. An exception is Pure whose crem at Andover is specifically designed for the direct market. But I agree with your point entirely.

@DuncanCourts That isn’t my understanding of ‘direct cremation’ - “no service, no fuss”, so why catafalque? There are firms who do (to use your good term) ‘simple disposal’. It just shows how disordered our present age is - you live a life, then discarded like a used car or old kettle.

Seeing again a plethora of “Celebration of Life” direct cremation adverts. Surely building a bonfire in the back garden is cheaper and slightly more personal than being taken to an unknown location to go into the fiery furnace?

Any council that gives planning permission to an out-of-town retail park is signing its town's death warrant. Why do you want to destroy your centre by dragging footfall and economic activity out to the fringes? Insanity.

@centeringdoc @TokyoTom2020 @jimsciutto Doesn't exactly reflect the last half century of American history does it? Or reality generally.

It’s always curious why most Europeans have no clue about US domestic political developments. Some of us are starting to discern why. America’s soul is (thank God) still about autonomy. Everyone else is about collectivism…and inevitably, venal exploitation and corruption… and war.

Do not underestimate the shift the Trump administration is laying out in its public comments. This is not just a shift away from supporting Ukraine against Russia, it is the U.S. reducing its support for, and involvement in, Europe’s security - and more broadly, in the security of allies in Asia and around the world. 1/

@YouGov Perhaps we should now have much more of @EdwardJDavey and far less of @Nigel_Farage - how about it @SkyNews @BBCNews @itvnews @Channel4News ?

Jack hasn’t read the bible, has he?

This year our properties will host 58 Santa’s grottoes and 2 Mother Christmas story times. The Mother Christmas reading events are not new. The world may have gone mad but I don’t think this has been caused by 2 children’s reading events.

The woes of the govt are overdone. Their biggest problem is a consistent tendency to favour tactics over strategy. And failing to change the law to protect British democracy from Musk's money, is the worst example of this yet. My piece for @theipaper. inews.co.uk/opinion/donald…

Merry Christmas everyone!

One more Sunday of beautiful Advent music. And then the fun starts - at sunset on Christmas Eve!

@paynenotes1 @stgilescg And then hurried to type this awful reply to show how much better you are at being Christian. Well done you.

@stgilescg First I thought, oh good, they've got a male vicar. Then I saw the young woman dressed in a dog collar and was reminded its the Church of England alternative to Scripturally sound Christianity.

Some pictures from our #carol service this evening

'Man who constantly claims foreigners undermine British sovereignty welcomes cash from foreigner to help undermine British sovereignty'.

Bar of the day. Robert White. Nearly 450 years old, and utterly beautiful.

We must be close to Christmas now, because there's something on every night. This was the thing last night - lovely carol-singing in Bournemouth. In between the trebles and adults practices, of course. Damp and cold, but great fun nonetheless.