John Twisleton

@AlCutting Hi Alastair - have just woken up to your consecration to serve as Bishop of Woolwich -congratulations my friend and the Lord be with you in your new responsibilities!

4 Bishops? Which pub? Had to be!!

A highpoint of our stay in Barbados was Mass on Tuesday with Caribbean bishops including our friend Fr Alfred David, Bishop Suffragan of Kamarang, Guyana who trained on the Alan Knight Training scheme Anne and I served. facebook.com/share/v/19hwqp…

Took time off my writing in the British Library last week for a grand ‘wake up’ call from Symphonic Brass with Jeroen Berwaerts in Regent Hall off Oxford Circus at their free lunchtime concert. Never need to spend a dull, music-less lunchtime when you’re visiting London!

Anne captures some sights of the Caribbean where we began married life in 1988 and continue with links and visits to Guyana and Barbados.

The substantive Haywards Heath history, still available second-hand online, was written by Wyn Ford and Conway Gabe and named ‘The Metropolis of Mid Sussex - A History of Haywards Heath’ (1981). Ford & Gabe reproduce the 1879 town directory with its advertisements.

Timely prayer beside the west door of Westminster Abbey for peace and concord in the world in the light of the US election. In the Abbey above the altar is a similar biblical aspiration, that ‘the kingdom of this world become the kingdom of our God and of his Christ’ Rev 11:15b.

Bright autumn sunshine lifts the west face of Westminster Abbey, a selfie taken before joining the queue for Evensong at 5pm well-packed as ever. There was worship in heaven and on this spot before 1066 and there will be worship in heaven when the Abbey has crumbled to dust.

On our move to Haywards Heath in 2001 I quickly learned of Campbell’s association with the town through his partnership in pioneering work on jet engines including Bluebird K7 with Lew and Ken Norris. More at Twisleton.co.uk

‘The saints are glad to be saints, not because their sanctity makes them admirable to others, but because the gift of sainthood makes it possible for them to admire everybody else’ (Merton). All Saints is an invitation to such selflessness. More at Twisleton.co.uk

How we miss those who lit up our lives for a season now veiled from sight even if we believe the All Souls’ day scripture ‘God will swallow up death forever’. Death is our enemy even though Christian faith sees through it to the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.

In our bleak global scenario some friends might be interested in following our Prayers of Hope at Premier. My contribution is at 20 min 36 secs. premier.plus/prayers-of-hop…

All Saints Day reminds me of two ‘saints’ up the road - our dear friends James and Neroli Allen - whose company Anne and I so much enjoy. What a sustaining and blessing phenomenon friendship is especially in latter years!

‘It was gratifying to see the pale London patients getting colour in their cheeks from the pure air and water of Haywards Heath. The asylum looking out on the downs has calming influence on patients’. re opening of Asylum aka St Francis Hospital 1859. Twisleton.co.uk

Walking down into Lewes on Saturday from my 3 hour walking retreat which started at Hassocks Station. The sheep seemed fairly used to walkers. What a privilege to live so close to the South Downs with their prospect over Sussex and the sea!

Disappointments wear us down smoothing rough edges to flow with life as it comes. John Twisleton 26 October 2024 More of my poems at Twisleton.co.uk

Disappointment I was looking forward to a walk with a friend but he had to cancel. Walking alone without conversation  I counted my blessings. One blessing I have  is give and take in life and friendship.

I couldn’t resist capturing the awesome sunset looking up New England Road from the America Lane fish and chip shop after our Friday purchase.

Anne Twisleton’s lovely picture of blind Bartimaeus awaiting Jesus proves a good online illustration to go with my Sunday sermon preached in St Mary, Balcombe on the account of his healing in today’s Gospel Mark 10:46-52  as an Ignatian meditation. See Twisleton.co.uk

Walking on a sunny autumn afternoon in St James’s Park last week where the swans benefited from the attention of other sightseers!

Holman Hunt saw the closed door in his Light of the World (Times, 14 October) as representing ‘obstinately closed minds’. The painting, though Christian, has universal significance in the current truth-telling crisis both generated and challenged by media - even The Times!