Out on my new bike today. 24 miles to Little Malvern Priory and back. Average speed: 12mph. Happy with that! May be sore tomorrow?

This afternoon, I led our youth pilgrimage to St Mary’s Priory Church, Deerhurst. They were blessed by Bishop Robert and explored Anglo-Saxon spirituality at Deerhurst with a little bit of fuelling up by Haribo on the way!

Today we celebrated Christ the King & confirmed Keely, Andrew, Alice, Claire & Billie. Defend, O Lord, these your servants with your heavenly grace, that they may continue yours for ever, & daily increase in your Holy Spirit more & more until they come to your everlasting kingdom

Lovely recce for our youth pilgrimage on Sunday…

A full-on day of All Saints, All Souls, confirmation session and fireworks over Tewkesbury Abbey to round it off. This is the view from the back garden!

Please pray for all those preparing to be confirmed later this month at Tewkesbury Abbey. We gather today to think about the sacraments… 

Good to hear from Emma Ash, Tewkesbury Voices and the History research team from @uniofglos.bsky.social on contested heritage at Tewkesbury Abbey. Read more here: tewkesburyvoices.com #Tewkesbury #contestedheritage

Lovely walk around Tiddesley Wood & Stocken Orchard today. Lovely Fungi, flowers, cider apples and autumn leaves… #Pershore #Worcestershire #cider #Fungi

Giving thanks tonight for so many inspiring, gifted and faithful colleagues serving in so many differing contexts across @glosdioc.bsky.social “We will build our lives upon His love- It is a firm foundation. We will put our trust in Him alone And we will not be shaken”

A lunar addition to the Tewkesbury Bannerscape! #Tewkesbury www.tewkesburyabbey.org.uk/themoon/

Wonderful to spend time with the wonderful clergy from @glosdioc.bsky.social as @bptewkesbury.bsky.social reflects on the importance of worship, prayer & Sabbath in shaping life-affirming priestly ministry @churchofengland.org

An excellent and timely article by Mark Clavier.. “The Church is called not to wield the sword of empire, but to bear the cross of Jesus, to resist the idolatry of nationalism, and to proclaim a kingdom that can’t be corrupted or bought.” markclavier.substack.com/p/the-flag-i...

Picked up one of these going cheaply as a souvenir to bring back to the Abbey. Thinking about Faculties, it’s probably just a List B thing, right?

Just back from a lovely couple of weeks with the family in Galicia, including walking a bit of the Camino, visiting Santiago de Compostella, swimming and church crawling with lots of eating, drinking and sleeping in between. Would thoroughly recommend! 

Our Musica Deo Sacra Festival continues with Choral Evensong 6pm tonight, a Requiem Mass 7pm tomorrow and Choral Matins 11am on Saturday. All services are free and all are welcome #Tewkesbury #choral @TewkesAbbey

A great first day of Musica Deo Sacra. Lots more wonderfulness to come…

A few photos from our River Blessing last week. + Cleanse these waters that they may sustain bird & beast, fish & fowl + Guard these waters that they may be for our enjoyment. + Hallow these waters that they may offer new life to the whole of your creation. @glosdioc.bsky.social

At Family Mass we remembered Jesus’ Ascension. Father God, help us to remember that it will be our home too. Fill us with your Spirit, that we may follow him each day and help us to look forward to that day when Jesus will return to be with us forever. Amen

Wonderful to be exploring #Community with tewkesbury town council Mayor at Tewkesbury primary School. We reflected on the story of Nehemiah as a leader in his community and prayed for our new Mayor at the beginning of his mayoral year! #Tewkesbury #Gloucestershire

Just another quiet weekend in Tewkesbury…

Went to see the Siena exhibition National Gallery today. Would recomend, particularly enjoyed a disruptive Christ child pulling at Mary’s dress. Start as you mean to go on! www.nationalgallery.org.uk/exhibitions/...

This weekend, I have opened a bell ringing competition, captured fish shaped prayers in a net, blessed bell ropes, led a mini-pilgrimage and welcomed medieval re-enactors to the Tewkesbury Abbey- just another weekend as Vicar of Tewkesbury. I blame @bptewkesbury.bsky.social

Wonderful views of Gannets, Puffins, seals, Razorbill, Guilomot & Kittiwake around Flamborough Head today at #RSPB Flamborough Head today and important article on the challenges facing our seabirds here: www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen...

Very excited to see @rspb.bsky.social launching their #Curlew action plan to coincide with #WorldCurlewDay one of the many reasons why I’m glad to be an RSPB life fellow. www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happen...

At 12noon today we will be tolling our tenor bell 88 times in memory of Pope Francis. May he rest in peace and rise in glory. There is an opportunity to pray, like candles and give thanks for his life in our Lady chapel this week #PapaFrancesco #PopeFrancis #Tewkesbury

Rest eternal grant unto him O Lord and let light perpetual shine upon. In his homily for Easter Sunday, Pope Francis encouraged us to not settle for the fleeting things of this world or give into sadness, but instead we must run, filled with joy to meet the Lord.

Caption competition?

Love this place and its people. Christ is risen, alleluia!

Lovely welcome so many families to High Mass today which included banner making for our final procession. Many thanks to Rev Hannah Barraclough for an excellent sermon and our choir for wonderful singing. Christ is risen, Alleluia! Video here: www.youtube.com/live/BohYy6u...

Rejoice, O Mother Church! Exult in glory! The risen Saviour shines upon you! Let this place resound with joy, echoing the mighty song of all God's people! #ChristIsRisen #Χριστὸςἀνέστη #Christussurréxit #Easter #Easter2025 #tewkesbury @glosdioc.bsky.social @bishgloucester.bsky.social

Good to gather with colleagues and @BishGloucester @GlosCathedral for the Chrism Mass: “God calls his people to follow Christ, and forms us into a royal priesthood, a holy nation, to declare the wonderful deeds of Jesus who has called us out of darkness into his marvellous light.”

Good night all…

Great talk tonight to the Friends @TewkesAbbey by Jim Budd. Quoting an assessment of stained glass in 1900: “These 14C windows are the chief glory of the choir. There are perhaps no others in England containing quite so much glass of the same date, and in such good condition.”

‘There be dragons, here be angels!’ I love the subliminal messaging in the gargoyles on the monastic gateway. Something to contemplate whilst hanging out the washing in the back yard!

Wonderful to welcome tewkesbury Church of England primary School to the Abbey for their #Easter service today. Some great singing and a wonderful exploration of the events of Holy Week. @glosdioc.bsky.social

Great to hear Rev Dr Karen Smith at Tewkesbury Abbey on the pastoral letters of Friedrich von Hügel. "Keep your life a life of prayer…it's the only thing, and remember, no joy without suffering, no patience without trial, no humility without humiliation, no life without death.”

Good to be in @TewkPri this morning exploring the heavy loads we can carry when we forget to say ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘I forgive you’. Well done to all of the students who did some great work this morning! #Lent @churchofengland @GlosDioc @BishGloucester

Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, give rest to the weary, sustain the dying, calm the suffering, and pity the distressed; all for your love’s sake, O Christ our Redeemer.

Today I touched an early 13C effigy. It depicts a high status priest, possibly St Benedict holding his rule, and is associated with the work of Prior Henry Sipton who oversaw the dedication of the chapel of St Nicholas in 1237. The stone is Tournai limestone from Soignies, Belg.

Hail Mary, full of grace! A few architectural treasures for this Feast of the Annunciation from the Abbey Church of St Mary’s, Tewkesbury. Mass is at 12 noon in the Lady Chapel. @GlosDioc #Annunciation

Lovely to hear Curlews on the Ham this morning. #EarlyMorningRun.

Great to be @TewkPri this morning for #AshWednesday as we reflected on the power of forgiveness. Some of our pupils volunteered the things for which they were sorry and received ash crosses with the words, “God loves you and forgives you”

Lots of fun this evening with our #ShroveTuesday pancake race with our Schola Cantorum choristers from Dean Close School. Almighty God, giver of every good gift, we thank You for the food that sustains us, for the joy of shared meals, and for the simple blessing of pancakes on this day…

Sunset over the Severn Ham with Curlews calling in the distance…

Really enjoying the planetary parade from our back garden. This view features Sirius, Orion, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus (probably) and a lot of others!#astronomy #PlanetaryParade #gloucestershire @bbcweather @bbcpointswest #weather

Last few nights of #PeaceDoves & #ImaginePeace @TewkesAbbey. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to reflect on peace in a stunning venue. You can buy tickets here: ow.ly/yHC550URK5b

This week, as we reflected on peace, I was able to share a sermon which I heard preached 30 years ago in a refugee camp outside Goma, DRC. It was good to be able to remember my friends as we recommit ourselves to be ministers of reconciliation in our own day. www.youtube.com/live/3TwJ_5O...

Been planting fruit trees this weekend. We now have Pershore Emblem plum and the following Gloucestershire apple trees; Ashmeads Kernel, Lakes Kernel and a Pippin.

Great to be exploring how our bodies are temples of God’s Holy Spirit as we explore our #respect value tewkesbury primary school this morning… @glosdioc.bsky.social @bptewkesbury.bsky.social

Looking forward to this!