Author Archives: Alan Bailyes

Well, it’s been a while since I last posted! I’m now 15 months into retirement, living in Willand, Devon. And one of the things I’ve been doing is going through old photographic slides and digitising some. In April 1985, as part of a project by ‘Pontypridd and Rhondda Christian Concern’, I visited refugee camps overContinue reading “Visit to Sudan 1985”

I was chatting to someone last week who told me that their church was encouraging everyone who was financially able to donate their £400 Energy Bill Discount to a fund to help those who would be struggling to meet their rising energy bills. I thought “What a good idea!” And then I thought about theContinue reading “Energy Price C.A.P.”

Weston has been in the national news just lately with the (delayed) opening of its expensive ‘Art Installation’. the See Monster. Helen and I had the chance to visit it this lunchtime and I’ve put together a compilation of some of the photos and videos I took. I thought I’d post them for your scrutiny.Continue reading “See Monster”

Helen and I like to do crosswords. Quick crosswords that is, not the cryptic type for which I have very little patience. We have the same book each and we start by seeing how far we can get on our own and then we help each other with the ones we’re stuck on. Helen, IContinue reading “Crosswords and Psalm 119”

Okay, so what’s the connection? Answer: Masterpieces in Poetry. Every year at the Eisteddfod there is a solemn ceremony steeped in tradition – the ‘Chairing of the Bard’, a poet whose poetry has been judged to be of the highest standard. The rules have been described as “fiendishly exacting” involving a complex system of alliterationContinue reading “The Welsh Eisteddfod and Psalm 119”

Thank you for all your feedback, some directly by text. Helen suggested that if I were to make a few small changes, then the words would fit to the tune ‘Jerusalem’, which would be more familiar. So here it is … King of all nations, hear our prayerwhile humbly at your throne we bow;As oneContinue reading “King of the nations (version 2)”

I was minister of a Baptist church in the Rhondda valley when war broke out in Bosnia in the early 1990s. Preparing for Sunday worship, I looked in vain for a hymn that put into words what I, along with many, many others, felt. I was moved to write my own. And this morning itsContinue reading “A prayer & a hymn …”

Back in April I drew attention to a new (yet old) word: Conjobbling! In the months that have past, there have been many opportunities to sit at table and eat and drink (coffee) or walk with others and have a good natter without the aid of electronic devices. Wonderful! Family and social life has returnedContinue reading “Many ‘conjobbles’ later …”

Well, it’s been a while, but the announcement that 19 July (dubbed ‘Freedom Day’) marking the end of legal restrictions has provoked me to put the proverbial pen to paper. Amongst church leaders the words of the apostle Paul addressed to the church in Corinth have generated discussion. Here they are in a couple ofContinue reading “Freedom!!”