Mar-Apr 2026

A picture, they say, is worth a thousand words. So what does this month’s cover evoke for you? Perhaps Irving Berlin’s 1926 hit 'Blue Skies' springs to mind. After weeks of relentless rain, we could all use a dose of that joyful optimism, even if lines like 'Never saw the sun shining so bright; never saw things going so right' are unlikely to grace a 2026 playlist.

Or perhaps, amid recent events in Iran, you might see it as a metaphor for the hope stirring hundreds of thousands within its borders, and those compelled to flee, sustaining their belief in a brighter future. The image beckons us to lift our gaze beyond the mosque’s enclosing dome, toward the boundless freedom of the sky above. What has this to do with us? The impassioned article on p. 4 will explain.

Our Spring edition blends dark clouds and sunshine, as befits this season in the Church’s year. On one hand, we confront reminders of war’s folly, humanity’s potential for destruction, and the risks posed by unchecked technology. On the other, we celebrate the joy of creativity, restoration, new growth, foreign travel, and life’s simpler pleasures.

Holy Week and Easter trace a similar path: from despair to hope, from the darkness of betrayal and crucifixion to the blue skies of resurrection and new life. If you’d like to join us on this journey, you’ll find the dates of all our services at St Nicolas’ Church on p. 38. And if you’d like to contribute to our next edition, due out at the end of April, I’d be delighted to hear from you. New writers are always welcome.

Wishing you a springtime filled with sunshine.