One 2 Three
Patrick Sherring
Bishop John Perambulath, the C. of E. Bishop of Bradwell, joined me to chat about Lent. He reminded us that the word Lent is simply old English for Spring. He felt this period of forty days, beginning on Ash Wednesday and excluding Sundays, is an appropriate time for Christians to prepare for the commemoration and celebration of Easter. However, Bishop John felt that there was much in this time that would be of value to everyone, whatever their faith. He said that this should be a time to re-examine our lives. This would include looking at discipline, values and relationships. When he was growing up in Kerala in South India, the discipline amongst local Christians was to give up eating meat and fish during Lent. As he has been a vegetarian for sixteen years, he can no longer do this, but he looks to give up other things that he says he does not really need. He gave as an example of buying a coffee when he is out travelling between meetings in the mid-Essex area where he has responsibility. This is an examination of the use of time and resources. If the giving up means not buying certain items, then the money not spend is given away to charity. This would be a challenging every-day reminder. Bishop John felt that this is also a time to look at the values that drive our lives. We can only do this through spending times in quiet reflection. This naturally leads to considering our relationships with others, God and ourselves. He emphasised that we often do not listen to ourselves to discover what is really important to us.
Playlist
John Batiste – Tell the truth.
Tom Jones – Lord help the poor and needy.
Brentwood School Big Band – If only
Carrie Underwood – Jesus take the wheel
Lauren Diagle – You say
Friday Teaser
Above, Howard Jones in 1984.
Below, Howard Jones in 2022.
Howard Jones had ten Top 40 singles between 1983-1986 in the UK. He celebrated his 67th birthday recently. We heard Hero in your eyes from the 2019 album Transformation.
Seal has sold over 20 million records worldwide. He recently celebrated his 59th birthday. We heard his 1994 USA no 1 and UK no 4 Kiss from a rose.
Smokey Robinson began his career in 1955 and went on to be Vice President of Motown Records. He celebrated his 82nd birthday.
We heard his 1981 UK no 1 and USA no 4 Being with you.
Our contestants today were Bob in Harlow, Chris in Harlow, Chris in Guildford, John in Billericay and June in Tottenham.
None of the ages were guessed correctly by any of the participants. In a close set of results, John won with two points. June, and both Chrises scored one point.
Ed Sheeran & Taylor Swift – The Joker and the Queen. Patrick in Ingatestone requested this track.
ECHO – People get ready. Locally based Christian band ECHO are seeking an new keyboard player to follow on from Ollie Lincoln. Greg from the band will be joining me in the studio on the 11th of March. If you were interested in playing with the band, you can make contact with a private message via finding them on Facebook.
Bryan Adams – It’s never gonna rain.
Procul Harem – Whiter shade of pale. We played this iconic track from 1967 following the death of lead singer and keyboard player Gary Brooker. Guest on the show last year Tim Goodbody responded that he had his first slow dance to this track. Ruth stated that as a church organist from the age of 12 years, she had always hoped that someone would choose it for their wedding entrance music. No-one ever did, so she chose it for her own wedding. We heard from Pauline on the phone, telling us about the Billericay High Street market tomorrow in St. Mary’s church. She said she first heard this track at a dance in Ilford.
Chart this week in
No 12 Al Green – Let’s stay together
No 17 Paul Simon – Mother and child re-union
No 19 America – Horse with no name
Ian Noe – River flow. This new release has an authentic Appalachian Mountains country sound, with a prominent banjo.
George Benson – Never give up on a good thing.
Next week my Studio guest is James Davy. He is organist and Master of the Choristers at Chelmsford Cathedral.
I think you will be very surprised by his choices of music.
