At Your Service

The Anglican churches in Arbory and Castletown have a new Priest In Charge - he's Rev'd Simon Archer and he's recently moved to the Island with his wife Tasha and their four children.  But many people - scattered all over the world - also know him as The Gaming Vicar.   On today's programme we discover how he moved from a pub to a pulpit, why he and Tasha chose to come to...

David Dorricott has commissioned possibly his most ambitious piece of Bible-inspired artwork to enhance the 25-acre site at Mountain View Innovation Centre, on Jurby Road, just outside Ramsey, where his business - AFD Software - has its headquarters. The work of artist James Sutton, the piece - which took some 3 years to create - was fully installed recently and on today's programme both James...

This special programme for Remembrance Sunday includes spoken word contributions  from Simeon Wood, David Suchet and Sean Bean, with reflections and poetry from poet, singer/songwriter, author and academic Rev'd Dr Malcolm Guite Prayers are led By Rev'd David and Mrs Jacqueline Shirtliff Music includes the Hymn for the Fallen, Do Not Stand At My Grave And Weep; I vow to thee my countr...

Today's programme brings you highlights of the service on Friday 3 November 2023 in which a Douglas parish church becomes  the Cathedral Church of St Mary of the Isle, Co-Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Liverpool - the first Co-Cathedral in the British Isles.   It was made possible by the award of city status to the town of Douglas as part of the late Queen Elizabeth II's Platinu...

After 6 years as Bishop of Sodor and Man - the smallest but one of the very oldest Diocese in the Church of England - the Rt Reverend Peter Eagles is moving on.  He and his wife Gail are leaving the Island to live in Walsingham, Norfolk.   As he retires from leadership of the Manx Diocese, he looks back over some 30 years in ordained ministry, and at the years on the Island in particular...

Scripture Union Ministries Trust has been active on the Island for some 40 years - helping young people to explore issues of faith for themselves.  Now it's no longer in partnership with SU in England and Wales, but  stands alone as part of Scripture Union International - and they have a new Chief Executive. She is KRISTINA REEVES, and on the programme today she explains not just her...

Christian Aid have been working in the Middle East since 1950 - so how are they responding to the current escalation in violence there?  We have comments from our local Christian Aid representative, Louise Whitelegg along with thoughts from those in the area now. The most likely date for the second reading of the Assisted Dying Bill is 31 October.  In anticipation of this, a few days ago...

When roads are impassable, terrain is treacherous and walking vast distances is your only option, a curable illness suddenly becomes deadly.  Those who live in isolated areas around the world, are cut off from the things we take for granted - like healthcare and education. MISSION AVIATION FELLOWSHIP is a Christian aviation charity operating around 130 light aircraft in more than 25 of the wo...

God and The Big Bang is a project that runs interactive workshop days with young people aged between 10 and 18 giving them the opportunity to discover, discuss and debate the compatibility between science and faith.  The events equip young people with the tools they need in order to form their own opinions about the part science plays in God's world. In this programme I talk with Project...

Another bit of Island history has been made this week, as Pope Francis has granted Cathedral status to the Roman Catholic church of St Mary of the Isle in Douglas.  The church will be a Co-Cathedral to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, in Liverpool city centre.   Co-Cathedrals are very rare in the Roman Catholic Church, and this is the first-ever Co-Cathedral in the British...

Dr Naomi Graham is the founder and CEO of the Christian charity Growing Hope - providing free therapy for children with additional needs, and support for their families. She believes that churches are ideally placed to become truly inclusive and accessible places for everyone, and can help to meet the shortfall in mental health provision, which currently means children, young people and their fami...

Jackie is Manx-born and retains a huge love and respect for the Isle of Man.  Her husband Jay is American - a Lutheran pastor - and they met in Bangladesh but got married in Kirk Andreas! Hear their fascinating story on this week's programme, alongside music from Wallingford Parish Church choir, and Margaret Rizza.  Plus there's our usual notice board Items for the notice board c...

Reverend Dawn Mather retired on 31st August after ten years in leadership of the United Reformed Churches in Ramsey and Douglas. On the programme this morning she reflects on those years, and talks about the years before she came to the Isle of Man - expect some surprises!!   We'll also hear from Reverend Geoff Felton, Moderator of the Mersey Synod of the United Reformed Church who came t...

Recently retired Baptist minister Richard Littledale returns to the programme today, with questions on his mind.  Why are we so poor at talking about death?  Why do we shy away from questions about end of life? Based on his own experience of losing his beloved wife to cancer when she was in her early 50's, Richard  explains why the questions which are the hardest and most painfu...

On today's programme - Adam and Cathy Thomas complete their story (so far!) They explain what happened after they left the Isle of Harris, how Adam came at last to be ordained, why they came to Whalley Abbey - and where they're going now ....  If you missed part one of their story, last week's edition of At Your Service (13 August) is still available as a podcast. And we pay tribu...

Stephen Knott is the Archbishop of Canterbury's Appointments Secretary, and deeply involved in finding a successor to follow the Rt Reverend Peter Eagles as the next Bishop of Sodor and Man - he joins us on the programme today to explain his role, and the next stages in the selection process. And we meet Adam and Cathy Thomas - a couple with deep faith, a love of meeting and working with peopl...

The much-loved Peel Beach Mission is 60 years old this year. In conversation with Anglican Priest Rev'd Paul Lewis - a key member of the present team -  we reflect on this summer outreach which aims to offer something to  everyone of any age, and we celebrate the life of charismatic Michael Clarkson who led the mission from its start,  until 2021.  Sadly Michael passed away...

On Wednesday 2nd August 2023, the Island will remember the 50th anniversary of one of the darkest days in the Island's history - the Summerland tragedy which claimed 50 lives and injured 80 people.  On today's programme we honour the memory of those who died and pay tribute to all those who were involved and touched in any way by the dreadful events of that night - not with material f...

Bishop Peter is due to retire in October this year, and the process to choose his successor as Bishop of Sodor and Man has now begun.  It's a long and complicated procedure, designed to make sure the best possible person is appointed, to meet the needs of the Diocese now, and share a vision for its future.  On today's programme we join the Archdeacon, the Venerable Irene Cowell,...

On today's programme, Reverend Liz Hull, priest in charge of St Thomas's Church in Douglas explains how she got a Flower Tower; Paul Moores, well known on the Island for his representation of The Leprosy Mission here, talks about his  change of direction, and music includes the Choir of the Cathedral in Peel under the direction of Dr Peter Litman, with organist Stuart Corrie, and &#39...

Reverend Dr Andrew Walker is Parish Priest of the Anglican Church of St Mary Bourne Street, London - he's also a psychosynthesis Counsellor, the Founder of the London Centre for Spiritual Direction and Director of the London-based Ignatian Spirituality Course.  In spite of his busy life, he found time to come to the Island briefly and explains how the particular approach taken by Ignatius...

Rev'd Canon Brendan Alger will be remembered by many for his long and active ministry on the Island as Parish Priest of St Mary of the Isle, Douglas, and Dean (or leader) of the Roman Catholic Churches on the Isle of Man from his arrival in 1989 to his retirement in early 2011.   We mark his recent death - peacefully at his home in Onchan - with extracts from a service which he led, &nbsp...

It's a magazine programme today as Paul Keeys, Regional Director of Walk Through the Bible reflects on the day of teaching he led on the Island recently, and also talks about his second job - as Chair of the Trustees of The Garden Tomb in Jerusalem.   Linda Wildman is Schools Worker for Scripture Union Ministries Trust on the Island, and is trained to deliver the Walk Through The Bible co...

Reverend Rod Ingrouille and his son, Reverend Steve (Minister in Onchan Methodist Church) love leading pilgrimages to the Holy Land - taking pilgrims to walk in the footsteps of Jesus - and then seeing how God will work in and through them.   Their next pilgrimage will be in October 2024 and will be the first when Steve's sister, Reverend Ruth, a Baptist Minister, will join them not as a...

Rev'd Dr Tim Macquiban is a recently-retired Methodist minister, currently a chaplain at Chester Cathedral, and a volunteer at Englesea Brook Museum and Chapel - the 'home' of the Primitive Methodist Church, where, for the last years of his ministry, he was Research Officer, with a particular interest in the life and ministry of Hugh Bourne and William Clowes, founders of Primitive Met...