Episodes
The Isle of Man Church Music Association seems to have been founded in 1897 and over the years has had some celebrated leaders, including Miss M L Wood, founder of our beloved Manx Music Festival.In recent years, the Association's influence has waned - but all that is set to change as leadership has recently been picked up by Dr Peter Litman, Gareth Moore and Rev'd Joanna Fisher. A Festival of Hymns is planned for June 30th where all who love singing are welcome.We have the full story in today's programme - plus a musical tribute to celebrate the Knighthood of composer John RutterAnd of co...
On today's programme, three people share poignant stories about their late Father - and Pioneer Minister Rev'd Alex Brown, who lives and ministers in Douglas, explores what it means to be fully human.And there's music too - and our regular Notice Board.Items for inclusion on the notice board can be emailed to judithley@manxradio.com
Rev'd Susan McIver is the Safeguarding Officer in the Nottingham and Derby District of the Methodist Church. She visited the Island recently, to lead a study day - open to members of churches of all denominations - on SILENCE in the context of safeguarding ..... when it's necessary and helpful, and when it's recognised as a tool, used to manipulate, or make a person powerless.On this programme, I talk with Susan about her own childhood - the hard lessons she learned - the choices she made - and her passion to see all people flourish and have life in all its fullness.There's music from Wall...
Thursday 6 June, 2024 is the 80th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings - lone pipers throughout the British Isles have been taking turns to each play a poignant piece of music at various locations at 8am each morning. By the time we reach the anniversary on 6 June, the piece will have been played on 80 consecutive mornings, at 80 different locations - and the Ellan Vannin Pipes and Drums have the privilege of playing for the final ten mornings at locations around the Island. What is the piece of music, and where will it be played? We have all the information in this programme. The nuns of t...
Earlier this year, Angela Southern, a member of Ballagarey Methodist Church, was selected to represent not just the Isle of Man, but the whole of the British Isles, at the All Africa Conference of Churches - an ecumencial body which accounts for over 200 million Christians across the African Continent. Our local Christian Aid Rep Louise Whitelegg chose to go with Angela (at her own expense) to learn more about the host country - Sierra Leone - and ten days ago Angela and Louise set off for captial city Freetown, for Angela to explore the Conference, and Louise to explore the Methodist chur...
Praying the Keeills Week has started and between now and Saturday 25 May, there's a daily programme of walks - both long and short - an evening talk, a coach trip - and even the blessing of the Peel Lifeboat! Catherine Wareing explains that this week is a chance to visit some of the Island's keeill sites - the ruined but sacred chapels dotted around the Manx landscape - to enjoy their beauty, soak up their atmosphere, and learn a little of their history. And walk leader Phil Craine adds a Bible passage that inspires him at this time, and a reflection by an Australian writer. All are we...
Christian Aid Week starts today and the project for this year is to use the mighty pigeon pea to transform the lives of the people of Malawi - people living in extreme poverty, but with the capacity to raise their standard of living with help to farm - and use - the hardy pigeon pea crop more efficiently. Local Christian Aid Representative, Louise Whitelegg, joins us with all the details.
And the Independent Methodist Church in Ramsey has a new vision - and a new name!
New Life Ramsey have a big weekend planned - and their partners in this revival are Kingdom Living Ministries based in Eng...
We conclude our coverage of the official opening of the new Salvation Army Church and Community Centre in Ballacottier Crescent on the Isle of Man Business Park in Braddan which took place over the weekend of 27th and 28th April 2024.
In this programme we share words and music from a time of worship, recorded during the Sunday morning service on the celebration weekend, led by Captain Rachael Nieuwoudt - Captain Rachael and her husband Captain Dylan, are Commanding Officers in the Salvation Army Isle of Man, and Major David Taylor, Divisional Leader of the Salvation Army in the North of...
Commissioners Paul and Jenine Main are the Territorial Commanders - or leaders - of The Salvation Army throughout the UK, Ireland - and the Isle of Man. But between 1991 and 1997, they were young Corps Officers, leading the Salvation Army based in the Lord Street Citadel in Douglas.
Now - nearly 30 years later - they're back on the Island for the official opening and dedication of the new Salvation Army Church and Community Centre in Ballacottier Crescent in Braddan.
But - as this programme reveals - they found themselves suddenly playing a leading part in the special service on Saturday 2...
On the programme today, Salvation Army Corps Officers Captains Dylan and Rachael Nieuwoudt are looking forward to the Official Opening of their magnificent new Church and Community Centre in Douglas - and to welcoming General Lyndon Buckingham to perform the ceremony - the first visit of a Salvation Army world-wide leader to the Isle of Man since the mid-1930's
We go deeper into the earth art installation GAIA in conversation with Justin McMullin of Manx company ELS who has worked in partnership with Ben Osborne, representing the artist Luke Jerram, to put GAIA in place in St Thomas's Chu...
Rev'd Liz Hull, Vicar of St Thomas's Church in Finch Road, in the Cultural Quarter of Douglas, joins us today to tell the GAIA story .... the giant illuminated 3-dimensional globe which will seem to float - framed inside St Thomas's magnificent archways, and its famed Nicholson Murals. A chance for us to see our Earth as never before ..... For details of tickets, special events, opening times etc., visit the website of one of GAIA's major sponsors on the Island - netzero.im
GAIA at St Thomas's opens on 20 April 2024
Christian Aid Isle of Man Representative Louise Whitelegg is here with an invitation to a great party - to celebrate all the work that's been achieved in Burundi, thanks to the generosity of the Manx public and the IOM Government Overseas Aid - and to say goodbye to all those completed projects - because it's time now to turn our attention to Malawi - a country in the grip of serious poverty - but whose fortunes could be changed by the Pigeon Peas Project - expect to hear much more about this in Christian Aid week next month (May)
Rev'd Leslie Newton is Methodist Chair of District of North ...
Easter Day celebrates events which took place over 2,000 years ago, but which still remain at the very heart of the Christian faith.
In words and music, we explore the first Easter, and reflect on what it is saying to our world today.
Includes music from the Lay Clerks and Choral Scholars of St German's Cathedral in Peel, conducted by the Cathedral's Director of Music, Dr Peter Litman, singing Tom Kirkland's setting of 'Thine Be The Glory' with organist Stuart Corrie and trumpets played by Ash Cole and Ryno Potgieter - and 'Christ The Lord Is Risen Today' by Maddie Prior and The Carnival Ba...
This is the week that the Christian Church calls HOLY - and although it recalls events that happened over two thousand years ago, its message is central to the Christian faith, and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, continues to offer hope to people exposed to almost unbearable suffering.
Today, through the spoken word, music, conversations - and a tragically true story - we reflect on the power of Holy Week - and the promise of Easter.
The programme features the Rt Rev'd Mark Davies, Bishop of Middleton in Manchester, and Commissary Bishop for the Diocese of Sodor...
After establishing Cafe Lingo 8 years ago based in the Promenade Methodist Church in Douglas - offering a relaxed and welcoming hub for anyone new to the Island, and for whom English is not their first language, Karen Norton and husband Tim are taking a well-earned retirement. But it'll be business as usual at Cafe Lingo - the Nortons join us today to tell us who is taking over - and they're inviting everyone to their farewell party at SPRINGFEST in the Promenade Methodist Church, Douglas on Saturday 23 March between 10am - 12.30pm - Cafe Lingo is celebrating Spring with music, dancing, f...
Jenny Sinclair is the founder director of the charity Together For The Common Good - but what is 'the common good' and why should we care about it? In this first of two programmes featuring conversations with Jenny, she sketches out her background as a teenager in Liverpool during the 1970's, when her Father, David Sheppard, was Anglican Bishop of Liverpool - and what she has learned by looking back on his 22-year-long partnership with Roman Catholic Archbishop Derek Worlock, and their work for social justice in Liverpool.
On next week's programme, Jenny will talk about the work she no...
Today has been chosen as a National Day of Reflection - a time to pause and remember all who died during the Covid pandemic, and those who still mourn their loss - we make a space to mark the day with words and music; Mike Hardie is the Community Partnerships Manager for The Leprosy Mission and he's back on the Island to meet supporters of the charity, make some new friends and share stories from his recent visit to India; and Rt Rev'd Mark Davies is back on the Island - he's the Bishop of Middleton in the Diocese of Manchester, and he's been appointed to take care of the Diocese of Sodor a...
Paul Keeys, Director of Walking Through the Bible will be back on the Island on 2nd March to lead a day walking through the New Testament in St John's Methodist Church from 10am - 4.30pm - he joins us to explain why this is such a valuable and entertaining day!
Jacko the dog achieved fame when Peter Shimmin introduced us to him on Thought for the Day almost ten years ago - Peter is back ..... with the end of the story.
There's a very special time capsule in the Cathedral in Peel - and everyone can be in it! We explain where it is and how you can get involved.
And we listen to worship leade...
Rev'd Jo Smart came to the Island in September 2022 and is a Methodist minister based in Peel with care of the churches in the West and in Douglas. But her early life suggested a very different career - as a dancer! In conversation today, we find out what it took to make that life-changing decision - and how her skills as a dancer shapes her ministry.
We also discuss the season of Lent - and explore some suggestions for making the most of the time of preapration for celebration of the great feast of Easter - the very heart of the Christian faith.
Rev'd Jo chooses our music today - and we...
This is the start of National Marriage Week - and Valentine's Day is just around the corner - but that's not what we're talking about, as I take author, broadcaster and Baptist Minister Richard Littledale out for a walk in Glen Mooar. As we explore St Patrick's Chapel - Cabbal Pherick - the site of an 8th century keeill, we talk about the great gift of FRIENDSHIP ..... and the ultimate friendship with God - which has nothing to do with cards and gifts!
There's poetry from Phil Craine, and music from Margaret Rizza
Plus our usual notice board
Items for inclusion on the notice board can be ...
On the programme this week, Rev'd Richard Littledale, Baptist Pastor, preacher, author, BBC broadcaster and expert storyteller joins us to talk about his new book LET IT GROW - written for children, it's a collection of garden projects and fun facts to help them learn how to care for God's planet.
Manx-born Very Rev'd Canon John Mann has recently retired as Dean of Belfast Cathedral, and so is back in his native Laxey and enjoying his new ministry as an author. He joins us to talk about his latest book, due to launch on the Island on 12 February at 7pm in the Cathedral Church of St Mary o...
27th January each year is Holocaust Memorial Day - a time to reflect on the 6 million Jews, and thousands of others who died in the Nazi persecution during World War 2, and the millions who have died in subsequent genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
Leonard Singer was a prominent member of the Isle of Man's Jewish community -and during his time as an MHK for Ramsey, around 20 years ago, established an annual National Holocaust Memorial Service, which involved not only the local Jewish community, but also visiting speakers, alongside secondary school students, and people re...
Poet, Anglican priest, academic, singer/songwriter, lecturer and biker, Rev'd Dr Malcolm Guite made his first visit to the Island at the end of last year - and loved everything he saw. In the first part of an interview recorded during his visit, he talks about his childhood in Nigeria, and the power of poetry - to change the course of a life, and to take on a life of its own.
The second part of the interview will be included in another episode of the programme in a few weeks' time.
Norman Barron was born in 1909 and in 1958 became a fully accredited Local Preacher, serving the Methodist C...
President of the Methodist Conference of Britain, Rev'd Gill Newton, and Vice President, Deacon Kerry Scarlett, are visiting the Island this weekend as part of their year of office, during which they will visit as many Methodist circuits as possible.
The Methodist Conference is the governing body of the Methodist Church in Britain, of which the Methodist Church on the Island forms a part - and a more appropriate title for Gill and Kerry would be The Presidency - as they are equals in their leadership duties.
In conversation with them both on this week's programme, we'll discover what their ...
One By One is an international charity dedicated to preventing the exploitation of vulnerable people - particularly children and young teenagers - and today in conversation with founder and CEO Becky Murray we find out how it all began - quite by accident - during a trip to Sierra Leone, with 50p and a pair of pink flip flops.
We were all deeply saddened to learn of the death of Marilyn Cannell BEM - a gifted musician, teacher, composer, and Methodist Local Preacher. Marilyn gave so much to music on the Island - but on today's programme we celebrate her deep faith by listening again to so...
Looking back over a year of weekly opportunities to be AT YOUR SERVICE - today's specially extended programme includes extracts from interviews with the Most Reverend and Rt Honorable Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York, actress Wendy Craig, singer and Songs of Praise presenter Aled Jones, Academic and Scientist Rev'd Professor David Wilkinson, Baptist Minister Richard Littledale -and a feature about the spiritual side of Eurovision in Liverpool - plus lots of music too!
Items for the notice board can be emailed - judithley@manxradio.com
In 2024, the popular Broughton Boys Choir - or to give them their correct title - the choir of St John the Baptist church in Broughton, Lancashire - will make their 50th annual visit to the Isle of Man for their Choir School. Choirmaster John Catterall has accompanied the choir on every single one of those visits, and looks forward to a really special visit to mark the 50th anniversary. He's also looking forward to handing over leadership of the choir to a new young team, as he steps down as Choirmaster in early January.
To mark all these significant happenings in the life of the choir,...
In this special extended edition of At Your Service for Christmas Eve, my guest, country singer/songwriter CHARLIE LANDSBOROUGH talks about family life, finding - losing - and finding his faith again, being a schoolteacher before finally breaking into show business - and lots more!
Charlie talks about his faith with honesty and simplicity - a properly down-to-earth story of one man's personal journey, a journey through good times, and bad ....
And between the chat, there's a selection of popular carols, played and sung by Charlie
And of course there's our notice board, too!
On At Your Service today, we've words and music from the recent Tynwald Carol Service recorded in St George's Church, Douglas, plus three folk tales based on the message of Christmas, from author and broadcaster Richard Littledale.
Carlos Philips and the Hon Clare Barber MHK give the Bible readings, there's music from the Tynwald Choir directed and accompanied by Dr Jonathan King (Shine, Star, Shine with words by Breesha Maddrell and music by Frank Woolley) and from The Government Choir conducted by Dr Mandy Griffin and accompanied by David Holland (A Wild Mid-Winter Carol by Liz Dilnot Jo...
On today's programme I talk with the Rt Reverend Mark Davies, Bishop of Middleton in the Diocese of Manchester about his life and vocation to the priesthood. Bishop Mark is set to become a regular visitor to the Island, as he has been chosen to be Commissary Bishop, taking care of the Diocese of Sodor and Man until a permanent appointment is made.
Over the years, Bishop Mark has taken many young people on pilgrimage to the monastic community at Taize in Southern France - today we hear some thoughts from Brother Matthew who has just been announced as the new Prior of the Taize Community ...