In response to my enquiry, AI informed me that ““Ring out the old, ring in the new” is a famous line from Alfred Lord Tennyson’s poem In Memoriam A.H.H., (specifically, section CVI), traditionally recited on New Year’s Eve to bid farewell to the past year’s troubles and welcome the new year with hope, calling to banish grief, strife, and falsehood while embracing truth, peace, and nobler ways of life, symbolizing renewal and progress.”

While I concur with the opinion of some lovers of poetry who I typically agree with that “In Memoriam” is one of the great poems of English Literature, it is not one of my favourites, simply because I don’t understand it and I don’t have the cognitive ability and patience to do so. But Tennyson’s oft-quoted words: “Ring out the old, ring in the new” have been buzzing around in my mind for a while as I contemplated doing what many do – write a newsletter that summarizes my highlights of 2025 and my hopes and expectations for 2026, with (in my case) welcoming in the New Year, contrary to what AI would have us believe, a sense of foreboding, humanly speaking given the number of formidable baddies afoot running amok, but with hope, realising that God is in control. I do so without delusions of grandeur that people will read my words of wisdom etc., but it can be referred to if people were to ask.

Thinking of one word to sum up my 2025, it might be “ordinary”. While I can’t think of things that many might see as exciting, there has been a lot I regard as meaningful. We began 2025 having lived less than two months in our new home (the previous one, and next door, I have lived in from 1967, minus 10 years, ever since I was a 15-year-old!) It was hard decision to leave but I was persuaded by my wife and son, in the light of my (lack of) mobility issues that somewhere more disabled friendly was the way to go. I do miss the old place, especially the neighbours and their children as there was generally a pleasant buzz. While the few new neighbours we have met are lovely, it is oh so quiet, which in a way is how I like it. We still haven’t fully unpacked 14 months on and some of the bright ideas of things to do to our new place have yet to materialise. But it is home and we are now comfortably settled. We have managed to entertain many including, over the Christmas that has just gone, five from our extended Indian family, now living in the UK.

Our son, Matthew, moved out early in the year, to his own place, nearby. While we don’t see each other as much as we would like, as he pursues his own interests and career, we still manage to keep in regular touch. Jolly continues to work full time as a lung cancer nurse specialist at our, within easy walking distance, local hospital, and is kept more than busy. On top of that, she is my carer and has taken on many of the jobs I did when I was more mobile. She loves cooking. I have lost count of the number of meals she has prepared for visiting guests, colleagues at work, for functions held at our church and a nearby kindness kitchen and of course me. On top of that – she maintains regular meaningful contact with family and friends, home and in India. She even managed a profitable ten days at our India home, during the year, and we are grateful for our friends and family in India, as well as for folk living in the UK.

Both of us are involved at our local Providence Baptist Church, supporting and helping where we can. We are much encouraged by signs of life and growth over the past year. While no church is perfect, we are grateful that the Lord has given this to be our spiritual home. I have been able to contribute by leading Bibles studies, often on the Old Testament, as well as our monthly prayer for mission – realising with so much going on here and abroad there is much to pray for. My gallivanting here and there days seem now long gone, meaning I spend a lot more time at home, although I can still travel when the need arises (grateful that at least for the time being I am able to drive), mindful of course of the restrictions arising out of my own growing disability. Back in August we attended a 5 day “Indian Brethren conference”, which we much enjoyed as it enabled us to pick up from our past associations and make new ones. Otherwise, I can’t think of times away other than the odd overnight stay. As for working at the coal face, e.g. homeless activism, I have been able to support such as least from afar.

I spend a lot of time reading and writing, but have no plan to write yet another book. I did produce a paper to do with Plymouth Brethren History and along with my other writings this is available as a free download from my website. I blog regularly, typically thrice weekly. I still see myself as a “gospel preaching, community activist, watchman on the wall”. I continue to write on difficult subjects, often going against the proverbial flow, but trying the best I can to do so from a biblical perspective, giving God glory – for if not me, then who? I am conscious the Lord ever continues to graciously deal with me and I am always learning. I see a world that has gone crazy and the needs of the hour are great and, while I watch what goes on and warn, I dare not speculate how things will turn out in 2026, but still see a bad Great Reset, a mixed Great Awakening (that includes revival and evil exposed) as well as an ongoing Great Deception.

As ever, my counsel to folk reading this or seek me out for advice is that they “test and weigh”, “watch and pray”, and “trust and obey”. During the past year, many who I knew or knew about (some well and for many decades) have sadly died, making me realise that few of our futures can be predicted and, since my time left here down below is likely to be short, the best I can do in the days that remain is to try to make a difference by passing on what is good and useful in order to help those left behind and to hand on the (Gospel) torch, confident that He who does all things well will continue to do so.