Sorry, no cookies, but I do enjoy making marmalade, jam and cakes. 2023 photo right (2012 one below to show aging process)
My newest book is here, title The Church. Oh Dear. Why are the twenty-four churches I have attended through my life so very different from what I read about Jesus and his followers in the gospels? What can be done about it?
A collection of photos of my Aunt Margaret
Pictures of the Giant Sunflower Contest 2024 for 20 friends and family
Some diaries by my great grandmother Margaret Bagwell with her sister Emily's artwork have turned up. See here
My current writing project The Riddle of One Samuel, considering possible word plays in the Hebrew text of the Bible is now complete. I have made it accessible to non-Hebraists. I think it is my best work to date. It follows on from my PhD thesis The Significance of Rootplay, Leading Words and Thematic Links in the Book of Judges (CNAA, 1989) available on academia.edu.
I have somehow managed to Trek the Dachstein Trail near Salzburg with Holiday Fellowship in mid August 2023. It was truly strenuous. My training included working up to 1800 feet of ascent on the stairs of our local shopping centre and walking a distance of twelve miles, carrying a ten kilogram pack.
I have written George's Diary, a sequel to The Garden of the Galaxy. Cover design by my great niece Sapphire Phillips. George the disgraced policeman is in a terrible place. Will he come through?
It's been a productive year for Silver Lining Books. Chris Pitts asked me to write The Bible. Word of God? Word of Man? I have managed to finish it in between two books of my brother in law's travels by Seaton Phillips my brother-in-law :
From South Wales to New South Wales by Train and A Family in Africa. Seven travel diaries altogether.
A box of newspaper cuttings from the 1970s featuring my father as a Circuit Court Judge has turned up, along with family photos. Worth a look.
Is Adullam Drop-in Church coming?
Do you have a book inside you that needs to see the light of day? Follow the links above to Silver Lining Books for free advice.
What's the Difference Between D and R? My journey into Bibical Hebrew (May 2022) is my shortest book to date.
I wrote it to encourage people to dip a toe into Hebrew. Available from Amazon. It's my tenth book.
I can now help people who want to get a book onto Amazon. Please spread the word. Thanks
Never Look Down is the title of my recent book of piano pieces.
The idea is to help learning pianists to keep their eyes on the page while playing, like professionals do.
I am gradually turning my nine books into paperbacks available on Amazon. Very pleasing. For what I am learning about self-publishing, see here.
My new book was published on 19th January 2022 Title: Follow Jesus! Do I Have to Go to Church? Can I Trust the Bible?
September - time to make apple snow. I have also created the game Bible Cricket, and wrote Papyrology on the Road.
During lockdown I made forty English speaking practice videos for immigrants. Also suitable for children learning to read. Please spread the word.
I believe a stressful time like no other will last for 1335 days from the beginning of Lockdown in March 2020, i.e. until November 2023 in the UK. See here. This is a period of three and a half years, recalling the book of Revelation, so for the possibility that the mark of the beast might arrive during this time, see here. I have also written Subcutaneous, a free downloadable internet play for a small group about the coming of the mark of the beast. I had church home groups meeting online in mind.
Diane Morrison has written the Life Story of my friend Clive Jackson "Struck Down but not Destroyed" and his battle with massive problems. He has done well to survive and flourish. An encouraging read for anybody struggling with mental health issues.
My friend Chris Pitts has two websites - Chris Pitts Music Romeos Railroad Remembered (chrispitts-music.com) and Chris Pitts songwriter, poet, activist, and advocate for the elderly. Creative. Pleasing.
I have composed two pieces for 'Zoom choir', a spiritual The Lockdown Blues and also Ticket Please. Fun.
Covid19 : as there has been no nation-wide call for prayer, I have created Turn to Jesus. Also our Oriental Road Neighbours Group is under way.
Our choir has recorded I'll be there for you during the lockdown, and also this recording. Look for my haggard face! Also five others at Christmas.
I have created woking music as an information service for music in our area.
For my proposal for coal, see here. Also Woking by Sea (filmed in December 2019) - watch it or watch out!
Help needed. I would like to share the story of my thirty weeks in hospital in 2018 and my total recovery (to the amazement of the medics) and how God helped me through. Invite me to your men's group, house group or whatever. Thanks! See here
I was hoping to start a group for ex offenders, but finding a co-leader proved impossible. See here. The Lockdown would have finished it off if it had got started.
My thirty weeks in hospital in 2018 are becoming a distant memory now. I am fully fit. Nice! In May 2019 I climbed Pen Y Fan in the Brecon Beacons.
My novel The Garden of the Galaxy was self-published in January 2018. It arose from creating my video 1800 trillion zips about the coming galactic civilisation (4.3 minutes).
I have recorded most of my Piano pieces. Available online.
My Easy peasy Pieces for Piano (with some harder ones) is now available from me or from Particular Music for £5. Thirty short pieces for pianists in their early years. Also Easy Music to Play Together for instrument plus piano, including five easy piano duets. Help yourself.
I have updated my website DIYchurch and added a number of brief videos on the state of the church in the UK and how it might be improved.
In 2014 I composed The Resurrection, a sequel to Stainer's Crucifixion, for Choir. Stainer was my great grandfather. The first public performance was by the Maidstone choral union in March 2016, and the second was at Paddock Wood, Kent in March 2017.
I have met Shane Thomas, a remarkable young pianist who lives locally. You can watch videos of him here.
Bringing Robin Milford's music back into print, coupled with my piano teaching, has encouraged me to write piano music. Milford's lovely Violin Concerto has been released on CD after gathering dust in the Bodleian library for 64 years. So there is hope for minor composers yet.
Thanks for visiting my website.
df dot pennant at ntlworld.com . . . David Pennant . . . @dfpennant