For the many thousands of clergy, readers and lay preachers who, week by week, seek inspiration as they prepare sermons on the set lectionary readings, here is an expert, wise and extremely down to earth guide. He may have a PhD and have taught at the University of Cambridge, but John Pridmore's preaching skills were forged in a parish in one of the most notorious areas of London's East End where there was absolutely no room for platitudes or escapist readings of the Scriptures. He quickly learned that in such a context, the Bible actually did have some real, gritty meaning for today or it had none at all.

With this approach, and with his outstanding gifts as writer, he has written on the lectionary readings each week in the "Church Times" for the last three years. Wisdom, strongly tempered by reality, shines out from every paragraph as he skilfully explores, interprets and applies the set readings. Many such lectionary commentaries and companions exist already, but John Pridmore's contribution to this genre will be widely welcomed.