Cameos of Faith
A Collection of Theological Reflections
by Toddy Hoare
Imprint: Resource Publications
Cameos of Faith is a collection of theologically and spiritually inspired poems penned as reflections to stimulate or help in turn all readers to think, meditate, and pray a little more. Subject matter ranges from saints to sculpture, Scripture to spirituality, creation to Christmas, Easter to eternity, climate change to cuckoos, environment to evolution. Whether kept by the bedside for an evening thought or during sleepless hours, or referred to as a thought for the day or a prompt for prayer, or used as food for thought when traveling, readers will be stimulated and will hopefully keep a copy handy.
Toddy Hoare is a retired rural parish priest from North Yorkshire who trained originally as a sculptor and served as an officer in the 15/19th Hussars. He was lay chaplain with the Mission to Seamen before ordination and chaplain to the Yorkshire Agricultural Society during his twenty-five years with eight churches on the edge of the Moors. He is the author of Sonnetry and Remaining Reverend.
“I have valued Toddy Hoare as a friend and inspiration for decades. In these poems, he distills both his years of attention to his people as a country parish priest and also his art as a sculptor, which brings alive the Christian gospel. The result is a lightness of touch and a depth of insight that repays reading again and again. The clarity and directness of expression matches his illustrations. A wonderful and life-enhancing book.”
—Peter Sedgwick, former Principal St. Michael’s Theological College, Llandaff
“Here, Toddy Hoare, combining his many talents and life experience, melds the roles of priest and sculptor, homilist and poet. His words, whether in serious or humorous mode, and his illustrations, whether in sculpture or photography, exude a deep concern for others and a belief that ‘worship comes through service to others.’”
—Micheal O’Siadhail, poet and author of The Five Quintets
“If Oscar Wilde is correct in saying that Christ’s place is with the poets, then poetic reflection is vital for those who serve and follow him. In this worldly, witty, and winsome collection, there is much to learn about the Christian vocation to life in all its fullness.”
—Andrew Rumsey, bishop of Ramsbury, Diocese of Salisbury