Busy, busy, busy

Meetings. someone said, are the Middle Class alternative to Bingo. On Tuesday next week I was due to have six of them, four at the same time. One was postponed to the next day, but I cannot go because of a course I am on.
I don't like meetings. They take minutes but we waste hours.
God so loved the world that he didn't send a committee etc etc.
Will there be "matters arising" and "any other business" in heaven? I don't think so...

By the way, what do Policeman have in their sandwiches?

Truncheon meat, of course.

Where am I?

Mary and I had a week's holiday in Egypt at the end of October. It was a wonderful experience and so different from life here that it has taken a long time to re-adjust to the daily routine.

It hasn't helped that I have been travelling the country these last few days. I went down to Yeovil on Thursday for the Yeovil Foyer's tenth anniversary celebrations (it was great to see it flourishing as I had a hand in getting it started).

I came back by train on Friday and then set off early on Saturday (with Mary) to drive to York to see Eleanor on the eve of her birthday. She is really happy, which is nice...

Going to Church on holiday

I have a confession to make: I enjoyed going to church on holiday.
We went away for a week to Lincoln, York, Durham and Lancaster to see Mary's parents, our elder daughter, our son and his wife.
On the way we went to Parish Eucharist at St Margaret's Kings Lynn, Evensong in York Minster, midday prayers for peace and justice in Durham Cathedral, and an 8am BCP in Lancaster Priory.
It was good to be praying in the cathedrals - I am not a big fan of the architecture - it reminded me that, after all, this is what these big lumpy buildings are for.
It was also good to be sharing in worship in the ancient parish churches, and to feel a sense of contiuity with the faithful stretching back through the centuries. And, at my stage of life, the services are so familiar that it is easy to connect with God through them, despite the unfamiliarity of the surroundings.
No one asked who I was and on holiday that was nice too...

World Cup Fever

England played their fouth game in the World Cup today. It was a typical workmanlike performance with just one goal. It is very hard to get excited about England winning when they games are so dull. The only compensation is that when (almost wrote "if" - forty years of hurt never stops me dreaming etc etc) they get knocked out of the competition it won't come as a big disappointment.
If England do stay in I have got all the games in my diary up to the final on 9th July, and amazingly there are no serious clashes. I might have to miss the first few minutes of the semi-final in a meeting but that is it.
Which, I guess, is more than Michael Owen can say...

A Nice Day Out

We went to London for the day yesterday. Mary organised for us (Eleanor, her and me) to go on the London Eye. After a rainy week we were really pleased when the sun broke through and we had a marvellous "flight" with great views across the city. It was fascinating how the perspective changed and buildings and other features appeared as we rose higher.

We strolled along the South Bank to an old favourite: Tate Modern. Mary and I spent an hour looking and an hour drinking tea in the cafe, which is about the right mix (though Eleanor had the energy to keep looking longer).

We crossed to St Paul's via the Millennium Bridge and then down to Covent Garden (taking in the Old Bailey on a rather circuitous route).

We had a very pleasant meal in Bella Italia before heading back to Liverpool Street and returned home tired but happy.

No slouching, stand up straight...

A typical day

Sometimes people ask what a typical day for a vicar is like. It is not easy to answer - after twenty three years of being ordained every day still seems different. Today has mostly been spent like this: a morning with 'Koalas' (a year 2 class) at Sprowston First school, an afternoon with the Assistant Diocesan secretary talking about church finance, an evening spent with a couple planning to get married in the summer. Like most days it requires a wide range of skills and a lot of adaptability. Tomorrow will be quite different, the next day looks different again. It is hard to get bored with this job.

Traditional Morris Dancing

Why are you weeping?

...a silly question to ask Mary.

A marvellous Easter Sunday early morning: The fire blazed, the candles passed on the flame, and we all enjoyed fresh eggs boiled to perfection after the service.

A big congregation for Parish Communion and a sense of hope renewed. Alleluia!










Flowers in St Cuthbert's