variety

I am very busy writing my Christmas sermons (4) and watching the Royal Variety Performance...as long as I don't get the two activities mixed up all will be well (actually perhaps a mosh-up wouldn't be too much of a bad thing!?). I know I have mentioned this before but I am very fond of variety...and this year's show has been very good thus far. Very impressed by the stand-up and some of the 'specialty acts', Cliff isn't doing it for me but hey ho. Anyway, I had better get back to Christmas sermons...

If you haven't seen this via the Church Times blog (or somewhere else) then it is a great video worth a look...

Why be Religious?: Father Matthew Presents

harvest

Today I have been preparing for the harvest service tomorrow at St Peters. There has been photocopying to do, tins to buy, bread to make, sermon to write (I say sermon it is more like telling two all age stories based on Luke 12. 13-21 - the Rich Fool and Isaiah 11.1-9 - A Vision of God's Universal Peace.

We are going to use some of the material from the Loaf Service - Christian Ecology Link's Food Campaign. We are going to make bread at the beginning of the service so I am preparing the dough a bit later so that all that has to happen tomorrow is some shaping at the beginning of the service, a quick rise and bake. To be honest I would quite like to be tucked up in bed with a lemsip. I have been fighting off a cold for a few weeks now and I feel like I am fighting a losing battle. I am freezing cold and Mark, Elise and Eva have all succumbed to it. Still, I am enjoying getting stuff ready and making the harvest loaf is going to be great.

I though I might be able to get out tonight to wish Dilys happy birthday but the combination of harvest prep and feeling like death warmed up probably means I am best being at home (also Eva is not that keen to go out for a curry!). I hope Mark is feeling well enough to go on all of our behalf.

back to church

We didn't do anything specific for back to church Sunday - though I did notices this article (thanks to the Church Times Blog) about a Merseyside church who seem to be an unexpected hit with the Daily Post. Good news I think!

Yesterday was, as ever, a busy day. I was preaching at St John Chrysostom Church on Philippians 1.21-30 in the morning. I really struggled to get this sermon sorted out this week but I think it went ok. My main point was that in this part of the letter Paul gives his readers permission to live with the tension (and not try to fix it) between the “now and not yet” and stand on this shifting ground with confidence. I think the sermon was preached by me for me really. I am a terrible one for trying to pin stuff down - particularly in relation to God's plans!

We had a big Sunday dinner with Elise, Wayne, baby Lillie, Andrea and Paula - roast pork, roast potatoes and parsnips, cabbage, peas and carrots. Followed by crumble. Yum Yum. we then sat and watched Penelope. It was a lovely afternoon.

I then went out to the Deanery evening service which was led by Kip Crooks (who is leading our parish weekend away as well). He was speaking about Art and Faith...which was very interesting. We also had a celebration for Henry's 30 years of ministry. 30 years in Everton no less. Very impressive I have to say!

So, that's my news. I am feeling a bit coldy this evening and have had a day in my office to catch up on bits and bobs. I went out for a few visits this afternoon but other than that its been planning for services, writing emails, poking about with my PhD and faffing. I have an evening off so must go and enjoy some crap TV.

my list

looks like this:
- Finish writing our Will - boring, depressing but necessary (the co-op do a great will writing service)
- Sort out risk assessment for church
- write up notes taken at meeting with Environmental Health man
- write a funding report
- look at and sort electoral rolls
- Write a sermon for Sunday
- Write the talk for Women's Fellowship today (which I have done!)
- phone hairdresser and sort appointment for me and Eva
- go food shopping or make a list and send someone else
- read minutes etc for meeting this evening and find out where meeting is and where to park etc
- get trainers for first gym visit on thurs
- make cakes for Sunday
- plan pastoral visits for next few weeks

There are lots of other bits and bobs but this is where I am up to just now. I am off to Women's Fellowship shortly to speak, drink tea and eat cake (it is a hard life) and I have started to plan my preach for Sunday so am on course - Philippians 1: 21-30! Like Paul I am dealing with the tension between the desire for the new heaven but enjoying the cake in the old earth (Paul obviously worded his argument differently)...will there be cake in heaven?

juggling

I have been juggling Eva and a sermon all day! I was unable to take my day off yesterday so in theory I was due some time today but because I was so tired after Greenbelt I was a bit behind with admin and my sermon. So, today I got up early (for a Saturday) - got into town for 10am and got Eva's school uniform and new shoes, had a spot of lunch and got back for 2pm. Since then Eva and I have been chatting and doing stuff as well as the occasional bit of time trying to polish of the sermon.



Mark has got some work with Artichoke on La Machine which is happening next week. I am sworn to secrecy about the machine. But it is going to be big and spectacular! It does however mean that Mark has been over at Cammell Laird (where the machine is being built - that's what they build in the ship yards today!) for the last 2 days (out till midnight each day) doing whatever secret machine builders do. He is then working the event Thursday - Sunday next week. So, I will be doing even more juggling next week!

last choir standing

A few of my friends are in Sense of Sound Choir who have been doing very well in the BBC Last Choir Standing show...tonight they gave a blinding performance of "Cry me a River" - which got me crying a small stream. How proud am I of them! Very very proud! If you want to hear/see them perform "such a good feeling" then go to this link and push play on the mini-tv on the screen...

We have had a great time at the Sewsy Fair today (Mark won the guess the weight of the cake competition!) but now I am feeling a bit coldy so after I have just one more tweek of my sermon for tomorrow I will be having an early night.