Have I told you lately that I love ...

My Job?

The last few days have crushed together to make a week that has been like many others in terms of being full of variety and amazingly wonderful people and providing me with fun, challenges, fun, heartbreak, excitement and fun!

I've seen marriages that have lasted around the same time I've been on earth ended through the death of one of them and been privileged to help make sense of it all. I've seen people trapped and perhaps made to disappear because of mental health issues, been involved in people whose circumstances scare me to death and been blessed by the fact that, generally speaking, people are nice.

The odd thing is that more people want to be loved, taken an interest in and engaged  than don't and the role I have allows me to do that and call it work - now I have to ask you, Can you get anything cooler than that?'

This week I have done Harvest services in schools and been challenged to explain what Hallowe'en is in an assembly (an ad hoc Hallowe'en session - wasn't planned) and realised that there's only sixty-something days to Christmas and, as I write, only seven days to half-term. Yes, even the children wish their lives away looking towards special dates and living through the rest to get to them.

I seen vocations become uncovered, abilities accepted and people blessed - and still it comes under the label of work!

The variety and excitement open to us as minister's only comes about if you - the church members, the bereaved, the lost, the hurting, the needy, the suffering, the general public, the passer-by and the blinking nuisances come and engage with us. So if you're not, then you're making true the misconception that I, as a dogcollar, 'only work for an hour on a Sunday'.

So here's an invitation from all the clergy (for I'm sure I speak for them on this):

Come and make yourself known to us - turn up at church, stop us in the street, call us on the telephone, come and see us (and discover how little we hide in the vicarage) and be a blessing (and blessed too).

Go Ahead Make my Day

(and make me pray!)

Church - so what's that all about then?

The opening words in a really fun encounter which, at times, felt more like I was playing the Mel Smith Character in one of those most excellent 'Alas Smith and Jones' programmes. Putting something into the bin I noticed one of the locals (I didn't recognise) having a butchers at the noticeboard. and me being me I popped over to say good morning and to engage with them.

So there I am (replete in Norwegian shirt rather than dog-collar variety and therefore incognito) asking them if they're looking for anything in particular. They give me an odd look and so I explain that I'm the 'Vicar' and their opening gambit is: 'Church, so what that all about then?' 

"We're just a bunch of people who believe that Jesus died for us on the cross so that we can be in relationship with God and because of that, just like Jesus came to serve others, we try to serve those in our community too."

They look at me a bit quizzical and then ask, 'So how much do you charge for the tea and coffee and stuff then?' To which I respond, 'We don't charge anything - our Monday and Thursday mornings are free.'

'Free?' says they, 'What do you mean free?'

"We don't charge anything, tea, coffee, biscuits and cake are all free,' I say, beginning to doubt my own powers of communication, 'Nothing at all - no cost!'

'So if you're a member, it's all free then?' they ask.

'It's all free even if you're not a member - it's there for anyone in the community (or elsewhere) who happens to be passing and fancies dropping in for a cup of tea or coffee and a biscuit or cake . . we are just there to add something to the community; a place for people to come to if they fancy a change of scenery and some different people to talk with.'

'What about the lunch, is that free?' they ask. So I explain that it's not actually free but costs £1.50 to help to defray our costs.  'So that's not free then is it?' they asked again and continue with, 'So what do you do it for? Do you talk to people about God and stuff and get them to join when they come in then,' they ask.

My response to this is, 'No, we talk about the local news, what's on the television and anything else that crops us. We aren't looking to get people to come in and join us, we're looking for people to come in so we can offer them a cup of tea (or coffee) and a chance to relax with others from the community because there's nothing else, and nowhere else, to go round here.'

'So, what's that all about then?' they ask and just as I think I'm going to get stuck in a loop they see the bus coming down the hill and leg it off to the stop to catch it.

Indeed - 'Church, what is it all about then?'

Have I ever mentioned that I love this Vicar stuff?

Glowstick Christingles

Well, it has begun.

Yesterday we had the Clergy Christmas lunch (Buzzard's Valley, near Tamworth) and today the Christingle services began.

So often we don't get to applaud the backroom team and this year I thought I'd let them take a bow before the pressure starts to tell on them. So here they are:

They are (left to right) - Roland (the organist AKA Roland MT-9) and Mac (the data manager).

The guest projector was already there (so ours went off for a mince pie and hot chocolate).

All in all we managed to get through some 350 glowsticks; use them instead of candles and:

1. There are no burns, candle wax incidents or building fires,

2. Theologically, the Christ-light is lit during the service and, still lit, taken home (an important part), and

3. You can stick them in your ears during the service (which always lowers the tone and raises the noise and engagement).

Here two of those we made earlier:

As the Carol services, Christmas assemblies and Christingle season begins - please pray for those who will be delivering them, those who will be attending them and the teachers (and parents) who are working so hard to made this yet another Christmas to remember.

And thank God that we have a nation who still does Christmas too!

Happy Adventide

ps. 'Thank You' Children's Society (now - where's my red tape and other stuff?)