Covid-19 and 2020: Opportunities and blessings (count yours)

How odd life can be - somehow this seems to have been one of the best years ever experienced for so many reasons. Stop to count your blessings; how many are there?

Here's my quick and messy starter with ten blessings:

1.   Stopped care homes but cared in homes.

2.   Took the Word of God (living and written) into peoples homes using technology
      (am I the only one to go, "Oooh, technology!" (in a Homer Simpson voice)?

3.   Got to stream funerals and be creative with way people are encouraged and supported to mourn.

4.   Did virtual military remembrance services (one two at the same time).

5.   Recorded and streamed some services (that said, we've done the majority live)
      This means that at last I can proved I can be in two places at the same time!

6.   Got to shop for people (which we're still doing), started supplying drugs (prescription only, honest
      Occifer).

7.   Had the challenge of three funerals in four locations in one day
      (one church, one burial, two different crematoria)

8.   Was part of pastorally-engaged and effective Church which put aside fees and catered for feelings
      of bereaved and brokenness of our communities.

9.   Managed to continually stream morning and evening prayer, compline, BCP evensong
      (Communion coming) and CW Communion and returned congregations back to buildings.

10. Entered into the world of 'virtual' care home visits where the cleric is passed from one resident to
      the next as they get to spend time with ,e.

The world has become so very different over the past few months - and I thing it is an invitation to blessing and service to me and others around me.

I'm sad at the loss,
                the fear,
                the lack of consideration for others as people fail to protect those around them

Dear diary: A stunning week closes . . .

Time for a bit of reflection:

Communion celebrated (I preside and we all, as the people of God, celebrate the Eucharist - just saying) in a variety of settings (church, home and care home). A privilege and joy and, not unsurprisingly, one of the areas that has lifted my head, made me buzz, filled me with hope (realised in Jesus, the Christ) and put an added spring in my step.

Funerals conducted in church and Crematorium this week (realised that with 56 on the clock so far this year that it's been a light year and wonder whether that's good or bad?). This week's have seen some me working amazing people who were unsung heroes with so many things to commend them. Interestingly the average age of the four this week was greater than my overall average of 87 - also different from the norm was the fact that the men outlived their wives - usually the other way around!

Started the week with a stunningly joyful, fun-filled and celebratory funeral and the theme continued until the final trip to the crem' on Friday - good to have smiles and laughter as well as tears and solemnity making their appearance.

Engagement with people was, as ever, a mixed bag, and the ability of people to screw things up is always amazing - but the ability to bring clarity and Christ into situations makes the role of pastor and priest a joy - it is no coincidence that I buzz most when engaged with people, don't think I'm ever going to be in love with proecedure and paperwork so I'll leave it to those who enjoy it and thank God for them whilst I head in the opposite direction.

Cherry on the cake this week was someone coming to Christ and beginning their journey into the world of faith. Can there be anything better than seeing someone 'born again' and reconciled to God theory the atoning actions of the Christ? Realised how frustrated I am that I do so little real evangelism and so much of the treadmill. If I were someone who did new year's resolutions (only ever done one - resolved not to do any and kept that one) I'd say 2017 will be a year of winning souls - instead I'll say it more and look to making that happen.

So impressed with Hope - so frustrated with clergy! Why is it that clergy wait for someone to hand them a weapon when they are facing the enemy and merely need to stoop down and pick one up from the ground? When the enemy is before us we take up whatever weapon is to hand and engage them robustly  and with overwhelming fire. But prayer is at a premium rather than commonplace and all around me I find people managing decline and reading from a spreadsheet when they should be populating heaven and reading the Bible!

So blessed to be part of the worshipping communities in Leyfields, Coton Green and Hopwas - Christmas Market, Ladies Craft, Friday Freiends, drop-In, Kid's Club and so much more have been a blessing this week. The school's work is just monster and the opportunities for engagement endless. Amazed I can find time to stop praIsing you Lord.


Sadness of the week has been the person who will never fail because they will never attempt anything  - seems that's the way to be well-regarded by so many - seems to me that this is the reason Church is struggling :-(

Lesson of the week has been the realisation that I as much as I love reading and praying and growing in my knowledge of the word this is something that I have come to regard as something I do when work is done rather than something that's part of the work I do - so another note for 2017 - study, prayer and developing my theological and ministerial skill sets are going to be part of the working week.

Joy of the week are many but topped by Phillip's baptism and the gift that he is to the people of God. To work with people who eagerly desire to know Christ and to celebrate His death and resurrection in the Eucharist is sublime - what a week: Bath and Bread in the spotlight.

So much to thank God for - my paucity, His immensity.

Hallelujah

Remembrance or 'Remembering them'?

Yesterday we held the funeral service of Albert William Vaughan, an eighty-nine year old man who had served in the Royal Marines and gone to war for his nation.

Many wished to celebrate his time as a Boot (14th April 1942 - 18th August 1952) and this was both fitting and right.

But this leaves some seventy-nine years unaccounted for. Well, not totally unaccounted for as we know that for the past twenty-one years this man lived in a nursing home where he was loved, cared for and was very much a part of a family. So we really only have fifty-eight years of blank sheet!

Every Remembrance Sunday (and perhaps Armistice Day too for some) we find ourselves standing somewhere, poppy proudly worn, responding to the wonderful poetry of Binyon, the climax being our proclamation:

We will remember them

But of course, if Albert is anything to go by, this is not the case.

Yesterday we honoured a man who had served and proudly worn a green beret (can it be worn any other way?)

Today many who have served this nation of ours at sea, on land and in the air in conflicts past and present (or in relative peace) are perhaps unknown. Some are isolated in their own homes, others cared for in nursing and care homes whilst many others (and one is too many) sleep rough and have no home, family or care.

Can I ask those of you who have church families to think about how you can touch the lives of those who have taken the bob and done the job?

Those of you who (perhaps proudly) have no faith to consider how you (and friends, families, colleagues) might repay the debt of gratitude we have for those who served.

Let's make 'We will remember them' mean something.

Let's work to make sure that 'Never Again!' means that (and not just here in Europe, but across the world).

Pax