Catch Up - Wednesday 23rd January - Friday 1st February

Apologies

My apologies to all my regular readers of this blog.  I know quite a number of you have expressed disappointment at not seeing any posts over the last few days but as you will read from this brief resume of events, I have been away in Cornwall as well as busy catching up on some of my theological studies.  I shall try, in this one post, to briefly describe what I have been up to over that period.

Cornish Travels

My last post was Tuesday 22^nd January 2013, and the following day (Wednesday 23^rd) Richard picked me up at 8 a.m. to travel the 200 miles or so to Falmouth in Cornwall where we arrived at about 12.30 p.m.  We met up with his daughter, Helen, who is studying for an art degree there and had a hand fish finger lunch at an old smugglers pub called The Chain Locker.  We spent the afternoon wandering around Falmouth until dusk when we drove to St. Ives to stay at the Tregenna Castle Hotel on top of the hill.  We had excellent rooms – in my case a room overlooking the bay with a four-poster bed.  All for £40 per night.  In the evening we walked down the hill into St. Ives for steak and chips and Doombar Ale at the Union Inn.

The following day (Thursday 24^th) we wandered around St. Ives and then drove down to Sennan Cove, Newlyn, Penzance and eventually to Truro taking in the Geevor Tin Mine and Truro Cathedral in the tour.  I really love Truro Cathedral.  It is so well proportioned with its three spires and lets in much light.  I understand that it was inspired by Salisbury Cathedral.  We had tea and cakes in the public library and watched the world go by outside in the main street.   Back in St. Ives we walked down the steep hill again for a pint at the Union Inn followed by an excellent meal at the Sea Food Café – a misnomer as it is actually a very smart fish/seafood restaurant.  Friday 26^th January saw us driving back to Wiltshire and to the snow (we had been clear of snow throughout our visit to Cornwall). I had a meeting with Nils that afternoon in which we talked about intra-personal relationships.  I went to bed quite early tonight after a long day of travelling and meetings

Back into Study Mode

I spent most of Saturday afternoon manning a book stall for the church at Sara’s Table Top Sale for the Streetz Cheerleading Club.  After deducting the £10 for the cost of the table – which goes into Streetz funds – I made the princely sum of £13 profit for the church.  At least we didn’t make a loss!  I attended the Early Morning Eucharist at St. John’s on Sunday, returning the unsold books to the Team Office at the same time.  On Sunday evening I led worship at the United Service at the Roman Catholic Chapel in Whaddon as well as preaching on 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 (stay where you are when you are called).  There were 15 in attendance including Sara and James.  Both enjoyed the service and I certainly enjoyed, for the second time, leading and preaching in this lovely chapel.

On Monday 28^th we had a four hour session on Christian Doctrine and History at Sarum College in the evening which did include a break for an excellent dinner of fish and prawn pie and roast vegetables followed by lemon tart – the food is certainly good at college.   Tonight we studied the beginnings of the Reformation as well as a study of the Nicene Creed.

On Tuesday 29^th I spent the day in Sarum College again, in the library, writing up my portfolio for the Living the Christian Faith module.  My intention is to have this completed by the end of the week. A long day of study and I decided that the only theological studying I would do in the evening would be in the form of watching either Father Ted or the Vicar of Dibley!

On Wednesday 30^th I attended Midweek Eucharist at St. John’s and afterwards a meeting of the Full Ministry Team at Debbie’s where we discussed arrangements for Holy Week.   After the meeting Andrew gave me his stepfather’s “Bishop Brennan” cloak which will be a useful garment to wear when I eventually take funerals and for cold outside services.  It is very heavy and comes all the way down to the floor.  The kids love it as I look like a cross between Dracula and Darth Vader.  Tonight we held the Joint PCC meetings at Winterslow School in which the details of the Holy Week celebrations were announced and explained.

On Thursday 31^st, I attended Morning Office with Nils and Andrew and at lunchtime Sara and I met them again at Sara Bossom’s for an extended luncheon party as a farewell for Sophie who is shortly moving away with her family to Carmarthenshire.  A really enjoyable lunch and chat with about 15 people present.  Sara B makes an exceptional host in her lovely home.  In the evening we started our Lent Group devotions by watching the film “Chronicles in Narnia – The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” as a precursor to studying the works of C.S. Lewis on the Lent Course “Not a Tame Lion” by the same author as “The King’s Speech”  course which we did last year.

On Friday 1^st February I joined the Ambassador’s Group for breakfast after which I went into Salisbury to return a book to the Sarum College Library as well as borrowing some books on Ruth which I need to write my forthcoming lecture on Boaz.  I called in briefly at the Boundary Café in Alderbury for coffee and a scone and chatted to members of the Alderbury Church, some of whom has heard me lead and preach on Sunday.  Tonight I finished writing up my Living the Christian Life portfolio but ran out of ink in attempting to print it off.  I will need to print it and finalise it tomorrow morning ready to hand in on Monday.  That will be a big relief!

You are now all up to date and hopefully, I am back on track with my daily blog!