Signing of my Training Contract/Lay Ministry Admissisons at Salisbury Cathedral

A very long and busy day today - Sundays now seem to be our busiest day of the week!  Tom was up early to undertake his paper round with Sara driving him up to the shop to do the "inserts" and collect the newspapers for his round.  This morning, Sara, Mary and I went to Alderbury Church to attend the special Team service where Andrew signed his declaration as the new assistant curate and then went on to preach and I signed my training contract in front of the combined team congregation.  It was a long but lovely service.  After coffee at the back of the church, Sara and Mary went back home separately and I drove into Salisbury.  I spoke briefly to Mum on the phone as this would be the only time today when I would have any free time.  I attended the lunch and annual meeting of Lay Ministers at Sarum College and then went across to the cathedral to attend the admission and licensing ceremony of lay minsters.  Another long and majestic ceremony with two bishops in attendance - the Bishop of Sherborne and the Bishop of Sodor and Man who also preached.  Both in his sermon and at the lay ministers' meeting he emphasised the importance and difference between lay ministry and ordained ministry and at the meeting had expressed some concern at the two often being confused by not only the public but also the clergy themselves.  The importance of lay ministry that it should remain as a fresh expression of the church "on the fringes" between church and the world.  Too many lay ministers are too deeply in the church psyche and should retain close contacts with the outside world - in the pub, in the office, at the football stadium etc etc. echoing my own thoughts.  After the ceremony, at which our own Debbie was admitted and licensed, a group of us from the Clarendon Team joined her and family and friends for a splendid tapas buffet at La Mollina.  Tonight Richard and I ran the pub quiz at the Lion's Head back here in Winterslow in aid of the Calendar Girls Stars Appeal charity.  I am delighted to report that we raised another £106 tonight - another amazing achievement.  The Calendar must now be approaching £7,000 in money raised for the breast cancer unit at Salisbury Hospital.  Incredibly tired tonight.  I have another extremely busy three days ahead too.