Spring Harvest Day 4

Day 4 of Spring Harvest already and the day that the SH Blues normally set in, except this year they have nor appeared!  Either I am not taking it seriously enough or have now become immunised against them.  The only blues this year are that I haven’t been stewarding – I really have missed that. Another wonderful talk by Gerard Kelly this morning as we continue to explore 1 John with a great story about how a rubbish dump in Caen was converted into a wonderful park – illustrating how god can convert our brokenness into something wonderful if only we allow ourselves to be inwardly changed.  Today Sara and I had coffee in the Skyline before going to the Think Zone where we explored how we can evangelise both privately and in the public (this was followed up in the afternoon by another great seminar from Krish Kandiah on the theme of public evangelism.  I took the rest of the afternoon off (although I did write a further 75 words of my essay!).  Tonight we had an outstanding speaker – Wess Stafford, the Chief Executive of Compassion – who spoke with absolute passion about his lifelong work with the unfortunate children in the world and his work in organizing worldwide sponsorship for them.  Every year I have seen the big blue elephant which is their symbol but tonight’s passionate plea brought the whole charity alive.  After a glass of wine with Paul in our chalet, Sara, Thom, Mary and I went to see Adrian Plass in Centre Stage.  What a great show – I have never laughed so much for such a long time and I am really delighted that we are going to see him again at St. Paul’s in Salisbury next week.  I ended the evening watching the end of the film Dead Poets’ Society on TV finally going to bed at 1.30 a.m.   

Spring Harvest Day 3

We watched some of the Big Start from the Big top on the TV this morning during a simple breakfast of pop tarts before we left for the Big Top ourselves for the second day of bible study.  A most inspiring talk once again from Gerard Kelly who is rapidly becoming my favourite Spring Harvest speaker.  This was followed by another session with Malcolm Duncan and Ruth Valerio in Whitehall where we seem to spend most of our time if we are not in the Big Top.  Thom came with me and we left about ten minutes early in order to go across to the Sun & Moon pub to watch the Reading v. Southampton Premier League game whilst drinking shady (me) and coke (Thom) and eating a bowl of chips each.  This was Nigel Adkins’ first home game as manager of Reading – against his old team too – which resulted in a defeat for his side and a very good 0-2 win for the Saints.  With Norwich drawing and Stoke losing Southampton find themselves in 11^th place in the Premier League although still only seven points from relegation.  I feel that they are, however, pretty safe and that we can almost feel fairly assured that they will be playing in the Premier League next season. A great win. These three back to back wins are the first time this has happened for Saints in the Premier League since 2003.  This afternoon I went to watch the Watoto Choir singing and performing in Centre Stage before returning to our chalet to watch the Grand National from Liverpool.   A really moving performance especially when one of the group prayed for somebody from the UK who is struggling with their faith.  A wonderful evening of celebration in the Big Top tonight with a group formed out of the XLP Mentoring programme performing and a very passionate speech from Patrick Reagan who runs this initiative.  Many people tweeted what they were standing up for – hundreds of these tweets appearing on the stage screen.  Sara and I decided not to attend any After Hours events tonight as we are both quite tired and we spent the evening with Cynthia, Jane, Debbie and Paul drinking wine and chatting.  Gail, a former work colleague who is now a priest north of Salisbury, also joined us for a time.  Back in our chalet I watched the highlights of the Reading v. Saints game on the TV.

Spring Harvest Day 2

Second full day at Spring Harvest today.  Woke at 7 a.m. and made tea, showered and watched the news on the chalet TV as well as the Big Start from the Big Top.  Today we begin our four days of bible study with Gerard Kelly in the Big Top unpicking the theme of “The Source” through a study of the First Epistle of John.  Today we started looking and what “Being” a Christian means.  Brilliant teaching, as always, followed by a further discussion in the “Think Zone” with Malcolm Duncan and Ruth Valerio.  After a light lunch I wrote another 200 words of my essay on Christian doctrine and having had tea and biscuits went to the Check-In for another seminar led by Malcolm Duncan on “gay marriage”.  Malcolm is very clear in his views – he accepts homosexuality but cannot accept that same-sex marriage can be truly marriage in the biblical sense and quoted a number of biblical references in support of his view.  A great night in the Big Top Celebration tonight – more wonderful worship songs with Noel Robinson and another brilliant talk from Rob Parsons.  Sara, I, Thom and Mary went to see Tim Vine again tonight together whether Sophie, Ethan and Petra. Sophie was telling us that she had bought 17 sheep which were now on their farm in Carmarthenshire and that they were aiming at being totally self-sufficient.  Enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine before going to bed again at 1 a.m.  There is no Internet connection on the chalet which is hindering me checking some details for my essay.  Will try and get the answers I need tomorrow.

 

Spring Harvest Day 1

The first day of our Spring Harvest break saw us set off at 10.30 a.m. for Minehead.  Because of my right knee problem, Sara drove and I navigated us to the Somerset resort – arriving at around 1 p.m.  We checked-in and parked the car next to the Big Top close to the second entrance to Butlin’s site.  As we could not enter our chalet until 4 p.m. we walked along the seafront (with Petra and her son and friend) into Minehead town centre to have lunch at Jaws – the fish and chip café on the High Street.  The temperature today seems close to freezing with a bitingly cold wind whipping up the sand from the beach.  We struggled to walk back to the Butlins’ site after lunch but after we had returned to the car we then managed to place everything on two trollies and push them along to our chalet in Oyster Bay (where we have been on numerous previous occasions).  With the exception of Petra, who has a Silver De-Luxe apartment, the whole of the Clarendon Church group is situated in the same building with Sophie and family next door to us and Cynthia and the other members of the Clarendon ministry Team in the flat above.  Tonight we all went to the Big Top Celebration with excellent worship music from Noel Robinson and an excellent keynote speech from Gerard Kelly.  I felt very uplifted by both the worship and the message from the speaker.  This week we shall be trying to get back to the basics of Jesus’s life and teaching as “The Source” of our theology.  A broad church approach – breaking down the denominational differences and getting back to the concept of the true meaning of Christianity.  Cynthia and Debbie joined us for a glass of wine and nibbles (pretzels from Debbie) and Sara and I went to see Tim Vine and John Archer performing in the Crazy Horse. Most amusing and a great way to end the day.  Really looking forward to the rest of the week – although I will need to take time out for study and writing up my church doctrine essays. 

Back in the dentist's chair

Another long and busy day.  Up early this morning for a dentist's appointment in Salisbury for a filling at 8.20 a.m.(which took the best part of half an hour as it was the tricky filling of tooth right at the back) and then I walked up to the Royal Mail parcel office to collect a bundle containing the deeds to our house (the mortgage having been paid off at last).   Then to Homebase for a new padlock for our gate and back homer in time for a meeting with Yvonne to show her around All Saints Church where she will be preaching on Sunday 21st April.  I also showed her Truffles Coffee Shop and Farley Church.  This afternoon Sara and I got out the cases for our trip to Spring Harvest as well as putting away some of things which we had rescued from the Family Room in our clear-out.  I went into Salisbury again at 5 p.m. for a meeting with Ashley to hand over copies of my notes taken at the last  tutorial which he had missed.  We had tea together and chatted about our studies and parish training.  Tonight I attended a meeting of Sarum Lodge where we rehearsed an Initiation Ceremony ahead of  our real initiation of a candidate at our May meeting.  I left the meeting after Grace and the Loyal Toast in time to tidy up some paperwork and get things ready for packing tomorrow morning.  I've decided to go to bed early and get up early to pack.  I am much better in the morning.  Sara has bought some Anadin joint relief pills which seem to have helped the pain in my right knee.  I hope to get a good night's sleep tonight.

A trip to St. Mary the Virgin, Stapleford

A busy day today.  This morning was bright but with thick frost on the cars.  Sara had an appointment with the dentist for some root canal treatment and I had an appointment at Salisbury General Hospital to have my right knee x-rayed.  The whole process at the hospital took about ten minutes in total. I met Sara for a coffee in Costa Café in town.  Sara had to use a straw to drink it.  She left me to go to Ilana's to reconcile the fundraising monies for the Streetz Cheerleaders' fund and I went to the bank and then drove back home.  This afternoon I drove out to Great Wishford to see my fellow ministry trainee, Yvonne, and to go with her to Stapleford Church where I shall be preaching on 21 April. It is a large cold church with Norman arches and so dates back several centuries.  I shall preach from the pulpit to a quite traditional congregation at their Morning Eucharist with an NSM (Non-Stipendiary Minister) taking the service.  All I have to concern myself with is the sermon itself.  We went back to Yvonne's for tea and biscuits and I then drove into Salisbury to do an hour's work in Sarum College Library (I managed to write another 300 words of my essay). Tonight I attend the installation meeting of Stonehenge Chapter and I was press-ganged into acting as Second Assistant Sojourner.  Fortunately I didn't need to do anything except sit in a chair dressed in a surplice - something I shall get quite used to as time goes on!  An excellent meal afterwards - samosas, roast lamb with mint sauce and vegetables, ice cream and strawberry meringue with toffee sauce and cheese and biscuits.  So much still to do before we go to Spring Harvest.  I will be spending much of my time there writing essays I think.

Easter Monday

A brighter day today - although still bitterly cold.  I set myself a number of tasks to complete today - some of which did get completed but not that elusive essay!  Amongst the tasks completed were - cleaning the car, mowing the rear lawn (a really tough assignment as the grass has grown so long.  It took me a good hour or more and my poor knee took quite a hammering), some bills paid and letters written, investigations into flights to Nassau in the Autumn - we will still try and go direct by British Airways to avoid changing at Miami or elsewhere in the States.  Sara did some gloss painting in the  Family Room and also used the opportunity of free access to the 1901 and 1911 censuses on line to do some family history research including researching my maternal grandmother's ancestors.  We found out that both of our sets of parents had lived for a time, at the turn of the 20th Century, in east London - close to the 2012 Olympic Park.  I did ring Mum to let her know what we found as much of Grandma's life is still veiled in mystery.  Unfortunately all this research did rather knock me off my plans for today.  I ended the day, after a hot bath to soothe my leg, watching the opening games of the Baseball Season in the USA - Phillies at the Atlanta Braves.  Went to bed before learning the result although Braves were winning 1-5.