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New Camera
New camera arrived yesterday.Guess who had to be photographed first…
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Poem for Advent
Here is a little poem to get us to tomorrow. It is by Rowan Williams.Advent CalendarHe will come like last leaf’s fall.One night when the November windhas flayed the trees to bone, and earthwakes choking on the mould,the soft shroud’s folding.He will come like frost.One morning when the shrinking earthopens on mist, to find itselfarrested…
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Hell
I greatly enjoyed the story about hell which was reported in the media over the weekend. It is all to do with the research of Eric Stoddart whom I knew in Scottish Churches Open College and who is now working in my old college, St Mary’s, St Andrews. He has had a research interest for…
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Civil Partnerships
The Civil Partnerships legislation was enacted today. It is good to see it become operational at last. I gather that one partnership has already been registered, the cooling off period for one couple being waived, as one of the partners was in a hospice and unlikely to live to the end of the month.There are…
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Sermon – 4 December 2005
I often concentrate on John the Baptist at this time of the year – we get him twice in Advent and then return to him after Christmas. Often I say, listen, what a surprising voice this is. The one who witnessed to the Lord was a wild and lonely figure raging over the hills and…
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Retreat
Excellent Quiet Day yesterday. Too much rain, so not much walking.The theme was Advent Waiting with Mary Magdelene. Readings, prayers and liturgies celebrating this enigmatic and surely much misunderstood figure.Good (and plentiful) food. Isn’t it amazing what you can do with lentils and a banana?
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Shh!
Am having an Advent Quiet Day.Shh! Don’t interrupt the praying…or thinking…or mulling over…or whatever.
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1 December 2005
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New job in York
Nice to see that Margaret Sentamu’s husband has got another job – as a drummer in a band this time. Margaret was one of the people responsible for the selection conference which recommended me for training for the ministry. Indeed, she was the secretary of the conference.
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The Burly Gas Man Cometh
Just managed to avoid cremating the 11 am congregation this morning. Arrived in church to find a bunch of people all telling one another that they could smell gas. Moved the service to the church hall and called the emergency gas helpline. Was advised to turn off the gas and fling wide the doors to…