Here’s a video of a conversation I had with one of the members of St Mary’s last Sunday. Andy Winter was chatting to me about the way treatment and perception of HIV has changed over the years. We talked about new PrEP medicines, reducing stigma and the extraordinary news that the epidemic could be ended by 2030.
Take a look here:
Knitted food patterns…
http://www.knitfish.com/12/
I really appreciated the Lammastide sermon and service. But I’m not sure if I said so at the time – probably not!
I’m reminded how important it is to share appreciation as well as (more than!) criticism. Perhaps a new year’s resolution in the making.
Harvest.
Autumn is here
and there is no harvest
The trees have leaves but no fruit
The wheat has ears but no grain
and if you should return
I wouldn’t know
how to begin to explain
I would offer you a gift
but of all the things I own
all I have is my sin
all I have that’s mine alone
Spare me – I pray
another year or two
if you will extend your hand
I will fill a harvest basket for you
I have laboured in these fields
among this bracken, broom and whin
and a lifetime to understand
all you wanted was my sin.
Ah, the Grauniad! No – I only see that when I’m in a primary school staff-room, and never had the time to open it.
But cute pattern – might be the next addition to the Choir dog collection.
Over here in the U.S. we have our national Thanksgiving Day (when very few actually go to church) designated to celebrate the harvest, peace and an end to civil strife, and general thanksgiving. Perhaps the UK needs to take a page from the U.S. and Canada and just make it an official government holiday!
But what I was taught in school was that the first Thanksgiving was held in imitation of the traditional Harvest celebrations back home in England. Perhaps these were not actual church services? Anyhow I’m now confused!
Incidentally, from a sample of 13 comments made on my photo of a harvest display in church, I deduce people’s expectations include:
a) it’s long-life products, tinned or pasta, that one brings
b) giving them to old dears who don’t really need them
c) it’s something relegated to childhood memories
Up to you where you draw the churchy/non-churchy line amongst that lot. Maybe it means there’s a *lot* of scope for a message of mission (to folks who normally exist outside the door) and ethics?
Off to Brechin for the consecration of the Diocese of Brechin’s new bishop. Will report later. The Diocese of Brechin was famously referred to by one of its former bishops as The Flagship Diocese of the Scottish Episcopal Church. Which only makes one wonder about the most appropriate sobriquets for the other six, doesn’t it?
It is no great secret that I don’t like Apple products. But that doesn’t stop me wanting to pause for a moment to remember Steve Jobs and acknowledge the impact he had. Quite simply, he changed the way the western world works and the way it plays. He may even be responsible for some of…
I’ve not been very far in the last few days – I’m still under the weather with a bug I came down with last weekend. Hopefully I’ll start to get moving again in the next couple of days, but so far I’ve been trapped in Praepostorial Towers and unable to do much other than rest…
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