A special few days

As the country and some parts of the world wind down, look forward to a long weekend, go of on holiday, we have been building up to the busiest week of the year.
For me Holy week, the week before Easter is exhausting, exhilarating and very moving.
This year it has been exceptionally difficult as the schools have broken up early resulting in Easter being at the end of the holidays and therefore no wind down time afterwards and also as the church travelled 80 miles to witness the licensing of our old vicar into his new parish.

But despite these distractions this still feels like a special time, amidst the exhaustion, glimmers or awesomeness are appearing...
last night I had the real joy of sharing in a last supper style meal and communion with hand washing for all and a demonstration of foot washing as an act of servant hood. Sharing food with others is an intimate affair and breaking bread to share during that as Jesus would have done was also a powerful moment.

Being able to serve others is not easy for anyone but sacrificing ourselves for those we care about can be a powerful act.

This morning after little sleep we hope to welcome people of all ages to be Cre8ive in their exploration of the Easter story with things to make and do and parts of the story to see, explore, taste and enjoy, and then tonight we wait and pray as we remember.
WHY? Why do all this when its  a bank holiday for many? why do all this when I could be at home watching tv and drinking wine? why do all this after an exhausting week and a busy weekend?
I do this because I feel we have an important message to share, this is not just a good story, it is not just a retelling of a magic trick, this is life changing , earth shattering news.
Jesus Christ did die tragically on the cross, he was buried in a tomb and he did rise again, the evidence has been found tried and tested and the effect this has gives me hope. Hope for a broken world, hope for children today lost at sea, hope for those waking up to a country they hardly recognise, hope for those who face their worst fears, hope that this is not the end.
I pray today this Good Friday whether you go to church or not you take a moment to look around appreciate the awesome creation we have and then maybe you will glimpse the one who created it.

Happy Good Friday...for the sadness of death brought us new life!

The other side of the fence

I've spent the last week in a whirl wind of work, exhaustion and reflection.
I couldn't for the life of me work out why I was shaken by Ian (my boss) leaving on Sunday. Yes he has been a great support and trainer but that wouldn't usually create such a reaction in me...And then one night I couldn't sleep I realised, whenever I have experienced a vicar leaving a church it has been my mum an dad and I have been leaving with them. I have always been on the other side of the leaving, the one moving away, the one with new horizons to explore the one leaving friends behind and wondering what the future will hold; Not the one left behind!

So this week has had me reflecting back on what it has been like for all those places where we have left..am sure we didn't leave a gapping hole or were tearfully missed but moving is a massive part of this job, a part I took in my stride as a child and the part I now begin to dread.

I often envied friends who had family living around the corner, people who had always lived in the same place. I have loved each and every place that we have ever lived in their own special and unique way yet it does sometimes feel that a piece of me has ben left behind.

Cherish your surroundings, cherish those around you its only in times of change that we realise how special they are and sometimes too late.