... no, not the old chant at Greenbelt (or so I'm told) when they had insufficient numbers of portaloos, but the title of our Association Day, from which I have just returned.

It was a good day, much munching of demonic sandwiches in our packed lunches (an in joke, sorry) offset by a few fully sound jelly babies!

Seriously, though...

We began by saying 'farewell' to Peter Grange, our retiring Regional Minister a man with the incredibly rare gift of zany humour and deep, deep wisdom. loved by pretty much everyone and a real blessing to those ministers and churches he supported and encouraged.  With characteristic humour and wisdom, he set the assocation free to move on to a new phase, and rightly, received a standing ovation.  Many other Regional Ministers and the like had travelled specially for this day - a long way to a school in Dibley plus 6 north (as distinct from D+6 which is west-ish!).  God speed Peter, we'll miss you loads.

A good keynote speech from BUGB racial justice man Wale Hudson-Roberts on 'do justice, seek mercy, walk humbly with your God'.  Black theology at its best - offering the holism of ubuntu within profound Christian faith.

Confession time - I skipped all the seminars!  As I was helping out with a bit of organising, and kept getting asked for directions to this or that talk, I got some space to chat to other people involved in organising -and to share minister jokes about demomic foods.

I had the immense privilege of leading the closing worship - and I had a fun time, I have to confess.  There was a superb atmosphere that seemed to move through dfferent moods almost seamlessly.  From the Revelation crowd of people from all races and nations we moved into singing 'Jubilate' and then 'Uyai Mose' (Come all you people) - the latter sounding wonderful as people found the harmonies.  A lovely Iona prayer, a reading from Galatians 3 & 4 (one in Christ) and we moved on again to sing 'I give you all the honour.'  The children came on stage bound in paper chains to share how they had learned about Joseph and his "multi coloured jumper" and how he was sold as a slave; the young people shared some thoughts: a sketch on people trafficking (think of that video clip of the unacceptable cargo - broken and damaged - that is actually people) a fantastic graffiti banner and then sang Amazing Grace - which people joined in with spontaneously.  We made a chain of 'paper people' - wee mees of ourselves, to symbolise our unity in Christ and our commitment to be 'one people united in mission.'  Our prayers of intercession picked up themes from the day, interspersed with the Taize 'O Lord, hear my prayer.'  We ended with all seven verses of 'Cry Freedom' - the Baptist Assembly hymn of 2007, which started life in Leicestershire in the 1990s, and a prayer from the Latin Amercian Council of Churches:

God of mercy and hope,

In the struggle for freedom grant us strength;

In decisions about freedom grant us wisdom;

In the practice of freedom grant us guidance;

In the dangers of freedom grant us protection;

In the life of freedom grant us joy

And in the use of freedom grant us vision

For your name’s sake

Amen.

Listing all this out probably looks like showing off - I hope it isn't.  It was just a great privilege to be part of the day and to share with so many people in praise, prayer, rededication and - to all intents and purposes- commissioning.