So, the All Together bit of today's service... the three animal puppets act out the magi's gifts....

Rikki Raccoon brings a bag of pseudo-gold nuggets, gives a few to baby Jesus and settles down next to the silver chalice that is acting as a (general) visual symbol on the table.

Tillie Tiger brings some frankincense, we successfully burn some in my mini thurible, and she settles down the other side of said chalice.

Millie Mole brings myrrh, liquid and anointing stuff, children sniff and are dabbed with it, then Millie stands behind the chalice...

I notice a parent on the front row giggling... I turn to look and there is Millie arms either side of the chalice and mouth over the rim as if supping... ooops.

So I make a comment about a dipso mole... Millie is moved away from the chalice.... I then comment that I wonder what people listening to the pod cast will make of it... ooops some more.

I'm back!

So today it is back to work properly, back to leading worship, back to being among the people God has called me to serve, the people I love, the people who love me........... enough mush already.

Anyway.  Epiphany Sunday.

I have just been arranging the nativity scene for worship... you have to appreciate that after each service the characters have travelled upstairs to the vestry where they live on the mantelpiece in a rather random arrangement.  During Advent the shepherd (we only have one!), then the wise ones travelled around the gathering Place, from balcony stairs, to top of the heater to the table.

Today the wise ones, Mary, Joseph, Jesus and assorted livestock are on the table, the shepherd is on the heater, back at work, and the angel is hiding under the flower arrangement.

I know most people have a full tableau, but biblical it isn't... I'm not utterly convinced Joseph needs to be present today (Matthew just says child and mother), but the shepherds and angels are long gone!

I think a nativity scene that moves, changes and reflects the transcience of the story is a helpful symbol... we never quite 'arrive', the 'journey' goes on again.

Next week sees the start of a new sermon series loosely titled 'active waiting' - just about every resource I found for this phrase was for Advent so there you go.  We will begin with a phrase stolen from a talk I heard about three years ago "In the Meantime..." before moving on to think about what we do 'in the meantime'

Looking forward to it!