This is my last week of work for this academic year, on the calendars of any part of the UK.  It is one of those oddities of being an English minister working in Scotland that my natural inclination is to take time off at the end of August (when my friends down south are free) just as the schools here return.  Next week is annual leave; a friend is coming up to stay and we have some chillaxing (stupid word) planned.

The timing works quite well, though, if only because our church AGM is early in September, and all our midweek activities restart then too.  Of course the church AGM means I have to write my annual report - I have a draft but am still mulling ot over - so I have been looking back and reflecting on the year that's done.

One change will be a shift of my 'day off' which has arisen because we are starting up an exciting new rolling programme of Monday evening activities, building on our successful "First Monday" theological reflection group, by adding a monthly Bible Study & Discussion Group (aimed at those who can't make the day time ones or who prefer a more exploratory approach), a monthly service of Prayers for Healing and Wholeness, and a monthly 'Monday Funday' social event.  If there happen to five Mondays, we will offer baby-sitting to the parents of young children to allow them to socialise together.

Finding a new 'day off' is not easy when there is something worthy happening every day of the week, so in the end it has been a case of picking a day and making some necessary adjustments to 'moveable feasts'.  All of which means this is the last Tuesday I will be working for a very long time as that is the day I have opted for as the 'least disruptive'! 

Now I just have to make sure I get the time off - new year, new opportunity to cultivate new habits!