Yesterday, I took a quick trip to Warrington (only 20 minutes on the train) to catch up with my Walking Buddy for the day, which was really lovely.  We had a wander around the town centre, beginning with this car park... which is here the church I was a member of used to stand.  The building and the church are no more - the latter outlasted the former by a year or so, but for various reasons it was agreed to close and disperse its folk, most of whom found 'homes' in other churches.

We tried to work out where the baptistry used to be, and reckon it was roughly level with the window in the centre section of the adjacent building... it was here I was baptised as a believer in 1997, and from here that I was 'sent' to train for ministry in 1999.  Quarter of a century later (eek!) so much has changed yet in it all God remains faithful and dependable.

I treasure memories of WBC, just as I treasure the memories of HBC1 (Dibley) and HBC2 (The Gathering Place), and give thanks for all that each has given me.

A verse from my baptismal hymn feels quite appropriate...

Lord of the years, in living power remake us

Self on the cross and Christ upon the throne

Past put behind us, for the future take us

Lord of the years, to live for Christ alone!

It's way too early, but one of the daffodils at church has decided it wants to bloom.

At my the Gathering Place, we used to have tubs of daffodils too. After we moved out, vandals smashed the tubs leaving the bulbs scattered across the ground. With resilience and defiance, the daffodils flowered year on year. In 2019 (?) I rescued the bulbs and handed them to the person with the greenest fingers to take care of... although they came up blind the first year, as far as I know, they are still there, a symbol of hope, resurrection and new life.

I hope the frost doesn't finish off this early daffodil, and that it brings joy to all who pass by.

A Lent Lily at Epiphany...

Wow, here we are in 2024!  I'm not quite sure how that happened, but happen it did.

After a very full first four months in my new roles, I enjoyed a week off, including three nights away in the Lake District with one of my 'oldest' friends - we have known each other about 40 years.

The photo was taken early this morning - Sophie and Sasha (who have shared my life for very nearly nine years now!) decided that (a) I needed a lie-in (they weren't wrong) and (b) I wasn't to be permitted to go away again for a while.

Tomorrow I am officially back at work, and there is a lot to be getting on with... even whilst on leave I have had a few essential emails and phone calls to handle.

I'm looking forward to discovering what 2024 will bring, and to sharing that with those kind enough to follow along with this blog.