This morning, I was at church first thing to check on the baptistery, switch on the heater and then cover up the whole thing in an attempt to keep the heat in, and keep the spiders out!

I found myself reflecting on the fact that this is the first time I've been part of a congregation acting purely as 'host', and that, with two exceptions when we used a hired portable baptistery, all the baptisms have taken place in borrowed buildings or, in the case of the one in the sea, a host community.

It's been interesting to notice how my experience of having been the guest so many times affects my approach to being the host.

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's service, when 'all' I have to do is the welcome, notices and the housekeeping!