Tea at Glasgow Central before heading home yesterday... it was decent!

I am not especially fond of the 'morning rolls' used in Glasgow for this purpose, preferring the softness of a bap.  Even so it was a tasty treat before boarding the last train south! 

... a recovery day at home!

My annual leave, mostly staying at home with days out, is well underway, and has just included train travel to London and back closely followed by Bute and back, with visits to Greenwich Park, the Tower of London and Rothsay, as well as catch-ups with friends human and feline!!

For the record, it is equally as possible to do a day trip from 'Railway Town' to Bute as it is to London, not least as it is the Dubai or Schipol of the UK rail network.

Two aspects of the trip to Bute prompted a bit of thought...

• On the outbound journey, my booked ferry was cancelled, so I had an unplanned wander before catching the one an hour later.  It was lovely to catch a glimpse of places I'd never have seen otherwise, and in the scheme of things, an hour's delay is nothing
• On the inbound journey, my local train was delayed as the British Transport Police had to be called due to unruly, sectarian behaviour from young football fans.  It is sad that unquestioned 'tradition' perpetuates negativity.   

I had a lovely time, celebrating friendship, health, connectedness and diversity.  A couple of photos for anyone who might like them... 

Poppies at the Tower of London

Ferry from Wemyss Bay to Rothsay

Today's Messy Sunday School saw our biggest numbers yet - nine children aged 3 to 10 - and it was joyful, messy, fun and full of hope.

Whilst we were making a colourful coat collage, hearing the story of Joseph from the OT, making and sharing sandwiches, finger painting and thinking about how families come in all shapes and sizes, the adults were having something of a Roger Jones fest, with hymns and songs from his musicals.

When I arrived here almost two years ago, Sunday School was weekly with one or two children, and congregations were in the mid-twenties.  Now we are anywhere up to ten children, with Sunday School being monthly, and congregations regularly well in to the forties.  It's certainly messy... and complicated (have to remember which week we are on!)... and it's joyful, colourful and is a reminder that God isn't finished with us yet!

... and today I effectively 'break up' from my College job until mid-August, having staggered my two sets of leave so that I get two half and three full weeks of rest, relaxation and refreshment.

It's really hard to believe I have now completed two academic years, and almost two calendar years in my bi-vocational ministry, and only now do I have any sense of starting to get the hang of it!  As I look back, I reckon I've done okay... I spent yesterday and today doing a lot of emails and admin tasks, along with a little bit of planning/organising into next academic year for my Vicar School job, and found myself thinking, yeah, I really am contributing something of worth here (I'm an ISTJ and an Enneagram 1, so being hard on myself is a 'go to', this is me being positive about what I've done!).

Another week of churchy stuff before my break, and some similar reflections there - yup, I and we are doing okay, lots of good stuff, lots to be thankful for.

Not going 'away away' this year, but lots of little things to look forward to including an overnight in London, a day trip to Bute (only me!), an exhibition at Manchester museum, and a day on the edge of the Peak District.   Just some space to slow down, rest, reflect, and be re-created feels like a 'good thing'... and whether or not the sun continues to glow, I am pretty sure that it will be good.        

My last preaching Sunday at the Railway Town Baptist Church for this academic year, and the Lectionary invited us to ponder the healing of Naaman and the sending by Jesus of the 70/72.  As I pondered the readings, I was conscious of how often the word 'go' and its derivatives arose, and so this formed the basis for my reflection 'Off You Go'.  It didn't feel to me like the greatest thing I've ever prepared, but by the mysterion that is the movement of God's Spirit it seemed to land, and land with a variety of folk who sought me out to thank me for the service. 

When I arrived almost two years ago, the average attendance was around thirty people, now we are regularly passing forty.

When we chose to close our Sunday School and try something else, we were down to one or two children; now most weeks we have around half a dozen.

When I arrived we were operating on a deficit budget, now our deficit is even bigger, as some generous givers have 'been promoted to glory' and our finances are increasingly precarious.  Yet we keep on keeping on. 

Soon, I'll begin my summer leave, and then we'll move into our final year of travelling together (this was a three year appointment)  and must seek to discern what the next 'off you go' will look like.

According to the gospel attributed to Matthew, just before he left them to get on with it, Jesus said something like to his 'Newly Accredited Sent-ones'... "Off you go, to places close at hand, and far away; share my story, do my work, dunk those who want to join our movement; and remember, whatever happens, in good times and tough times, even though you can't see me, and probably won't be aware of me, I'm with you every step of the way, until, together, we reach journey's end."

And it's from the old we travel to the new - keep us travelling along with you!