Demolition next door continues apace.  This morning the pulpit and dais came down - like so much matchwood.  It's slightly odd seeing a JCB where I used to stand to lead worship (not in the pulpit I hasten to add) causing me a wry smile.  From dust you came and to dust you will return...  so much for all those fine words eh?!

OK, for some reason the blog platform keeps eating this post!  Maybe it doesn't like my views.

This morning I am a much relieved minister - my fears that the BNP would take an East Midlands seat were not realised - but (if I did my quick D'Hondt sums correctly) only because we had one less seat than last time.  Using BBC data and rounded figures I reckon they'd have got the sixth seat had it still existed.  So rejoicing but not complacent.

And I'm a much distressed minister - wider fears that the BNP would get seats in Europe have been realised with two elections, one in my much loved North West of England, the other in Yorkshire.  There but for the grace of God go any of us.

So, muted rejoicing and empathic weeping.

The Hope not Hate campaign continue to be very vocal and find a lot of support among Christian groups.  Their latest petition is here (and if you don't want to keep getting their emails it's easy enough to unsubscribe afterwards).  It's not original, but it's true to say that all it needs for evil to triumph is for reasonable people to do nothing.