Been a crazily busy day... not about to admit how many hours were 'worked' but it was a lot!  And other people worked every bit as hard, if not harder, than I did.

So, just a few of the many photos from today which give a vague flavour of how it felt.  (yes those are real fish on a real barbecue on real sand!)

Lots of visitors and lots of laughter.  Lots of love and lots of little glimspes of God at work.  A lovely day.

I am now about to take a few days off - my day off and the bank holiday substitutes... which means I may well not post on here for a few days.

and Happy Easter to all my readers.

A very quick post... busy celebration day ahead... so a Taize video for you to sing along to!

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Utterly brilliant!  Nineteen children, mostly aged under five, along with parents or grandparents came on a journey with us through Holy Week.

We began in the Temple making the sounds of the corwd and the animals; we met a money changer who was driven out by Jesus!

We then moved on to Bethany for a meal (yummy berries and other fruit) where Jesus' feet were anointed with perfume, and we made lavender bags to take home

Next we were allowed upstairs where Jesus washed his friends' feet and then we shared pitta bread and grape juice and heard that Jesus told his friends to remember how much he loved them when they ate and drank.

Lastly we tiptoed in silence down the stairs, along the road and up the hill to Calvary where Jesus died.

It seemed very sad, but everyone was given a clue to the surprise that God had planned... a chocolate egg that could be opened up and eaten on Sunday.

 Playing Jesus is not something that women often get the opportunity to do - and I found it both a privilege and quite profound (my two minutes of 'crucifixion' or arms spread out in love - you decide, we didn't say either way - left me with aching arms!)

Massive thanks to A, B, G, H, to P & L for loan of the paddling pool, and to everyone who came and took part... it was a fabulous morning.

PS It's not just narcissism that the pictures are of me - we do not have permission to post photos of the children online

Yesterday as part of our Seder, we washed everyone's hands in ritual fashion... the 'father' carried the towel, whilst I as 'mother' had the jug and basin.  Each person in turn offered their hands for washing... old, gnarled hands, young, smooth hands; white western hands, golden eastern hands, black African hands; hands that are employed in medical practice, hands that make music; hands that are perfect, hands that are damaged; hands offered willingly, hands offered hesitantly... each hand beautiful, made in the likeness of the divine.

Today as part of our children's vigil we had a simplified foot-washing... small children invited to remove their footwear and step through three bowls of water, having a small amount poured over them in the first bowl, before beng dried n a fluffy white towel.  Small feet, some white, some black; some boys, some girls; some eager participants, some less certain; some happily waking in the water, some needing to be lifted between the bowls; one managing to overturn the final bowl, another splashing their trousers... each foot lovely, made in the likeness of the divine.

I found it remarkably meaningful to wash these hands and feet... no direct contact, rather a focus on the hands and feet of those participating.

Meanwhile, of course, this being Good Friday, we recall how the hands and feet of the divine were rent by crucifixion nails; how flesh was torn and blood spilled... the hands and feet of the divine in our likeness.

Why three bowls of water, you are wondering - because we had three bowls!  Plan A was to use a paddling pool, but despite having two pumps we didn't have the necessary adapter so Plan B was to use wahsing up bowls, and one of my amazing people scoured the local shops to purchase them.