... or in this case an adult, or maybe it was a child, given that my Dad subjected us to years of long walks after tea and probably set me on the path (!) to walking for pleasure (contra my sibs who all seem to hate it)

Anyhow, today in brilliant sunshine and with a light pack, I yomped just shy of ten miles at just under 16 minutes a mile, so I think I can declare myself to be well and truly trained up.  I think my total distance walked this week (including to/from work) is about 50 miles, so I am feeling quite chuffed with myself.  Now I just need to work out a 'tick over' walk to do at St Andrews when I'm at the ministers' conference next week...

This week as I have prepared for our Pentecost service I have had a lot of fun, but struggled with the middle reflection of the three, partly because of the incredible diversity of people in the congregation and my, sometimes stifling, fear to offend and desire to be liked!  I wrote something yesterday but woke up today sure it wasn't right, not because it was wrong, but because it detracted from what I wanted/needed/was led (you decide) to say.  But what to do with it?  After much rumination I've decided to post it here, one step removed from reality, one step away from those who might poo-poo the charismatic/supernatural angle, one step away from those who feel that the trajectory BUGB is following is too slow/fast/inadequate/incorrect.  This is my blog, these are my views, no-one else carries any responsibility for them and, whilst I hope this does not offend, it is what it is.

So, with a few annotations and emendations, here's what I wrote:

In 2013 the BUGB/BMS Assembly met in Blackpool and devoted a significant period of time to small group discussions on the topic of human sexuality and, specifically, in the light of changing legislation, how churches might wish to engage with the topic and to respond in practice.  It was a good conversation, characterised by generosity and grace, and as the chair person summed up what had been sensed by the ‘listeners’ as the mood of the gathering, a pigeon (a rock dove) overflew the auditorium.  Some, myself, among them, wondered, was this a sign?  Was this a manifestation of God’s Spirit?  Or was it coincidence, a pigeon nesting in the roof had just flown by at that moment. [I wrote about this at the time here]

A year went by and I forgot all about this moment.  At the 2014 Assembly someone read out a statement from BUGB on “where we are up to” on the topic which, significantly included this:

 As a union of churches in covenant together we will respect the differences on this issue which both enrich us and potentially could divide as we seek to live in fellowship under the direction of our Declaration of Principle ‘That our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, God manifest in the flesh, is the sole and absolute authority in all matters pertaining to faith and practice, as revealed in the Holy Scriptures, and that each church has liberty, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to interpret and administer His Laws.’
 
Upholding the liberty of a local church to determine its own mind on this matter, in accordance with our Declaration of Principle, we also recognise the freedom of a minister to respond to the wishes of their church, where their conscience permits, without breach of disciplinary guidelines.

[I wrote about, and linked to the BUGB website, on this here]

For BUGB accredited ministers this is huge – pastorally and professionally, removing the fear of loss of employment, home and pension for saying or doing something that breached the rules for accreditation.  For some it is a step too far for others it is nowhere near far enough.  But it is part of a new understanding, a new way of being…

[this next bit wasn't in the sermonette but is part of the story, so I've written it initalics]

Last Sunday I was handed a copy of the new edition of the church magazine, its cover resplendent with a striking piece of artwork depicting the Holy Spirit as a dove:

(original artwork Celtic Flame (c) John Stuart)

As I admired the cover suddenly my mind was flooded with remembrance of the pigeon overflying the Assembly and the (to me anyway) significant shift that had occurred in the year following that... I felt, well, how did I feel?  Kind of shuddery as if something 'highly spooky' was afoot; kind of 'wow' as if I was privy to something special, kind of dumb-struck and nearly tearful and awe-filled and, well I dunno, feelings are not my strong suit to describe but there was a real 'a-ha' or 'hmmm' moment, perhaps a pentecostal/charismatic/spiritual experience...

and yes, if only retrospectively, I think I am convinced that the pigeon, the dove, in Blackpool was God’s Spirit manifest in physical form.  And if that makes me a bit bonkers so be it.  And if that makes me an irredeemable heretic so be that too.

So there you have it.  I can't prove it was God's spirit.  I can't demonstrate or reproduce any of it.  But as far as I'm concerned it was real ... All of which means that, to quote the old adage, I must be mad or bad or it was, afterall, God.

So my Pink #Ribbonwalk Playlist now extends to 78 items!!!  An eclectic mix if ever there was one.  What's pleasing is that as I hear them I can recall who chose them and/or why they/I chose them.  There are two that almost make me cry - so a bit of rain on the day won't go amiss to disguise that!!

1. A Better Place, Glen Campbell
2. A String of Pearls, Glen Miller
3. Adagio for Strings, Barber
4. An Ordinary Life, Amy MacDonald
5. Believe, Yellow Card
6. Brothers in Arms, Dire Straights
7. Canon in D minor, Pachelbel
8. (Thank you for the) Day, Kinks
9. Deconstruction, Indigo Girls
10. Defying Gravity, 'Wicked'
11. Dignity, Deacon Blue
12. Don't please yourself, Foy Vance
13. Don't Stop Me Now, Queen
14. Eight Days a Week, Beatles
15. Everything I own, Bread
16. Falling, Haim
17. Feeling Good, Michael Buble
18. Firework, Katy Perry
19. Flapper Girl, The Lumineers
20. Get on your boots, U2
21. Gold, Spandau Ballet
22. Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen
23. Happy, Pharrel Williams
24. He ain't Heavy, He's My Brother, Hollies
25. Heaven, Emily Sande
26. High, Lighthouse family
27. High Flying Bird, Elton John
28. I ain't afraid, Holly Near
29. I heard it through the grapevine, Marvin Gaye
30. I will always love you, Whitney Houston
31. I will survive, Gloria Gaynor
32. I'm gonna be (500 miles), The Proclaimers
33. I'm still standing, Elton John
34. Imagine, John Lennon
35. It's a Long Way to the Top, AC/DC
36. Keep Right on to the End of the Road, Harry Lauder
37. Land of Hope and Dreams, Bruce Springsteen
38. Laura, Bat for Lashes
39. Living Doll, Cliff Richard
40. Lose yourself to the Dance, Daft Punk
41. Mallaig Sprinkling Song, trad.
42. Man! I feel like a woman, Shania Twain
43. Mr Music Master, Hoagy Carmichael
44. My Friend, Groove Armada
45. My love, Feat. Jess Glynne
46. Nella Fantasia, Moricone, sung by Katherine Jenkins
47. No Man's Land, Billy Joel
48. One day like this, Elbow
49. One more bite of the apple, Neil Diamond
50. Paranoid, Black Sabbath
51. Roar, Katy Perry
52. St Andrews Girls, The Other Guys
53. Say Goodbye to Hollywood, Billy Joel
54. Sheena is a Punk Rocker, Ramones
55. Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Pink Floyd
56. Show me the way to go home, trad.
57. Siyahamba, African traditional
58. Stand by me, Ben E King
59. Step by Step, Whitney Houston
60. Summertime, Ella Fitzgerald
61. Sweet Caroline, Neil Diamond
62. Take me out, Franz Ferdinand
63. These Boots were made for Walking, Nancy Sinatra
64. Walk like an Egyptian, The Bangles
65. Walk of Life, Dire Straits
66. Walk on by, Dionne Warwick
67. Walk this Way, Run DMC
68. Walking after Midnight, Nina Simone
69. Walking on Sunshine, Katrina and the Waves
70. Waterloo Sunset, Kinks
71. We Built this City, Starship
72. We Go Together, John Travolta
73. When the going gets tough, Billy Ocean
74. When you're young and in love, Flying Pickets
75. Wind Beneath my Wings, Whitney Houston
76. With a little help from my friends, Joe Cocker
77. Wonderful world, Sam Cooke
78. You'll never walk alone, Jerry and the Pacemakers

Last night's training yomp ended up a mile longer than intended, but was no less fun for that and, in fact, showed enough increase in speed that I completed 8 miles in the same time I was doing 7 a week ago.  The extra mile arose because it was pouring with rain and hood up, head down, I took the wrong side of a fork in the road and didn't realise until I was a good half mile along it and diverging further from my intended route.  Ah well.

All of which got me thinking a bit about metaphorical "extra miles", what they look like and whether they have to be consciously chosen or can arise simply by dint of circumstance.  No useful answers on that front, but it did lead me on to thinking about charity fundraising and wondering how much of it is associated with people walking, running, climbing, cycling, kayaking etc. lots and lots of miles.  From cancer to mental health, overseas mission to humanitarian aid, people are sponsored to participate in physical challenges that they may (or may not) enjoy.  Wouldn't it be good, I thought, if it wasn't necessary to raise money for these assorted charities - not because some mythical "they" should fund the research, support, welfare, aid etc. from a bottomless supply of money, but because there was no longer any need to raise money as the issues had been resolved.

I dream of day when the research instituions can close their doors

I dream of a day when the support charities can disconnect their helplines

I dream of a day when justgving and virgin money disappear from the web

I dream of a day when giftaid is a thing of the past

I dream of a day when no-one runs marathons, jumps out of planes or sits in a bath of beans

I dream of a day with no coffee mornings, strawberry teas or ethnically themed suppers

I dream of a day when there are no more tears, or sorrow, or death

I dream of a such  day - and I believe, if not in my lifetime, it will come

I dare to dream, not because I am naive or idealistic, but because I believe the promises of God to be trustworthy and my hope is centred upon them.

Walk an extra mile - too true I will, if it brings that dream a step closer, because I suspect until the eschaton the anticipation of that dream is dependent upon it.