The sun is shining, the weather is really lovely which can only mean one thing - yes, the schools here have gone back; in fact ours have been back a week, even as elsewhere in Scotland others continue to drift back over the next week or so.  Then the rest of the UK will join in.

It also means back to 'normal' at church.  This morning I've taken a couple of hours to sort and shift the "detritus" from seven weeks of creative activities in worship and underneath it all there was, afterall, still a desk, still a floor and still some chairs!!

Sitting down to choose four hymns, confirm two Bible readings, identify an "All Together" theme and start mulling a full-length sermon has had a pleasing sense of freshness.  I think that's quite important really... that sense of newness that I used to experience each September (very occasionally the last few days of August) when I returned to school after the summer break.  The new, pristine exercise books (aka jotters in these parts) waiting to be filled up with new endeavours.  The slight pinch of new shoes  on feet that had been in sandals for ages, and a feeling-too-tight collar after a summer of tee-shirts.  The sense of anticipation, nervousness, excitement and apprehension.  And perhaps above all, the return to routine, to a sustainable pattern of work, rest and play.

I've had a great summer, and am refreshed and renewed for what the autumn will bring and, indeed, is already bringing.  That makes me glad.  So, I guess I'd better get down to it! :-)

I don't watch Songs of Praise very often, the current incarnation, where (often interesting) interviews are interspersed with ancient recordings of songs presumably chosen by the production team because they kind of vaguely fit, never quite satisifies.  I don't blame the production people, who I am sure so their best with a teeny tiny budget and only so many songs from which to choose.

Last night's broadcast centred on the Migrants' camp at Calais managed, overall, to make this less than ideal format serve a valuable purpose.  I'm still not entirely sure a sung Shakespeare sonnet had any relevance, and the interview with Matt Redman felt superfluous, I'd rather have heard another voice from Calais. Even so, the themes/messages of the songs, "Abide with me" (I'd have preferred the trad version, but hey) and "There's a widenss in God's mercy" (even to the "wrong" tune), were good ones and pertinent.

I found the interviews with migrants, and with those who were trying to come alongside them, moving and purposeful.  Sally Magnuson's interview style was gracious and gentle.

So it made me cross to read the latest from the Daily Fail who demonstrated in their cheap jibes their utter ignorance of Orthodox worship.  Did they really think that a lengthy liturgy sung in Greek would 'work' for those Brits who depend on Songs of Praise for their weekly 'God slot'?  Did they not know that Orthodox christians don't sing Wesley or Redman or any other western hymnody?

Songs of Praise isn't aimed at me or people like me who can go to church and sing the hymns we choose in the style we prefer.  It serves a group of people who have to take what is offered, who enjoy a good sing of something old or something new, and listen to whatever pops up in between.  So yesterday, thousands, maybe millions, of people heard the voices of migrants at Calais, heard christians of east and west, high and low, liberal and conservative persuasions speak important words - often in their second or third languages.

BBC ethics and religion (or whatever it is called this week) did something really important and a bit prophetic... they showed the viewers an important truth... these are real people, just like us, made in the image and likeness of God.

Songs of Praise not perfect by any means, but then what is?  Worth my licence fee?  Too darned right it was!  More like this please :-)


PS a decent piece of reporting from the "Grauniad" here

So that's it!  Seven weeks of summer services done and dusted.  Today, after a reflection on the story of Lydia, we made the beginnings of a "community quilt"... each person was invited to write their name, or to draw themself if they couldn't write/preferred to draw, on a square of fabric, and then add it to the layout on the table.

After the service no less than three people came to me and offered to sew it up - I think we now have two eager quilt makers and an offer of assistance if needed.  Still some names to add, those who were away and a few no longer able to get along on a Sunday.  It will, I am sure, be a wonderful wall hanging in due course.

If grace is, at least in part, the unexpected good in tough situations, then this, for us, was to some degree, that.

Today I am very glad to part of this diverse group of people trying to follow Jesus in a confused and bruised world.

Holiday Club resources don't come cheap, and you never know quite how many copies of supporting puzzle books you might use, so I always end up erring on the side of caution and buying too many.

No matter that I think I just might use them again, the reality is that I don't.  In just a few years the cultural references are out of date, technology and trends have changed and, whilst the ideas are good, the material is largely obsolete.

So, the surplus resources, DVD and guidebook from this summer's services, based on SU Polar Explorers will soon be winging their way south to a small Home Mission supported church in the north of England...

Why there?  I posted in a Baptist group on social media, offering them to any BUGB Home Mission, BUS Grant-Aided or BUW equivalent church.  The first response was from a BUGB HMF church fairly close to the border... think Hadrian's Terminus and you're pretty much there.

In the next few weeks I will sort through other similar resources and see if they, too can be passed on before they are so outdated as to be risible!  And I might even gaina few inches of shelf-space!!

This Sunday we reach the end of our 'Polar Explorers' series, and the last of our assorted creative options for engagement with the theme.

Our very final activity will see the 'creatives,' 'quizzers', 'contemplatives' and 'actives' all responding together - I hope it proves meaningful for everyone.  There is a hint above - but lest anyone who will be there is reading, fear not there will be no pins, needles or sewing on Sunday (after all, were we good Jews, these would constitute work and be forbidden!!)