My visit to Manchester today revealed two things to me...

1. There is a conspiracy to stop any post grad. theology being done because both LKH and John Rylands libraries have packed away most of their theology books while they refurbish their libraries.  Whilst this is good, because it forces me to take a break, it is annoying to go all that way and find, yet again, not a lot to borrow
2. It was a graduation day and lots of (extremely young-looking) graduates and their proud parents were cluttering the food court.  The graduation outfits have improved dramatically since 2002 when I completed my BA!  The 'new' colours are much to be preferred - gone are the red and yellow jester suits for PhDs in favour of fairly tasteful black with purple and gold trim.  Also, thankfully, gone is the fur trim on the batchelors' hoods (Artificials everywhere can be released from captivity and will no longer be intensively farmed for their fur) and the rather insipid faculty colours in favour of a uniform purple and gold.  I am suitably relieved by this, as, assuming I do one day complete this doctorate, the thought of prancing around in a red and gold jester suit did not appeal one iota.

The essay is done, proof read, revised, updated, even in parts rewritten, and the New Revised Standard Version has been duly bound in cardboard ready to deliver to Manchester today.  I am meeting fellow student, blogger, and all round good egg, Kez (who is way too intelligent) for lunch when we will do the deed.  Now it is time for something that is just for fun, and here it is, nicked from ReverentFun.com enjoy!

Tonight was a joint service at D+1, which turned out to be an excellent exploration of the balance between 'God as love' and 'God as holy' and what it means for us 'to be holy'.  However, due to a slip up, one of the Bible readings was wrong and we heard the few verses that are Isaiah 4...

It is intriguing to ponder what might have been preached from that!  Not least as the preacher was a woman.  Hmmm.

Today was our HMF fundraiser during which I led two lots of prayers.  I used extracts from this year's DVD along with two prayers from Crumbs of Hope by Clare McBeath and Tim Presswood.

The first extract - 'United in Mission,' the first of the 'extras' on the DVD - uses a montage of clips from past HMF videos including that wonderful moment when Ida said to David Coffey, in response to a question about how they'd coped over the years, 'we'd no flamin' option.'  If you don't (didn't, she died last year) know Ida, (or David Coffey who's just in the left hand side of the shot), she's the white haired lady with the lovely smile, who laughs.  The church at the close, behind the wire fence, is Mersey Street Tabernacle - Ida's church.

Here are the prayers, in case you don't have access to Clare's and Tim's book and would like something that makes the connections ...

Prayers from a Home Mission Church

Everlasting One

The everlasting one who has travelled with her people

Across the bounds of time and place

Through birth, growth, and death

Weaving in and out of the joy and pain of our lives.

Come, let us gather before the faithful God

The everlasting one who calls us to share our journey

Through the decades, wherever we find ourselves

From our beginning to our departing

As we weave the joy and pains of our lives together. 

Keep us Keeping On

Faithful God We thank you that you don’t give up on us

Keep us keeping on  

Give us patience not to give up on you

Keep us keeping on  

When the time ahead is uncertain

Keep us keeping on  

When progress seems slow or non-existent

Keep us keeping on  

When we are weary of working within the system

Keep us keeping on  

When the challenges of our world seem too great

Keep us keeping on  

When the burden of caring gets us down

Keep us keeping on  

When we are tired and worn out

Hold us in your love

Prayers copyright Clare McBeath and Tim Presswood/Inspire publishing 

PS If you have a problem with feminine language for God, you could use 'God's people' since God is neither male nor female.

PPS We raised £125 for HMF, so all in all it was a worthwhile event

On Tuesday someone made a B_I_G mistake.  They told me I needed to carry out a 'fire risk assessment' for Girls' Brigade.  This is not a good thing to say to a former professional risk assesser because it meant I asked hard questions they couldn't answer, and then they asked what I meant by a 'designated assembly point' and the blue signage (as shown left) that ought to be in place advising fire action. Hmm.

For any Baptists, the BUC guideline on Health and Safety, C.7 is helpful and has some useful websites to visit.  I'm sure other denominations have an equivalent.

I also found a nice one page tick-box thing here which basically does the job for you.  Unless you are trained and know the HSE stuff, don't try getting all clever (and my professioanl opinion of some of the schools' risk assessment stuff is unprintable).  Also make sure you know the difference between a 'risk' and a 'hazard' and between a 'risk assessment' and an 'evacuation plan' or 'emergnecy plan.'  Otherwise I get unpastorally irritable!

Alternatively, in exchange for some large quantities of fairtrade chocolate I can come and do it for you ...!

Oh, and if you don't know, a fire assembly point sign, which should be located well clear of premises and with enough space to safely gather all your people, looks like this: -

That said, I've never yet seen one at a church.