This morning was my first time leading chapel at Vicar School, and I had a lot of fun!

I enjoyed setting up the space with lots of sensory 'stations', and I was chuffed that people seemed to engage in the various activities offered as we pondered how we move from 'Hosanna to Hallelujah.'

We began with ourselves, and what Easter means for each of us...

Next we pondered some of the challenges in churchy settings...

Then there was opportunity to choose a station (or more if wished) to spend some time reflecting/praying

We ended with John 19:42 from 'Jesus Christ, Superstar' and some of the many images I have collected over 25+ years.

It was a fair amount of work to set up, but it was so worth while for a few precious moments shared with some of the participants.

This week, I have my first turn of leading College Chapel.  Technically, I am subbing for someone who won't be there, but it's a sub that was agreed back in September, so I don't think it really counts as a sub.

And it's the end of term, everyone is tired and probably worn out with words.  So it'll be relatively word light (no sermon type thingy) and multi-sensory heavy.  Probably way too many ideas for one act of worship, but I am okay with that, if only because some of it can be adapted for Palm Sunday at church.

Photo is from The Gathering Place, Easter Sunday morning probably 2016, and will form part of my PowerPoint.

At our Ministers Conference, the closing Communion service used this recording of Deacon Blue's 'Dignity'... it was a sound test in Glasgow's George Square, and one of the men gritting the Square (almost certainly with salt imported from Cheshire (!)) asked if they would sing 'Dignity', which they did.  The video brought back so many memories, but especially

• the Christmas Eve of the first Covid lockdown, when I stood in George Square and recorded a video greeting for my church folk
• the days following the MEN/Ariana Grande concert tragedy when I joined others to honour the city of Manchester
• the time I joined a anti-Brexit protest
• the bin lorry tragedy, an event witnessed by some church folk
• the joy and vibrancy of the Commonwealth Games
• the multi-faith prayers of COP26

Some may recall I once used this song as the basis of an evening reflection for a small group meeting on the mezzanine of The Gathering Place.  Others may just know that it's a song I love.

What I didn't know until I chased down the video, was that it was recorded on New Year's Eve 2009, when I had been in Glasgow just a few months... the start of a fourteen year adventure.

Thank you T, you really blessed me today.

Ministers' Conference closely followed by Vicar School residential = lots of packing!  Sophie as always is eager to assist, whilst Sasha watches from a distance and gives me a knowing look!

On Sunday we had the joy of welcoming two people in Covenant Membership, and also welcoming two new Deacons elected at the recent AGM.  So there had to be cake... and as I hadn't time or inclination to make cake, I bought and 'trimmed up' a couple of cakes from M&S.

Someone commented that 'our new minister likes cake'... well I do, but actually it's the celebration that I really like... it could equally have been pizza or a buffet or a barbecue... except that somehow cake feels more special.

Overall I think churches need more cake - or at least more celebration!