Lots of my minister friends have been sharing this article on social media, and it's well worth a read.

In case anyone wonders, I am very settled where I am, love my church precisely because it is messy and imperfect and doing its best and sometimes getting it wrong.

By pure chance, on my own social media page, a 'memory' popped up from three years ago that said this:

"I love my church - unity in diversity, growing in grace, messing up sometimes, getting it right sometimes, sticking together whatever happens, and trying to be kind to one another (R, we took note of your sermon five years ago!)"

It took me a while to recall why I wrote that post - and when I did remember it felt the more precious because it related to the days following the referrendum on Scottish Independence, which I found incredibly painful and difficult to negotiate, knowing that whatever the outcome, half of my congregation would be happy/relieved and half disappointed/devastated.  The scars are well healed now, and woven into who I am, and how I seek to serve this congregation.  I am excited at the 'new things' that are springing up thanks to God's Spirit.

The nearest Sunday to our eighth 'birthday' will coincide with a 'special church meeting' which has a sense of 'rightness' about it, as we discern together God's next steps for us all.

Today I began the cull of books (apart from those in my study!) and packed up no less than four book-boxes (or four shelves worth) of books from my living room.

Why did I keep a book on how to make a nuclear reactor all this time?  Nostalgia I guess - at the time I bought these text books they represented a massive investment, eating up a lot of my student grant (remember those?), they continued to form a valuable resource for many years, especially the ones on management and economics! But now they are in a box and will go off to a charity shop who can decide whether to sell them or send them for pulping... my 'you can't just destroy books they are precious' gene is well supressed these days!!

One shelf of novels and one shelf of 'coffee table' books survived the cull.

Once all these have gone, I'll start on the children's books...!

It's all surprisingly cathartic.

So, here it is - two Revs, both women, both English, both Baptist, conducting a marriage service in Scotland.  That really is quite a rare event!

Had a lovely time, R led a beautiful service, and A&A were an absolute delight.

Today is an unusual day in many ways.

Firstly, it's my sixth wedding of 2017, and the third in which I have an official role.  That's more weddings - of any type - than I've ever before had in the same year.

More interestingly, it is one that has oodles of connections...

I was approached by this couple, who belong to a Baptist church in Derby, because they are both Scots and wished to marry in Scotland.  They were put in touch with me as a 'tame' minister by their minister, who knew of me both via a mutual friend, and because one of my predecessors is also one of hers...  Then, by total fluke, we had a young woman come along to church last week whose home church is the church where said minister and mutual friend met... Proof, were it needed, of how small the world is.

So today, I'm responsible for all the legality of the marriage in a service carefully crafted by my colleague in conversation with the couple, and it will be really lovely, and as unique as those taking part.

Every blessing to A&A on your special day, and to R as she guides them through the ceremony.

So here's the thing - after a really enjoyable summer looking at 'heroes of faith' and a good fun series on 'animal, vegtable and mineral', I am exhausted.  Good job, then that after this weekend (which takes bonkers to a whole new level) I have a couple of easier weeks, and a free weekend in which I intend primarily to rest and be refreshed.

And here's the other thing - after finally regaining my ability to devour books, and following some really 'sparky' meetings with others, I am feeling energised about the worship plans for this autumn, even knowing that they will result in a lot of extra work one way or another.

So somewhere in the meld of exhausted and energised, I feel excited, encouraged and enthusiastic...

All good... must go and start reading my latest pile of theology books!!