One of my preferred bits of 'junk television' is "Would I Lie to You" in which participants read out statements which may be true or maybe complete fabrications and, based on questioning, the other team has to decide whether or not they are true.  As a precursor to today's sermon, I decided to use a variant of this, whereby I read out a series of statements, each with three parts, and the congregation had to work out whether all were ture, all were false or a mixture.

So, for anyone reading - who was there this morning - here they are (no answers, you'll have to stick with your guesses!)

I have conducted weddings in the following venues:

• a cow shed
• a library
• a hospital ward

I have, at different times, been given the following as Christmas presents:

• a broken ornament
• a packet of coffee that was four years out of date
• a book with pages missing

I have conducted funerals where the following pieces of music were played on the way out

• Soul limbo (test match theme)
• Blue tailed fly
• Smoke gets in your eyes

I once owned an Austin Metro called Molly.  During the time I owned it, it was

• Rear-ended by a white van
• Hit by a runaway horse
• Towed away because someone thought it had been abandoned

It was certainly a bit of fun, and people engaged generously with it.  I think it worked fairly well as illustrating that it isn't always easy to tell truth from lies, distortion from accuracy.

No service to prepare for next week, as I'll be in Harrogate with BUGB-BMS people, but plenty else to keep me busy in the mean time.

Today I was able to enjoy one of the especially lovely aspects of ministry - conducting a marriage.

The sun shone, the university chapel looked lovely, the bride was beautiful and the groom dapper, the singing was good, the music excellent, the atmosphere happy, the vows sincere and the whole thing a real blessing.

I had an amazing time, felt very privileged and am now chilling at home rather than dancing the night away - after all, it's a school night in my world!

For this morning's service I had prepared a Bible Quiz on the theme of 'journeys'... and promptly began with a question to which I had got the wrong answer!  Much gentle hilarity followed, and all was well.  Sharing this on a social media site created more hilarity among - and confessions from - other ministers and teachers, with some amusing anecdotes.

This afternoon I began the Christian Aid Music Quiz which was given out at church this morning, and had only two questions left to do by the time I went to church this evening - within ten minutes of coming home, the answers had popped into my head and it was complete.

Who knew I was better on pop music than Bible knowledge?!  Not really, but it certainly made me chuckle.

One of the hymns we used this morning, in its orginal form, has three eight-line verses.  By the wonder of modern technology, it managed to morph itself into four six-line verses.  The tune selected fitted the mood perfectly, but slightly altered the sense of the hymn.  Whilst I quite liked the carry over from verse to verse, the original is easier to follow...

Such enchantment, sudden strangeness,

Power and love, by God, distilled;

Then they recognise his presence,

By his words their fears are stilled.

'Peace be with you', Simon Peter,

John, you need not be afraid;

'Peace be with you', doubting Thomas,

Don't be anxious or dismayed.

In the garden he saw Mary,

Talked with her, unrecognised;

Naming her drew back the curtain,

Opened tear-stained, blinded eyes.

Others walking to Emmaus

Talked, depressed, their sadness showed,

Till at last, their journey ended,

Broken bread their Lord disclosed.

Fishing, from a boat, some saw him,

They had trawled, had felt forlorn;

Recognition added savour

To their breakfast at the dawn.

As we go about our business

Bring enchantment to our lives;

Open eyes that we might know the

Love from which our peace derives.

Andrew E Pratt (born 1948) © 2000 Stainer & Bell Ltd

Later today I am due to have a conversation with someone who wants to learn more about church membership.  This is exiciting!

By pure fluke  - or by Holy Spirit timing - or whatever, I came across this blogpost a few minutes age, which stresses the community/corporate nature of 'being a Christian'.  Drawing on Pauline body imagery, it rightly recognises the absurdity - and impossibility - of any body part living in splendid isolation.  The writer is not saying that there a 'personal response' is unecessary, what he is saying, I think, is that this not enough and, in fact, that the natural (and necessary) consequence is to connect in to a local expression of the Body of Christ... something Baptists have traditionally done by Baptism, and continue to do by both Baptisms and Profession of Faith membership.

Worth a read, whether or not you agree!