After the service today, we had a delicious lunch of stew 'done right' with pickled red cabbage and pickled beetroot.   It prompted some interesting sharing of other local customs such as 'ham with parsley sauce' (West Midlands) a 'ham tea' (in a former mining town - a throw back to a time when meat was expensive and having ham with your bread and butter was a treat).

About 30 people sat down to share food, including a visitor from Belarus, who was passing through with an over-night stay.

This morning we didn't have a sermon at all, instead we listened to a very large chunk of scripture (Hebrews 11 into 12) and began our collage by adding the names we heard mentioned, before widening it out to include other people - named and unnamed - from the scriptures whose stories encourage and inspire us. (The white rectangles)

Next, I invited people to think of people from history they wanted to add on - this was more tricky and mostly we got the names I had 'prepared earlier' (green rectangles).

Lastly, having handed out slips of blue paper, people were invited to add names of people who had encouraged or inspired them - and what a lovely selection we got!

'Since we are surrounded by such a great crowd/cloud of witnesses...' the saints we can imagine sitting in the balcony of the church, looking down and urging us onward...

I have done similar exercises in other churches, in other places, and it always encourages me, as we locate ourselves in a much bigger and more wonderful story, alongside the great and the good.

Many food-banks, and also some animal rescues, do this, or something similar, each year.  Our local food-bank is running a 'reverse Advent calendar' during November with the idea that you add one item each day, and drop off the box at the end of the month so that it can reach people in good time for Christmas.  The suggestions are just that - the full post also mentions hygiene products and festive treats.

Wherever you live, I am sure there's something similar you could support, if you are able.

Looking forward to starting filling my box!

Tomorrow I lead my first All-Age service at Railway Town BC.  It is the Church Anniversary weekend, something this church still marks, it is just after All saints and All Souls, it is Guy Fawkes night, and it's just before Remembrance.  In Roman catholic tradition it is the month of the dead.  So tomorrow we are going to create our own 'great Cloud of Witnesses' beginning with Hebrews 11-12 and then using our imaginations.

As a starter, I have listed out the names of the those recorded in Hebrews 11 and 12, added more Biblical characters, and then made a starter list of small-s and larger-S saints from history.

People will be invited to add to a collage...

• Someone from the Bible (but they aren't allowed to add Jesus)
• Someone from history
• Someone(s) they have known personally

It's hardly new, I have done similar before in other places, but I leave you to ponder, dear reader... who would you add from each of these categories?

On the days I commute, I get the train to Manchester Piccadilly.  There are oodles of trains that go that way, and depending on the route and the operating company, there is a threefold price difference (though I haven't seen anything to suggest higher peak rate fares).  I usually opt for the cheapest, but even these vary a little according to the precise route.

Sometimes it seems that all trains lead to the same destination - as this photo from yesterday indicates.

If all roads lead to Rome, maybe all trains lead to the Railway Town?

PS It's an interesting image to ponder when you think about ecumenism, or even interfaith matters... I leave it with you!