In a little over three weeks I will once again be taking part in a charity fundraising walk - this time the relatively short, 10 mile, option of the 'Glasgow at Night' Pink Ribbonwalk.  Having been persuaded by various friends to do so, I gave in and purchased the above ridiculous outfit (the tee shirt comes with event registration) and shared the photo on social media.

One friend commented "you wouldn't see the Archbishop of Canterbury in an outfit like that."  I guess we can be grateful for that, but I know what she meant, and the compliment that here was an official Christian who was sufficiently normal (?) and batty to enter the spirit of the event.  So it has left me with much to mull over as to how we come across and what opportunities we might miss when we get hung up on decorum.

Another friend queried the litrugical significance - so I told them it was Gaudete Saturday (Gaudete Sunday is the pink candle in some Advent rings).  And it will be a gaudete day... celebrating life, remembering absent friends with affection, raising money for a good cause and rejoicing in it all.

Mission as pink tutu... who'd o' thunk it?!

The interweb reminded me that Volunteers Week starts today, and that it lasts for twelve days... guessing whoever thought it up wasn't to hot on arithmetic!

On the basis that churches rely so heavily on volunteers I'd like to say a thank you to everyone who...

• is on a rota
• looks after a rota
• gets out chairs
• puts away chairs
• buys refreshments
• makes refreshments
• serves refreshments
• washes up
• picks up litter
• empties bins
• buys cleaning products
• orders bin sacks
• manages bookings
• arranges flowers
• distributes flowers
• prints service sheets
• contributes to the magazine
• edits the magazine
• runs the creche
• runs the Sunday School
• plays a musical instrument
• sings in the cjoir
• read the 'lessons'
• leads the intercessions
• sets up for communion
• serves communion
• clears up after communion
• looks after the PA
• looks after the website
• Looks after recording of services
• keeps the books
• counts the offerings
• banks the money
• pays the bills
• looks after PAYE, NI etc.
• visits other people
• organises outings
• serves as a Charity Trustee
• takes notes in meetings
• reclaims Gift Aid
• looks after the noticeboards
• runs midweek groups
• gives lifts
• leads evening services
• hosts BBQs or meals
• works on the redvelopment project
• who does everything I've managed to forget in this list
• - and anyone who tries to keep me in line :-)

Bascially, without volunteers churches are toast!

A little teaser for those who will be at The Gathering Place on Sunday... these jute bags had gone into holes so cutting them up was permitted!!

Life has been very busy of late, with lots of travelling and "Mum Admin" (ongoing) which has tended to dominate my posts... sorry to those who come looking for reflections on church life or theology, I'm doing my best swan impression at the moment.

Someone who reads this blog asked me how things went with our trial run at the hotel - and the answer is, really well.  Loads of people worked really hard behind the scenes to ensure that everything went smoothly, all I had to was stand up and speak!

It felt very different being in a room with a low ceiling, and that was long and thin, so that we had lots of short rows rather than our customary few long ones.  Some observed that it was strange to see backs of heads after years of seeing faces, a few felt there was less of a 'community' feel but no-one said they hated it!  And of course we can easily experiment with chair layouts.  For me, the back felt a very long way away, but, because we sat the choir cathedral style, I was actually closer to the front rows than usual.  And of course the children just took it all in their stride as only children can!

I am glad it was a positive experience, not that I had any doubt that it could/should be, but because I know that some people were genuinely very apprehensive.  Being back in our own space last Sunday seemed to go well too.  This coming Sunday is slightly experimental, with 'cafe style' layout and a few bits of "oh, she's at it again" creativity ;-).  Don't want people to get too comfortable afterall!!

Still a lot of stuff to catch up on - but am having to pace myself as the dreaded summer lurgy (cold and cough) has come to bite me, possibly a bit run down from racing around like a mad thing.  I might learn one day...

This afternoon, after church and after lunch, I took myself off to Kelvingrove Museum and Art Gallery in time to listen to the organ recital.  I used to do this quite often when I first moved here, and have taken a fair few friends over the past few years, but it is (was) absolutely ages since I last went myself.

A large slab of coconut cake, a paper cup of tea, and half an hour sat listening to music... bliss!  And a reminder of the simple pleasures that are so easily lost or forgotten when I stop taking control of my 'down time'.

Not, if I am honest, the most wonderful programme I've ever heard, and stylistically not my favourite performance, but that wasn't the point... it was good just to be rather than do, to refresh and renew myself ready for the week that lies ahead.

Mustn't leave it so long next time!!

Much of this morning has been devoted to what I have come to term "Mum Admin" - sorting papers, identifying bills that need to be paid, direct debits that need to be stopped and so on.  The physcially heaviest component of the stuff that returned home with me was the contents of her document box, which has taken a deal of carefull sifting through in order not to miss anything significant or discard anything precious.

So here, amidst electricity bills and home insurance reminders, I discovered Mum's educational certificates.  Really excelling in bookkeeping it seems, and adequate in Higher English and French.  And she passed art, despite being colourblind (undiagnosed) and in her own words incapable of drawing for toffee... evidently it was the only subject she would fail so the teacher awarded her 51%!  Times sure have changed and the  centralised marking of 'public' exams prevents such compassion by teachers.

In these yellowed and battered slips of paper are reminders of a young woman who dreamed dreams of her future.  I hope that her memories of her school days remain sufficiently intact to bring her moments of pleasure.