What a wonderful weekend we had at church - so many precious moments that I am still porcessing them all.

I've never quite understood the human fascination with fives and zeros, but it exists, so we may as well go with it!

Five years ago, we covenanted together as "WIMPS for Jesus" or maybe "WIMPS with Jesus" even though we would not have used either of those expressions.  Our covenant, based on the BUGB five core values of Worship, Inclusivity, Mission, Prophetic witness and Sacrificial living, is a tough one - not really one for wimps after all. 

For five years, in good times and bad, happy and sad, we have journeyed together with this covenant binding us to each other, and to God, towards an eschatological horizon where these values will find full and final expression in the new creation.

It was good to look back over the five years and note a few examples of what it has meant to try to live out those values... the struggles as well as the successes, the work in progress as well as the achievements.

As I've reflected, and as over the last few weeks I have experienced both the heart-breaking pain and the heart-aching joy of serving this community, this covenant, and our shared commitment to it is, at the end of the day, all about love.  Love for God, love for neighbour and love for self. 

Sometimes we focus more on the 'vertical', spiritual dimension, or at least a cerebral, philosophical one.  Sometimes we we focus more on the 'horizontal', practical, earthly dimension, or at least in talking about it.  Sometimes we manage to join up our faith and our living more than others.  And sometimes, just sometimes, are those wonderful, fleeting, mind-blowing, heart-soaring moments when we glimspe who we are in Christ, who God calls us to be, what it is all about.

On Sunday, someone who has been attending for just a few weeks said to me, "I really like this church"... That was one of those moments when you know it's all worthwhile.  The anguish over words that cannot be retracted.  The anxiety over who might be offended by this or that.  The banging on about mission or justice or having faith that God will undertake if our motives are in line with the divine.  All these, and more besides, find a sense of proportion when one person glimspes what we aspire to be as WIMPS with and for Jesus.

Five years - it's flown by.  Today I feel excited for where God is taking us next and inspired to keep on keeping on, even when it's tough, even when it hurts, because, d'you what, it'll all be OK, and one day, one day, we'll reach that hoped for horizon.

Been a very busy, but very happy day... I got home from church around eight hours after I left home, so suffice to say I am bushed, cream-crackered, whacked whatever word you prefer.. and in a good way.

Who wouldn't be happy to celebrate five years of ministry as diverse and interesting as we've shared?  Who would fail to delight in welcoming four folk into covenanted membership?  How could I not rejoice in a toddler building with bricks, at my invitation, whilst the congregation sang 'Let us build a house where love can dwell?'  How broad was my smile when the student who looks like she's settling with us said "I really like this church"... pretty ginormous.

Ministry is hard work, really hard work, and sometimes I worry far too much about what I say or do, or don't do or say, but there's nothing else I could do or be.

Today is a happy day, a day to delight in so much that is exciting and rewarding, a day to celebrate the God who is in it all.  Too many happy moments to record, lots to process...

So, letting myself off evening worship, cooking crinkle cup oven chips (on a Sunday!  I know!) and looking forward to a restful evening.

Today is the fifth anniversary of my induction as minister at the Gathering Place... time flies when you are having fun.  Of course it hasn't all been plain sailing, we've encountered a few squalls and negotiated a few reefs, rocks and sharks along the way, but we are here, and it's good to celebrate.

Today we will welcome four folk into covenanted membership, reflect on where we are in relation to the Pauline injunction to 'rejoice!', then after lunch share in an information meeting relating to some of our next steps together before I head off with another perosn to take communion to one of our 'shut-ins'.

This, then is ministry: joy and sorrow, flawed followers determined to keep going, community discernment, pastoral care.

This, then, is ministry: I am content to be part of it.

Happy Birthday to us!!

As the saying goes: for what is past, thank you, for what's to come, yes.

Sorry to those gracious readers who call by regularly, even frequently, in the hope of something from me.  This week has been a little bit loopy with consequent tail chasing and no posting.  I still have a fair old list of stuff I haven't done and really ought to... bad minister person that I am.

So, service prep, mission forum, mentor training for the fourth time of asking, deacons meeting, home communion, pastoral catch-up, admin... where did the time go?!

Hopefully things will settle a little bit after the weekend, and I will get back into more of a regular rhythm again

This Sunday we are receiving four friends into Church membership - which is fantastic.  Following what I think is pretty standard custom and practice, I invited each of them to choose a hymn or a song for the service... and as always the choices are wonderful: expressions of faith, commitment, trust, disicpleship, hope, vision...

Always, it's a blessing to celebrate with siblings-in-Christ; always a blessing to share the songs/hymns that are meaningful for them.