Today the Church of England held a service to celebrate reaching twenty years of ordaining women... evidently around 700 women were present, the bishops all dressed as priests and the arch bish was the deacon... lots of symbolism going on there.

As a trainee Bappy minister, my first placement was with one of the women ordained in the first decade - after the first few pioneers but before it was widespread, now she's Archdeacon of York.

Later during my training I met a woman training to be a priest, who, last I knew was a leading light in her own diocese.

Among my blogging friends is Perpetua a retired priest and I have one or two real life vicar friends.

All of them are a real asset to the church, each bringing her unique gifts to fulfil her calling - I am privileged to know them

I am pleased for them that they are celebrating - and the Arch Bish's sermon can be read here

Every blessing to S, A, P, O, J and all women priests in the C of E

This is a beautiful and profound video that expresses something important.  Apologies if the colourful language early in the video offends... if you get past that it's well worth watching:

So, the Evangelical Alliance (EA)have decided to discontinue the membership of the Oasis Trust because of its stance on LGBT issues.  Whatever your views on LGBT issue, this has to be a very sad day when one evangelical can effectively expel another over an issue that, so far as I can see, is not a central defining tenet of evangelicalism.

You can read what the EA said here and what Oasis said here

I'm sure lots of views will be expressed over the coming days.  The responses I have seen expressed by Baptists are all the same - they are saddened, and long for people to learn to agree to disagree with grace and humility.  Very sad indeed.

UPDATE an excellent, gracious, gentle, wise and thoroughly Baptist repsonse from David Kerrigan here

The latest smallVOICE podcast is now available here... as always worth a listen

On Monday, sat in a first class carriage of a Virgin pendolino, enjoying free wifi (seems to work better on the west side of the train!) and a very tasty salad all for £20 less than a standard class ticket, I wrote this post on social media.  It could have made it into my sermon but it didn't, so now I'll put it here (with a few edits at the end) 

Three and a half years (or thereabouts) ago I promised myself never ever to wish time away because I was delayed in traffic or had a gap between trains. It was never again 'time to kill' but 'time to savour' it has been a liberating and transforming choice.

Various bits of news about various friends this weeks has reminded me of the fraglity of life and I have repledged myself to savour every moment.

So today I've enjoyed people watching at two railway stations (three more to go) drunk coffee and tea, am enjoying free wifi on my cheapy creepy first class ticket (hence the multiple changes) have eaten a lovely free butternut squash salad, some cripss and a banana and now a free pepsi to boot! Have chatted to shop staff, given some loose change to Help for Heroes, smiled at strangers and done a few puzzles!

The scenery is beautiful, the train is whizzing along at a pleasant flush-friendly cool temperature and life is good
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Life in its fullness isn't life free of trouble, but it is life savoured... this will be my sermon theme on Sunday.

Special hugs to [friends initials] and anyone else who needs one today

Part of the 'meaning' I 'take' or 'make' from that dark time is the good and liberating things that arose in my attitudes and actions.