In January, I posted a list of things to do in my fiftieth year as follows:

• Go to the cinema once a month
• Climb Snowdon
• Climb Scafell
• Have afternoon tea at Betty's Harrogate
• Read a leisure book a month
• Fly a kite on a beach or headland (ht Tim Presswood)
• As a concession to all things girlie, the only one I plan to make, have a professional manicure (I have an event in mind for which this might be appropriate)
• Write and deliver a conference paper at the 'Baptist Doing Theology' conference
• Learn to play, properly, at least one piano work from among the stuff I already have
• Raise funds for a local charity in Glasgow which was founded by The Gathering Place and it's 'mother church'
• Help my kid brother mark his fiftieth next autumn!

With just over a month left to go, it is quite clear that a number of these aren't going to happen, for all sorts of reasons, but some have been met in spirit if not in fact...

• Cinema visiting is sporadic, but I have been several times and seen anything from 'Les Miserables' to 'Sunshine on Leith'.  Today I am heading off to see 'Philomena'.
• Climbing mountains has not happened.  Partly due to difficulties in finding someone to go with, partly because my joints can get very stiff and painful, with the result that I walk ridiculously slowly for a person of my age.  I have, however, enjoyed a number of country walks in Scotland, and still have the prospect of the mountains another time.
• Afternoon tea in Harrogate didn't happen, but I had afternoon tea in Morecambe with a group of friends, which was every bit as enjoyable (and probably a darned sight cheaper!)
• Reading for leisure/pleasure has been a big part of this year's endeavours, and I have enjoyed a number of novels from the ridiculously twee to the complex literary.  Combine a Kindle with a train journey, and it's a recipe for happy reading.
• Kite flying has not happened - still time if I get my act together!
• Professional manicure - well the event for which I would have done this was cancelled, and I see no real reason to do it just to tick a box.  Maybe one day, if the occasion arises, but not fussed if I don't.  It was only ever there as a sop to girly-ness!
• The 'Baptists Doing Theology' conference didn't happen, but I have had a paper accepted for the 'International Symposium of Theology, Spirituality and Cancer', so I think that's well and truly acheived.
• Piano-wise, as part pf my Lent challenge, I learned to play some Bach and played it for our study group.  Alas since then I have hardly touched the piano.
• This Saturday I will hosting a coffee morning for the charity I chose to support, and hope to raise a useful sum for them.
• Last week my kid brother turned fifty (yes, he is only 10.5 months younger than me!) and I hope that the financial gift I sent enabled him to celebrate in the way he chose.

Overall, then, I have made a reasonable attempt at my celebratory challenges.  It has been, and continues to be, a good year overall.  For sure it has had its sad moments and its annoying moments, but for the most part a year well lived.  Lots of exciting things to look forward to in the next year too.  I am, among people, surely blessed. 

Remembrance Sunday is always challenging to lead, but a day when I am very reluctant to entrust my wonderfully diverse congregation to the whims of a visitor who cannot know our histories, individual and shared.

Two poppies, one red, one white, adorned our cross

A red candle for remembrance

A chalice

A Bible opened at John 15 (greater love has no-one than this...)

'Tusk Tusk' a story about elephants

A Warrington 'peace' bear

We marked the two minute silence in traidtional manner, listened to the story about the two tribes of warring elephants and reflected on the hope that emerged from the despair of events in Warrington twenty years ago.  We heard quotes from people who lived through two world wars and listened to moving music.  It seemed to be helpful.

It is important to remember - but only if it transforms our today and and informs our tomorrow.

Today's PAYG was based on a portion of Romans 14, with the speaker suggesting an overarching theme of interconnectedness, that whatever happens in the world is somehow directly relevant to us as individuals.  Well yes, but grounding that is not so easy - it's all too big, too complex and I am totally unaware of 99.9% (at least) of what happens on planet earth.

Yesterday's announcements about dockyard closures were reported in a way that was the opposite of this, setting England against Scotland, finding 'angry of Portsmouth' to spout vitriol towards those north of Hadrian's wall (and 'Moderate of Govan' to give a far more gracious comment).  It's fine and dandy to assert theologically that we are interconnected but working that out in day-to-day life is very tricky.

Media protrayal both sides of Hadrians' wall is biased, people of both nations are being 'misled' as to how people of the other one think and feel.  Daily Wail views arise even from those who would self-define as Torygraph, Grauniad or any other perspective thinkers .  It gets heated - I get heated, defending each nation to the other, and getting increasingly annoyed with the media.

So if we are interconnected, if in microcosm this is how the world works, what does that mean?

PAYG ended with the reminder that interconnected or not, we will each have to account for our own choices.  I like to imagine judgement not as 'innocent or guilty' but more in the 'sheep dog trials' (Susan Howatch quoting a real sermon) idea of scoring based on performance.  That gives me pause for thought, as I ponder the score I would award myself!

Anyway, I feel I have to apologise to my Scottish readers for the xenophobic vitriol spouted on the BBC news yesterday AND to express to my defence industry readers my concern for them as the implications of the decisions are worked out, bringing hardship to many.  Maybe interconnectedness is partly recognising that it is 'both/and' not 'either/or'?

The new Rector of IBTS has been named today as Revd Dr Stuart Blythe - I am thrilled for him and am sure he will be a real asset to the European Baptist scene.  I am sad that he will be lost to the BUS and SBC though.  Quite a contrast to Keith Jones who has been an excellent Rector, but maybe that's what's needed?

You can read more here

Brrr, the temperature has dropped over the last few days.  After a glorious but cold Monday we had a dreich and cold Tuesday, now it is a gloomy-with-a-forecast-of-sun Wednesday.  All of which is leading me to contemplate getting out my red duffle coat!

In some ways it is hard to recapture the way I felt when I bought it - being three years on from that place of abject terror and now in a state of reasonable contentment.  In other ways it feels like it was only yesterday, wondering if there would be a second winter never mind a third or a fourth.

It would be wrong to say I am totally anxiety free, that there are no moments of uncertainty, but on the whole things are in a healthy perspective. 

I have two bank current accounts, each with debit cards, one which expires in 2014 and the other in 2016.  Three years ago I honestly doubted I'd live to see the first one expire, now I have all sorts of plans booked and paid for in 2014.  If I'm totally honest, there remains an element of uncertainty over the 2016 one, I don't feel I can assume I will see that one expire - but that won't stop me living life to the max in the meantime, and the more time passes the further ahead it feels safe to look.

So, time to defy the greyness of late autumn, time to express life and hope... time to get out the red duffle coat for another season!