For some reason this morning, given that I had a few minutes to wait at Buckshaw Parkway railway station I decided to take a quick snap of myself "sitting on a railway station, dreaming 'bout my destination".  A beautiful, summer, Saturday morning.. I should have anticipated the impact it would have on our fragile public transport system!

The first train was one that began at Manchester Airport and terminated at Blackpool.  Even though I would only be on it for ten minutes and one stop, I had a seat reservation as a result of online booking.  The train arrived about five minutes late, and, seeing that it would be physically impossible to get into the carriage with my booked seat due to standing passengers, sprinted to the nearest open door and jumped in.  Sunshine on a Saturday - seemingly by the time the train had reached central Manchester it was standing room only.  I hope whoever had my seat enjoyed it... even had I been able to get into that carriage, I could not have reached the seat and then got out again.

Arrving at Preston, late, I had another sprint, over the bridge for the Virgin train to Glasgow.  Except it, too, was running late.  When it arrived, someone was in my seat, and muttered something about having double booked herself before moving to another, empty seat in what was a fairly heavily booked carriage.  Stuck behind other delayed trains - even after it had phoned and asked to be allowed to overtake the one it was due to connect with, and been denied - the train got later and later, reaching Glasgow nearly 20 minutes late.

Never mind, I thought, only a few minutes to go on a local train to Hyndland which is, after all, the centre of universe.  Except there was a man at the top of the escalator turning  everyone back "no low level trains at all."  I contemplated walking up to Queen Street, and then on a whim decided to jump onto the Subway.   I knew the Subway had been out of action since Wednesday (when I'd had to rapidly re-plan a route) so was relieved to find that one circle was operating, and that was going the short way to Partick - phew.  Or not.  With passengers crammed in to the extent that Londoners live with daily, the Subway, like the first train of my day, was cram packed with people, and some were left standing on the station platform.

So, a walk up from Partick and I was home - safe and sound, about an hour later than planned, and pondering the fragility of public transport.  And, I suppose also, the wonder at how rare it actually is for major disruption to occur or continue for more than a day or so.

For all that, I really hope the trains are behaving tomorrow when I head off on a blendedevening journey to Manchester Airport involving three trains and a bus!!

How easy to grumble when a train is late,

A booked seat occupied,

A connection missed,

A diversion needed

Yet how grateful we should be

For the fragile wonder

Of safe, bascially reliable,

Public transport.

For buses and trains, may God be thanked!

Over the years I have become aware of the different ways that churches engage with local community events.  The Glasgow West End Festival is one in which the Gathering Place has a very long track record of hosting excellent, well attended events.  This year, after a gap of a few years, the Mardi Gras parade will pass the end of our road, with the main road being closed pretty much all day, and a fortnight later a national cycle road race will mean more road closures and hundreds of cyclists whizzing by with a few tens of yards of our front door.

On a bit of a whim, and based on what I have seen other churches do very successfully, I unilaterally suggested that we put up a sign saying "free, clean toilets" and have one or two people on hand to oversee that.  I am really pleased that enough folk have volunteered to staff the first of these - and that more are on hand for the second.

We had two choices when we heard the roads were closed - to sulk and protest about how it made life difficult for us, or to say, what can we do to make this better for others.  I feel we have made a good choice.

♫ ♫ When Festival came to Sheepfold St, ♫ ♫

♪ ♪ Let my people go! ♫ ♫

♪ ♫ With free, clean loos and baby change ♫ ♫

♪ ♪ Let my people go! ♫ ♪

♫ ♪ Smiling, friendly, church folk to meet and greet...  ♪ ♫

♫ ♫ It is mission to ♪ ♫

♪ ♪ let my people go!! ♫ ♫

Demob happy?  Moi?  You betcha!  (But I am on the loo watch rota!)

This morning the post brought me a church magazine from one of the churches I will be visiting as part of my Sabbatical.  It was good to read it - gave me a glimpse of the life of this church.  In amongst it was a little article in which two newly appointed deacons shared a little about themselves... one began "I was baptised in 1995 (??? I think from the context that's probably a typo and should be 1955) at...." The Gathering Place!  Wow!  If I was Brian, my erstwhile college tutor, I'd be grinning from ear to ear.  I am doing a little gentle digging to see if anyone recalls said person, but I am certainly amused at the way God weaves the interconnections from our disparate lives.

So, we had ducks on the baptistery (after the service) on Pentecost

We had reference to cauliflowers for Trinity Sunday 

And this Sunday we will mention chocolate, jelly, sand, metal, clay and plaster (of paris).

Can you tell this mnister is getting close to her sabbatical?

After this morning's service, someone commented that tey loved to hear babies crying in church - because it meant there were babies in church.  We obviously don't want the experience of church to make anyone cry, though we do want it to be a place where people of any age may cry, if that is what they need.   I liked the sentiment, though, and wondered if, maybe, it was a jumping off point for a litany (a series of prayerful petitions) covering all ages and stages of life? 

I should perhaps note, lest anyone tries to guess who the people are who have informed my litany, that I have drawen on experience in several churches.  Whilst folk at the Gathering Place range in age from zero to ninety nine, they may not exhibit any, never mind all, of the characteristics I have identified.

Praise God for the wail of the newborn, brought for the first time to worship -

For it means there are newborns in the church

Praise God for stage-whisper "don't close you eyes" of the toddler during prayers -

For it means there are toddlers in church

Praise God for the pre-schooler who skips along the aisle -

For it means there are pre-schoolers in the church

Praise God for the early reader, always a line behind the congregation -

For it means there are new-readers in the church

Praise God for the eager hands raised to answer questions -

For it means there are children in the church

Praise God for girlish giggles and boyish scowls -

For it means there are teenagers in the church

Praise God late arrivals, bleary eyes (and maybe hungover bodies?) -

For it means there are students in the church

Praise God for demanding questions and youthful enthusiasm

For it means there are young adults in the church

Praise God for those who 'shush' their children or stare back at those who glower -

For it means there are parents of younger children in the church

Praise God for those who are absent because of the demands of employment -

For it means there are thirty-somethings in the church

Praise God for those whose certainty gives way to questioning -

For it means those of middle years are in the church

Praise God for those who yearn for the good old days when the church was full and fid themselves surprised by their own reluctance to change -

For it means there are fifty-somethings in the church

Praise God for those who are absent to visit grandchildren, or arrive, flustered, with them in tow -

For it means there are grandparents in the church

Praise God for those who are away, again, on a cruise or or holiday -

For it means there are healthy, young retireds in the church

Praise God for the people who sleep through sermons, complain they cannot hear the preacher or rustle sweets wrappers during the quiet moments -

For it means there are elderly people in the church

Praise God for the days when we weep with those who weep -

For it means there is love in the church

Praise God when rejoice with those who rejoice -

For it means there is joy in the church

Praise God when there is disagreement over matters great and small -

For it means there is life in the church

Priase God when we catch a glimspe of heaven in our reconciled diversity -

For it means there is hope in the church

Praise God that despite what irks, disrupts, discomfits

With all the challenges wrought of authentic community

People choose to meet to share their faith and their lives -

For it means this truly is the church.