Today we used the Roots 'Gigantic Welcome' material as a basis for our service.  It was the first of our 'new format' services so it was not without some trepidation that I stood up to lead.  It is a complicated theme, and I'm not sure I did it any justice whatsoever... my sermon was still not the greatest despite five attempts, and I think that's perhaps because I was trying to juggle too many balls.  People were gracious and generous in their response - even those who are not entirely convinced this is the way to go and the closing activity 'responding all together' seemed to work well as we made 'welcome bunting' for the church.

More than forty hand-crafted 'flags' which I have just threaded onto string (perversely I'm relieved a lot of people were away - the usual congregation would have meant double that!) assisted, or is that hindered, by a black and white furry fiend friend.  A few photos to give just a hint of the kind of thing we made... just as thy were threaded along, so systematic selection I can assure you!

I love writing sermons, well most of the time.  I love the surprises I get as I work with a text or texts.  I love the new insights into familiar tales.  I love the challenge of discovering what it is that emerges as this message for 'this week'.  I also love the fact that by dint of the Holy Spirit, somehow people hear something irrespective of how ham-fisted my endeavours.

Just occasionally, I have a real struggle to disocver the sermon hidden in the thinking, preparing and praying.  And often those are the ones that, once formed, seem to say something important.

Even more occasionally I write a sermon, quite serviceable, quite appropriate and yet...  I think twice in my life I've woken up on a Sunday morning and known I had to chuck away my sermon and write a knew one.  And each time it was 100% the right thing to do.  Exactly once I've abandoned my script and just spoken 'off the cuff' and that was right too.

This week I have had two (or three, depends how you count) goes at my sermon, and what I have doesn't quite cut it.  So, rare event, I am going to be sermon writing on a Saturday.

That doesn't mean the exisitng sermons were wasted, nor that I was out or tune with God, rather that somehow in the iterative process of writing and revising, and thinking and praying, God was guiding me to something that is not necessarily 'better' as measured by standards of intellect or style, but closer to what is needed at this time.

Bit of a blog break ahead - after Sunday I have a week or so of leave at what, in Gorton parlance, is referred to euphemisitically as the Hame'lldoo Hotel at Ayrgate (i.e. I'm staying at home and having days out).  To ensure I get my break the laptop will be switched off, packed away and hidden from view!

This morning my plan was to write the sermon and finish preparing the interactive bits and bobs for Sunday.  As part of this I needed to print some stuff on the colour laser printer.  Which jammed.  Which meant I had to move a load of stuff to gain access to it.  Which meant I then decided it was high time I moved to it a location where this wouldn't be the case.  Which meant devising a cunning system of leverage using prayer books and spare Bibles to raise it to a height where I could slide it onto the desk as it is way too heavy for me to lift.  Which meant stuff all over everywhere AND the need to reorganise the desk.  Which meant a major clear out and tidy up of the vestry (now almost done!).  Which meant that the visual aids are still only half done and the sermon not started.  But I have a vestry nearly fit to lend to next Sunday's visiting preacher.... and once I've cleared the floor of eventually completed stuff it will just fine.

All of which makes me chuckle because the theme for Sunday is 'Gigantic Welcome' and one of the Bible readings is Luke's take on Mary and Martha... so what is important in the grand scheme of things?

Off now for a picnic in the park and to listen for the voice of God in the sounds of the city.

First Deacons-by-Any-Other-Name meeting of the new session last night, but also the last but one before our AGM.  Lots of annual reports in preparation.  People reaching ends of periods of service.  People considering standing for election to the same or other posts.  People in various parts of church life deducing now is the time to step down or to take a break.

Churches are funny things, we make a lot of fuss of our ministers, and there are some roles which are deemed worthy of public thanks, bouquets and gift tokens, whilst others, which may be as, if not more, important, barely get mentioned.

So, to my D-by-AON thank you all (so that's youse then, in my bestest Scouse-or-is-it-Glaswegian ;-) ) for another year of loyal service, putting up with my odd ideas and general bossyness.  As we begin a new session, I hpoe, and I pray, that it will be a good one for all of us.

This is my last week of work for this academic year, on the calendars of any part of the UK.  It is one of those oddities of being an English minister working in Scotland that my natural inclination is to take time off at the end of August (when my friends down south are free) just as the schools here return.  Next week is annual leave; a friend is coming up to stay and we have some chillaxing (stupid word) planned.

The timing works quite well, though, if only because our church AGM is early in September, and all our midweek activities restart then too.  Of course the church AGM means I have to write my annual report - I have a draft but am still mulling ot over - so I have been looking back and reflecting on the year that's done.

One change will be a shift of my 'day off' which has arisen because we are starting up an exciting new rolling programme of Monday evening activities, building on our successful "First Monday" theological reflection group, by adding a monthly Bible Study & Discussion Group (aimed at those who can't make the day time ones or who prefer a more exploratory approach), a monthly service of Prayers for Healing and Wholeness, and a monthly 'Monday Funday' social event.  If there happen to five Mondays, we will offer baby-sitting to the parents of young children to allow them to socialise together.

Finding a new 'day off' is not easy when there is something worthy happening every day of the week, so in the end it has been a case of picking a day and making some necessary adjustments to 'moveable feasts'.  All of which means this is the last Tuesday I will be working for a very long time as that is the day I have opted for as the 'least disruptive'! 

Now I just have to make sure I get the time off - new year, new opportunity to cultivate new habits!