Many of you, I know, have been following Annie's blog for a while now, and may know that she has her appointment at Christie's (Manchester Cancer Centre) this coming Friday.

You may have spotted from her blog that she loves cups 'n' saucers.  So here's a thought... most, if not all of us, own some cups 'n' saucers and at some point between now and Friday could use one of them, rather than a mug, for our coffee/tea.  And as we drink that cuppa, we could offer a prayer for Annie, and for others on our hearts who are facing incredible challenges of many kinds.

A nice Fairtrade cuppa in a nice cup and a quick (or slow) prayer... what d'you reckon?

A young priest once approached the bishop very worried.  "Bishop," he said anxiously, "is it permitted to drink tea whilst I'm praying?"  The bishop looked thoughtful, frowned, smiled, and then said, "I'm not sure, but it's certainly permissible to pray whilst drinking tea."

Today I was doing some hospital visiting, a couple of different hospitals of the many on my patch and, as is my wont, wearing my clerical shirt as I would need to get into at least one ward 'out of hours' given the visting times were the same in each place.

As I walked through the grounds of one of them towards the multi-storey building I needed to visit, I thought how strange it would be if I bumped in to any of the people who have treated me, given they are on the same floor, and how they woudn't recognise me out of context.  Next thing, blow me down if one of my BCNs wasn't walking towards me along the path and smiling broadly as she greeted me!  Very weird, but kind of nice to see her, and very impressive that she recognised me given that the last time she saw me I had almost no hair and that she's only ever seen me about three times!  She seemed genuinely pleased to see me "back on the beat" as she put it.

Added a bit of entertainment and unexpected joy to my day!

Recently a book of prayers written by and for Baptists was published in honour of Revd Dr John Weaver, entitled Prayers of the People it is editted by Karen Smithj and Simon Woodman.  I now have a copy and am enjoying reading my way through parts of the book seeking stuff to use in worship over the summer months.  Worth purchasing if you, like me, sometimes find you dry up when faced with a whole run of services to prepare.

This week I am using, with tiny emendations to de-Manchester-and then-Glasgow-ify them, some written by friends of mine, Clare Macbeath and Tim Presswood, who offer all kinds of interesting worship materials here.

Doing some reading today, in response to a growing number of people asking me questions about the about church's (and churches') views on human sexuality, so deciding I'll put a few book reviews in the next church magazine (September) and that this will form the start of a regular-ish feature looking at 'hot topics'.  Part of what I want to encourage people to do is to engage with texts that will challenge their thinking, with an open mind, rather than seeking affirmation for what they already think (whatever that might be).  In one book I just opened I found this in the foreword which I think I will quote (as emended below) in that magazine:

When you turn the last page of the book, some of you will be disappointed that [the author] didn’t go further.  And others will be concerned that [they] went too far.  Between [the first] and the last page, you’ll have your checklists in mind, waiting to see if he [she/they] says and doesn’t say things you want [them] to.  If [they] simply fulfilled your script, or someone else’s, this book would hardly be worth reading; it would just say things that have been said before.  So why not let [them] share what’s uniquely on [their] heart?  Why not listen, and appreciate, and learn?

Brian McLaren in the foreword to Love is an Orientation, Andrew Marin, IVP, Downers Grove Illinois, 2009, p 14

Some of the most formative reading I've done has been that with which I've disagreed vehemently, and some of the most liberating has been the least expected.  Not looking for more books on this topic, I have several I am already working my way through.

I arrived at church to find a parcel waiting for me - unexpected - so I wondered what it could be.

It turned out to be a tee-shirt sent from the Bahamas by someone (and her son) who was a much-loved part of our church whilst she was studying here.  It made me laugh as the back looks like this:

Actually my teeshirt is white but otherwise is very similar.

On the front it says, "whom God keeps is well kept" I like that.

I also have a beautiful black cotton top with pink and blue symbols painted on it, which is a gift from one of our Nigerians.

I think etiquette dictates that each of these tops is worn to lead worship at some point over the summer!