The Fourth Sunday of Lent is a 'Refreshment Sunday' or a 'Rose Sunday' like Advent 3, a day when, in days of yore, "before Henry when we were all Catholics" as they say down south, people were allowed to break their fast for one day.  It is a 'rejoice' Sunday (my Latin being non-existent I don't know why this one is Laetere and the other one Gaudete if both really mean the same thing).  Best known nowadays as Mothers' Day, it is a day that for many people is bittersweet.

Yesterday in Northern Ireland a young Roman Catholic police officer was killed by a bomb.  Not exactly a Laetere day for his family.  And Matt Baggott, formerly Chief Constable in Leicestershire, and friend of Dibley BC, not exactly laetere for him either.  I find myself reminded of past tragedies close to this time of year - Warrington, Dunblane, Omagh... people I know and people I've never met for whom this day has a tinge of sadness even many years on.  A friend's daughter who has just become a Mum for the second time was in the same year as one of the boys killed in the Warrington bombing in 1993... rejoicing in one family and a piercing sword for another.

So, it's a funny old day, and a tough one for preachers to get right.  Today we have as our guest preacher a woman student and this is her assessed service for the Board of Ministry (roughly Min Rec) as she seeks to have her call to ordained ministry recognised.  I don't know what theme she will have taken but I do pray for her as she takes this step forward in hope and faith.  If it's hard for women down south it's nigh on impossible up here.  I hope that the outcome of today will give her, and us, cause for laetere-ing.

Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.

Mothering God, hold in the safe embrace of your love

Those who mourn

Those who ache with longing

Those whose hearts are pierced as by a sword

Mothering God, like a small child learning to walk, take by the hand

Those who attempt new things

Those who are uncertain or unsure

Those who wobble and weave

Mothering God, like a dancing partner, spin with delight

Those who rejoice in success

Those whose dreams have found fulfilment

Those who dream the dreams of your Kingdom

Mothering God, grant they all may find themselves

Comfortably resting

Like a weaned child

On the parent's knee.

Amen.

Among the blogs listed in my sidebar is ASBO Jesus a cartoon blog that both entertains and prompts thought.  Cartoon number 1000 is imminent - it has to be said there have already been over a thousand posts as the odd one here and there has been words.  The most recent post sums up a lot of what the site is about - honesty, openness, laughter, vulnerability, catharthis, sharing.  Jon is sometimes provocative in what he posts, and is always ready to engage in generous-spirited debate with those who comment.

I am looking forward to the book being published and feel it is a must for any minister to own - perhaps especially if she/he tends a little too much to the serious.

A couple of spoof blog posts really well done are here and here.  Enjoy.

And this one made me smile too.

It's past midday so I'm not allowed to play any April Fool jokes.  Instead here are two things that you possibly wouldn't have believed had they been posted before that time...

Firstly, the News of the World worthy one - "Baptist Minister in Topless Photo Shoot" - or, alternatively, my plastic surgeon wanted some 'medical photographs' (not sure how they differ from any other sort) before radiotherapy so that she can observe how irradiation affects the work she's done.  Should said photos ever appear beyond the vaults of NHS GGC I know precisely which heads will roll!  In an odd way, it's good to be part of someone's research that may one day help other people.

Secondly, twice this week I've had to evacuate a public building due to a fire alarm going off.  Wednesday evening at my exercise class, and this morning the coffee shop in a well known bookshop.  Neither time was there any evidence of a fire, so the local fire service will charging a fair old whack for their troubles (evidently £250 per appliance per call out).  Better safe than sorry anyway.

I could, I suppose have invented a third odd event and asked you which was the false one, but my brain is too straight forward.

Anyway, happy April, and I hope that wherever you are today is a good one. 

... is a slow process!  Still at it but getting there.  Surprisingly I am quite enjoying reading my stuff and concluding I'm cleverer than I thought!  Have excised around 500 redundant words (in one passage) so far and have identifed one bit of similar length for a possible rewrite... but overall its 'no bad'!