There really, really will be no more posting for a while as in theory I am on leave this week and at a couple of conferences next.

Leave is theoretical, not because I don't think it's important to take it - it sure as heck is and I'm allegedly the first DBC minister in many a long year who has insisted on taking all their leave - but because there are a few important pastoral things still to be done.  I need to say goodbye to a person with a terminal illness and to check his choice of hymns so I'm ready for the phone call when it comes... I need to do a couple of hospital visits to say farewell to folk who were absent over the weekend.  I also have a BMF meeting in Didcot - the last before I undergo Union Reassignment, something I'm told is painless!!

Next week I spend 2.5 days being 'refreshed' by BUGB - so I will be chilled and ready when they hand me over to BUS on 1st October and then 2.5 days at the EMBA ministers' conference, which I have helped organise these last four years.

Betwist and between I have to finalise some sort of phone/broadband arrangements to tide me over at D+300 (big thanks and a 'shout out' to Will who has been advising on this) visit Dibley municipal tip a few times, register with some university or other for the coming academic year (don't ask!  Really.  Do not) and enjoy not having to set the alarm clock for a while!

I will see some of you at D+300 on 3rd October and others in blogland in the near future.  Until then, then...

So, the last service at Dibley.  Very well attended - a good smattering of lunch club folk and a few ex-members of the church as well as the interim moderator joined us for our last service together.  I was especially touched that someone on the fringe of the church who has a terminal illness was able to be with us.

As you can see, we are in a school hall, surrounded by PE equipment and have had to block out the sunlight so that the projector wil be effective given where the screen is currently located.

Unusually it took two photos to fit everyone on.

The photos were taken after the final blessing, as I have a thing about photos being taken during worship!

At the end of the service we had a lovely cake to share and, porkine pandemic influenza or not, we had lots of hugs!

In a service of four mini-sermonettes, we focussed on

• John 3:30 'he must increase and I must decrease'
• Luke 4: 16 - 21 the Nazareth manifesto
• James 2:26 'faith without deeds is dead'
• John 20:17a 'do not cling to me'

I think it worked.

I leave Dibley job jobbed and, hopefully, God glorified.

This evening was my 'leaving do' at Dibley - which turned out to be a very enjoyable, and very humbling affair.

I was amazed how many people gave up their time to come, to bring food, to share thoughts and at their incredible generosity.

There were folk from the lunch club, folk from all the cluster churches, folk from churches together, a message from my Regional Minister and of course most people from dear old Dibley BC itself.

Lots of people spoke - and I was reminded of things I'd forgotten about doing, so long ago and far away they seemed, as well as realising just how busy and fruitful my time here really has been.

I guess there were probably the greater part of a hundred of us there, which for a church of low thirties membership is pretty amazing.

The gifts were generous, the words warm, and the occasion joyful (despite a few guests shedding a few tears) but above all I felt, yup, with God's help I've done alright, and I kind of hope that the Almighty enjoyed it all too.

Tomorrow is the last official act - the last service - and I pray it will be the right one for this time.

It is nice to hear kind words, and we all need to be encouraged and uplifted now and again; but more important somehow is to know in my heart of hearts that I've done my best and, on balance, have been a half-decent minister of the gospel of Christ.

Here is the liturgy we will use tomorrow morning at Dibley to release one another from the covenant promises we made almost six years ago.  They deliberately echo the words of the 'Second Pattern of Induction' from Patterns and Prayers (p 190-191) which we used at that time.

Release of Covenant

Minister:

On [induction date], before God and in the presence of many witnesses, I declared that I believed in my heart that I had been called by God to serve in pastoral oversight of this church and congregation. I now believe that call has been fulfilled and that God has brought us to a parting of the ways.

People:

On [induction date], before God and in the presence of many witnesses, we declared that we believed you had been called by God to be our minister. We, too, now believe that call has been fulfilled and that God has brought us to a parting of the ways.

Minister:

At my induction I promised to carry out this ministry with enthusiasm and dedication, to set God’s word before people, to lead in the conduct of worship, to work in partnership with deacons, members and attenders, and to encourage you all to carry out Christ’s mission in the local community and in the world.

I have done my best to keep my promises.

For the ways in which I have succeeded, I give thanks to God.

For the ways I have failed, I apologise and seek forgiveness.

People:

For the ways in which you have succeeded in keeping your promises, we give thanks to God.

For the ways you have failed, we accept your apologies and forgive you.

At your induction we promised to encourage and support you, working together cheerfully and humbly in extending the work of the kingdom of God

We have done our best to keep our promises.

For the ways in which we have succeeded, we give thanks to God.

For the ways we have failed, we apologise and seek forgiveness.

Minister:

For the ways in which you have succeeded in keeping your promises, I give thanks to God.

For the ways you have failed, I accept your apologies and forgive you.

We have declared before God our belief that this ministry is now complete, I ask you therefore to release me from my covenant to you.

People:

We release you to God’s safekeeping

May you continue to walk in Christ’s footsteps and grow in maturity as his faithful disciple.

We have declared before God our belief that this ministry is now complete, we ask you therefore to release us from our covenant to you.

Minister:

I release you to God’s safekeeping

May you continue to walk in Christ’s footsteps and grow in maturity as his faithful disciples.

All:

We have declared our belief that this ministry is now complete and have released one another from the covenant that bound us. We now pray God’s blessing for one another:

May the Lord bless us and keep us

The Lord make his face to shine upon us and be gracious unto us

The Lord lift up the light of his countenance upon us and give us peace

Now and forevermore Amen

(You can tell how appealing sorting and clearing isn't by my practical outworking of 'sporadic!')

Anyway, HT Polly, this is fun and clever, and this is good too.  Plenty more onYou Tube!  Enjoy.