Last night we were at D+2 walking through the marriage ceremony I am conducting on Saturday.  The church is a multi-functional building, the main part of which houses a pre-school during the week, so I began by wheeling the display boards of paintings to the edge of the room and helped the pianist move the electronic keyboard into position so she could practice her timings.

All the key participants arrived and we set out a 'front row' of chairs so that people could begin to visualise what would be where (and take the weight off their feet!).  The music struck up and bride-to-be and father walked sedately down the 'aisle' before switiching to a giggling goose step - I could sense this was going to be a giggly walk through, and it was.

It is always a special moment hearing the couple speak aloud for the first time the promises they will make to each other, and seeing the enormity begin to strike home.  We had the inevitable stumbles over words - and are altering a non-legal bit so they can their tongues round it  - and much giggling.  The funniest moment was when I read out part of the vow and the groom-to-be said "what was that?" having not heard a word I'd said.

This was the first couple I've met who opted to 'rehearse' the kiss following the declaration (which I don't read out at the walk through), which was actually surprisingly moving for the gathered onlookers.  Then when it got to the walk from church they chose to skip.  I almost wish they would do so on Saturday, though a long white frock will make it a tad tricky!

This will only be the fourth marriage I've conducted, and like the other three there is a really moving underlying story of how the couple reached this moment.  In a time when marriage is somewhat out of vogue, it is wonderful to have two people who want to 'plight their troth' in this way.  The last year has been especially tough for this young couple; the bride-to-be's mother died last autumn and the groom-to-be recently lost his job.  There are the inevitable 'interesting' relatives who may or may not turn up and may or may not behave if they do.  There are the sneering bystanders who are vocal in their judgements.  But here are two young people who have had their struggles and stayed together, who want to make their vows in an overtly Christian setting and who have entrusted me with their special day.  It seems to me that is reason enoguh to skip up, down and through the aisle!

G & R may God bless you with a lifetime of loyalty, love and trust.

When we get new ministers we have big jamboree services called Inductions - evidently the etymology of this is Latin not Greek so I can't change the 'in ' for 'ex' to make the opposite for a final not-so-jamboree service.  Maybe this is part of the problem? The antonymns I found online include 'rejection' 'expulsion' and 'blackballing' - I hope none of these is what we're about!!

I want to make my last service at Dibley a formal ending, in which we will give thanks for what has been good, forgive each other for, and let go of, those things that either 'party' has muffed along the way, release each other from the covenants that bound us and commend each other to God's care.  So a kind of sanctified ecclesiastical divorce maybe?  I have been starting to look around for any suitable liturgies both in books and on line (and I have Human Rites in case anyone was about to suggest it) with no success.  So, does anyone know of anything that's out there or that they have used themselves which would give me a starter for ten?  If not, then I'll have to put more effort into developing something and then I'll post it with comments on how it went.  I am looking at early September (to give me a notional break between churches!) so no great urgency yet.

So, this morning at D+1 I delivered my 'obstructing Jesus' sermon.  On the whole I think it was fairly well received - one of my folk said to me afterwards "thank you for that... I think!"  I think that was praise.  Someone else said she almost stood up and applauded (now that would be a first).  I think my best comment was from one of my folk who said 'you know how you never notice your car or your watch until they're not there...'

What was so amazing?  Nothing really, I just shared what I'd been reflecting on as it relates to these two little churches whose combined congregation was only the size mine usually is.  We began with me asking the question 'can we obstruct Jesus?' to which pretty much half said 'no' and half said 'yes' - it was noticeable that all the 'yes' votes came from my lot.  Using the Mark 6 passage we then explored a bit about what happened there and how it might be a bit like us.  The people at Nazareth weren't bad people, they included some very religious folk, but for they thought they knew Jesus so well, they couldn't recognise who he was.  So, how are we a like that?  Then we looked at the sending out of the 12 in twos and how scary that must have been for them - and what might Jesus be saying to us about leaving our security and going out into the community around us?  We also thought a bit about how we endeavour to discern the mind of Christ (the church meeting!) and questions about we decide we've succeeded - 51% 67% 90% 100% - or whether we simply affirm our own wills.

After the service one of my folk who has orginally thuoght we could not obstruct Jesus, that he could do anything, commented that he know realised it was more complex - that free will has implications for God as well as for us.   Jesus can do anything consitent with his divine nature - and running roughshod over free will it isn't.  Or at least that's my heresy!

On balance a good morning's work I think.  Probably didn't win me any friends, especially at D+1, but I felt I discharged my responsibility - which is what actually matters.

Building work is now underway next door.  And it is going well - currently about 2 weeks ahead of schedule so they tell me.  Footings are in for seven of the nine houses and drainage ready to connect on five of those.  Not sure how they'll go about the last two as the portacabins are mighty close to where they need to dig...  Anyway, daily Monday to Friday from 7:30 to 5:00, with about an hour off midday, they graft in the hot sun; except now it is too hot, so they've moved the start time forward to 7:00 and they knock off around 4:30.

All of which means that any hope this minister might have a of a lie in on her day off is scuppered.  The sound of heavy diesel engines, ladders being moved and morning banter make a mighty fine alarm clock.  All of which must mean I was a very wicked child I guess... ;-)

PS I just spotted that this blog is still operating on GMT not BST - I wasn't typing at 6:25 am!

So, this morning as I waited for the vicar, I was wandering around the graveyard of Our Lady of the Beehive in the Fields.  Among the stones whose should I spot but... Grace Poole (think Jane Eyre) and Thomas Hardy... this place is well weird!

Driving back I spotted a cortege coming the other way along the road, so pulled over to allow it to pass unobstructed, well trained minister person that I am.  The drive behind me saw this as their excuse to race past, squeezing between the hearse and parked vehicles.  No manners, no time to live... and I really don't need the work that much!