On December 19 2004, we held our last normal service in our chapel - carols by candelight with a congregation of about 40.  Since then we have sojurned in the school, where on Sunday we will host a tea and community carol service with an anticipated congrgeation of about 150.  In the in between times, we have laboured, prayed, discussed, planned, replanned, prayed, discussed and laboured to dispose of our building.  On December 18 2008, our buyer signed the contract and paid the deposit.

When the Estate Agent called the minister of Dibley

She was like those who dreamed!

Her mouth was filled with laughter

And she danced for joy around the manse.

Then she said, 'surely the LORD has done great things for us...'

This evening as we met in the upper room of the pub - only 20 of us as bad weather and lurgies kept many away - a feat which required the transport of mugs, coffee, tea, computer, projector, sound-system and miscellaneous props, it was a real joy to reflect on how far we have travelled in the last four years and to see the great things God has done with, for and through us in that time.

And of course carrying things up and down stairs you need a Psalm of Ascents...

In a few minutes I am off to school to join the reception classes (63 children and about five staff plus a few parents) for an outing to see baby Jesus.  You didn't realise it was feasible to go back 2000 years and across a continent all within the school day did you!  Polesoworth Abbey runa wonderful 'live nativity' event - complete with real baby.  As I recall the first ever nativity play I witnessed (40 years ago tomorrow - it kind of sticks when it coincides with your 6th birthday!) I hope that for at least some of these children it will be as important for them, prompting the life-long, timebound journey of faith, it did for me.

Then, for a total change, tonight I will in the 'upper room' of our local pub with 40-50 adults singing along to the Radio Leicester 'Sing Christmas' service.  Some of those who come will never enter a church service per se, while others will be my own folk being missional.  There will be few who struggle to climb the stairs (no DDA compliance here) but who will then thank us for putting on this event for them and who, for a moment, will rediscover the inner child who longs for the magic and mystery of Christmas past.  Quavery voices and dewy eyes - always brings a lump to my cynical middle-aged throat!

For anyone counting (like Nigel!) between yesterday and today we will 'tick off' the first 200 or so of our pre-Christmas contacts!  But more importantly, I will enjoy myself as I help others reconnect with the heart of Christ-mas

Just taking a break between Advent prayers at lunch time and hospital visiting this afternoon and attempting - with limited success - some fib poetry...

A

Fib

Poem

Christmas tree -

Spreading out greenness

across the blank computer screen.

The hope of Emmanuel, the God who is with us

Piercing the darkness of human inhumanity with inextinguishable light

The

Light

Shines in

The darkness

The darkness cannot –

Cannot, however dark it be –

Extinguish, Overcome, Understand, put out the Light.

For

Now

To us

Here on earth

A baby is born

New life, new hope, to us given

Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God: Everlasting!

I

Wish

You all

Love, Joy, Peace

Hope, Freedom, Fulfilment

These gifts that money cannot buy –

That cannot be exchanged for a higher spec version

That come in one size, yet really could fit all, if only all were able to receive…

A

fib

forest:

Christmas trees

Made up of my words.

Fibonacci series poems

of sorts. A Christmas card from me to you – almost works!

Thank you Angela who awarded me this prize in the latest blog-tag game!

The rubrik of the tag-a-long runs thus:

This award is meant for people who are positive, show gratitude, and of course: make lemons out of lemonade!

The rules for this award are that you post the graphic for it, write a post that links back to the giver, and then pass it on to up to ten others. Leave a comment on the blogs that get the award, so they know what's happened

I'm not sure my alchemy skills run to making lemons from lemonade - but hey!

I'm not intending to add a load of links to other blogs - some people hate being tagged thinking it is not even vaguely fun, and all of us are way too busy to do so even if we think it is fun.

So, this prize goes to those who have stopped by over the last year, especially those who have left comments, emailed or phoned me, and been generally supportive and encouraging during the "ups and downs" of life at Dibley BC this year.  If I go for special mentions, by way of thanks, someone will get missed, so forgive me for not doing so.  Instead can I use the 'space' to 'pray out loud' for Lucy seeking settlement (happy birthday for tomorrow); Sean, Katherine, Sophia & Lucy (another one) off to Australia (hope you get over your lurgy quickly!); Steve soon to leave for Africa; Julie at the end of NAM (yeay!); and anyone I know who is faced by challenges and changes in church/vocational life.  All sounding like a radio 2 dedication slot now!

Still looking to spend some of the money I've recently been given, and seeking to plug another gap on my bookshelf, I am wondering what, beyond Bosch, which I have, I should read on missiology, specifically in a UK context?  Any suggestions?