I always find the stretch between Christmas and post-Christmas leave somewhat odd. We keep going for a bit because we like to have time after Christmas to clear our desks, but it’s suddenly so still after a non-stop December. So it’s been reasonably quiet since the last check-in.

I took a funeral on the 30th, but because the flu-y thing seemed to come back for a few days, my ears were really blocked. At a funeral it’s usually mostly me talking so it wasn’t too much of a problem but I couldn’t really tell when the music had stopped playing and I was sad to not be able to go to the wake.

We saw in the new year with a glass of prosecco and we were in bed by 00.06! We spent New Years Day morning at church and then saw our friends and Goddaughter which was great.

The rest of the week has involved admin, planning, sermon writing, a hospital visit, organising baptisms for this year and the first session of the Hub in 2023.

One nice thing about having a quiet week is getting more time to pray. The photo at the top is the result of a time of prayer. I made a word cloud using the names on the electoral roll and other people who are part of the community. I’m going to put it up near my desk in church.

Today, Sunday, has been nice. I was preaching, leading and presiding this morning, assisted by my little helper who yesterday learned to say Amen (although she pronounces it a-mom). I finished my sermon with an Amen, echoed with enthusiasm by my daughter which was delightful!

This evening was Open Table which takes place at ASSF. It’s an open and welcoming community who are dleiberately LGBTQIA+ affirming. We come together to pray, read the Bible, break bread and share food, all with rainbow napkins! What a gorgeous way to end the week.