New Kid on the Blog

Again, another break since my last blogging session. I do come back to see if there are any comments to read, but haven't felt up to writing anything, for a variety of reasons. Part of what has been going on in life is a bit of reflection - a subject tackled in detail with my spiritual director this afternoon. If i may offer some advice to anyone who is reading this - if you don't have a spiritual director/soulfriend/advisor/mentor then i would recommend you get one - the chance to spend an hour talking about nothing but where you're at spiritually is invaluable, incomparable and just plain wonderful. Perhaps part of the joy is being able to talk things through without strings attached - without an agenda or goals but just where the Spirit leads. Anyway reflective spirituality is part of why my blogging has been sparse (or even non-existent). Another part is that i officiated at my first ever funeral of a baby - nine years in this ordained ministry lark and this ...

well the webpage is up and running www.fracme.net is my new domain and home on the net, at the moment it is still very much under construction but i have managed to get the thoughts about 'Faith Hope and Love' that i promised upon a page of the same name under 'recent writings'. The webpage exists really to promote my ongoing writing and speaking work, this exists alongside my ministry as a Vicar in these wonderful parishes of South Cambridgeshire. I love my role as pastor and priest, but value the discipline that writing and speaking need. I hope to continue and develop this part of what i do, indeed, what i am. If anyone is any good at webdesign and stuff and would be willing to offer tips and tricks with regards to what i have thrown together i am happy to receive suggestions - just use the usual email or web@fracme.net

Tomorrow is Remembrance Day - the Sunday nearest Armistice Day (Nov 11th for those not in the know - World War One, the Great War of 1914-18 formally ended on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). It's the day when those of us in ministry think hard about what we are trying to do with this yearly occurrence - we don't want to glorify war, but we don't want to skirt over, or around, or under the sacrifice that so many made for us in the two major wars of the last century, and indeed in the ongoing conflicts of our world where so many give up their lives in the name of freedom. It strikes me that no matter what we feel about the conflicts of recent years that occur in our name - the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iraq - we are bound to those who those who fight for the ideals that we hold so dear. We may not agree with the means, but the end of 'peace and justice' is surely a shared ideal... I am caught in a dillemma because i hold dear the freedom of speech, ...

November 6th and most of the local villages and towns are having their bonfire night fireworks tonight - though there were a few who did it properly yesterday on the great feast of Guy Fawkes night. For those of you of a USA or international persuasion then Guy Fawkes night, or Bonfire night, or even good old November 5th is the night we remember the thwarting of a plan to blow up the houses of parliament about 399 years ago (we British have long memories and really know how to hold a grudge) The fact that Fawkes was part of a Roman Catholic Conspiracy in early Protestant(ish) England offers even more chance to make this time of year divisive, though fortunately most people don't take the original basis of the festival terribly seriously. In Lewes though they still burn an effigy of the Pope on the 5th November - again, though, not many people know what that means. It's all a bit like Christmas in modern western society - most people enjoy it, but very few have an idea...

There was an election on the USA this week Sad but true Thought I'd pop the thought in there in case anyone was wondering about my connection to reality, or whether I related to reality at all.