New Kid on the Blog

I did publish this one in advance after some very good and interesting discussion via Twitter but though the offer of making adjustments following comments was made as of yet there have still been no comments - for good or bad! I didn't link it from this blog, though, as I know some parishioners read this one and I didn't want them to know what I was going to say before I said it!!! As always, a taster here and link to the full text at New Kid Deep Stuff : Year B Proper 18 (2006) RCL Principal Proverbs 22.1-2,8,9,22,23 Mark 7.24-37 St Giles’ - Open & Welcoming So, who knows who St Giles was? My first patronal festival here at St Giles means that I really felt I had to do a little bit of homework on who the great man himself was and why our Church might have been named after him in the hope that I could find something to say about him as we think on the part we have in this community and in our village. So I did a little bit of homework, and it turned out to be only a litt...

Yes, it's good to be back though I had a very good holiday, but I have hit the ground running since return last week. As a minister you know you've settled in to a new Parish when you start to really love your Parishioners. Most of us would say (I think) that you come with high hopes and a sense of love and duty as priest and pastor but its when you start connecting, feeling, hoping, more than is strictly necessary that one is becoming the minister and priest of that parish (or group, or team, or Mission Community). I would certainly say I felt that of the last Team I was in, and made good friends and felt at home there. Even those who weren't friends (or even friendly in some cases) I felt a great deal of affection and care for. Those of a certain wing of the church might talk in terms of 'having your heart turned towards the flock' and actually that's not a bad image, of inclining yourself in a particular direction and facing up to responsibilities and joy...