New Kid on the Blog

So here's my first.... taken from Dr John , who likewise took it from Catch A quick translation - we don't have high school here in the England in the same way, we have secondary school and in some areas of the UK we have sixth form colleges (16-18 year olds) - at 16 (or so) we take GCSEs (we had 'O' (Ordinary) levels) in various subjects which are chosen aged 14. Mine were English Lit and Language, Religious Studies, Biology, Maths, History, Art, Drama. Then lots of kids leave school, but if (like me) you could stay on and do 'A' (Advanced) level subjects. I did Religious Studies, History and English. There were also 'AS' levels (Advanced Specialist) if you were really quite good. I did a religious studies AS. I should also say that I stayed in the same school for all my exams up to the age of 18 as we had a 'sixth form' as part of our secondary school. It's all changed since i were a lad (makes me feel really old saying that) - there a...

Admittedly a rather pathetic dusting of snow on the ground, but enough to get the kids v excited! It also meant the first 'wrap up warm' day of the year, so out came the hat, gloves and scarf which very rarely make it out of the cupboard (I have the wrong shaped head for a hat as fashion accessory, gloves and scarf get in the way usually - but when i need to wear them all i really enjoy it, odd, eh?) . Jack, who was two last week (oops, forgot to mention that) was very distressed that I kept him in his pushchair all the way to school and back whilst taking Katherine there. He's now off with the childminder who has promised to let him play with the snow in her back garden. I am just about to prepare the assembly for the juniors (8yrs+) at the school as we continue the theme mentioned a couple of weeks ago, Jesus' job description , this week on the theme of 'comforting the sad'.

Actually there is no such thing! This morning I went to the assembly put on by the senior class in the local primary school. Every week there is a 'community assembly' to which all parents, and the local villagers, are invited... Actually, that phrase 'local villagers' does have connotations of pitchforks and torches turning up late at night, not that i am at the stage of deserving that quite yet. Anyway, lots of people turned out for today's assembly despite that fact that it had been moved from its normal Friday slot to a Tuesday in order to show the Ofsted inspectors (Government educational standards inspectors) just what we do in terms of opening up to the community every week. It was well supported, and a very good assembly put on by class 5. The only hitch was that everything they tried to project from the laptop came out blue for most of the assembly. At coffee afterwards I got chatting to one of my fellow parents, and we found ourselves talking about ...

Well, actually, only two schools, but have spent a lot of time in our local primary schools over the past day or two. Unlike in the U.S. there is still lots of scope for 'schools ministry' here in the UK and it is a huge privilege to be invited in to share something of the Christian message in our local schools. Yesterday I was invited also to join the chaos of the annual Christmas lunch in a school in a neighbouring village at which I sat with a little group of kids who were very happy to have a big hairy Vicar with them and to chat constantly to me through the meal! In the evening I went back to the same school to the head-teacher's retirement 'do' and 'thank you' for all she's done for the school. Again, felt very honoured to have been invited. This morning was the annual nativity play by the youngest class in my local school. It was also my first year as 'doting dad' - my little girl was an Angel in the fun, musical version of the nativit...