Goodhand in Banbury

Sunday 23rd April we had the pleasure of attending a song cycle in The Levine Building at Trinity College. Our grandson's Godmother Katie (soprano) was giving a performance during the Spring Song 'A Grimm Weekend of Song' with a performance of 'The Girl with no Hands' This was part of the Oxford Leider's Young Artist Programme. The recital was inspired by the fairy tale 'The girl with no hands'. There were new commissions alongside well-known pieces. The songs expressed very wide emotional experiences from loss, isolation, enduring love, motherhood and trauma, emotions often experienced by women not always expressed. Katy Thomson sang amazingly conveying various emotions, Rustam Khanmurzin(pianist) was brilliant on piano and David Antrobus the narrator gave a wonderful support as he told the story, with one powerful piece about refugees. While there were three on stage being the focus there was one other individual to admire. The page turner for the pian

No Responsibilities truly liberating A long standing college friend of my wife came to see us in our new home.   In conversation she asked what I was doing. I think at first I was defensive in the sense of justifying my time - oh how ministers fall into that trap.   “Well apart from the garden, the extension, child minding, finding time to do walks, started up running, going to church and being on the coffee rota’ etc etc etc.   What she was actually coming round to saying was for her ‘It’s great to no longer have responsibilities?’   Pondering that has made me further realise why I intentionally said `I wasn’t going to do anything for at least a year.  Taking on any role would mean being responsible, making a commitment that might stop me doing what I really want to do.   At present I want to be available to help our daughters and our grandchildren. That needs a certain flexibility and to allow us to have time for ourselves. The sense of being ‘responsible’ brings with it the need to

  We took a very long walk around the amazing grounds at Stowe. Would you believe you can rent this property on the left for a holiday? The grounds give you the feeling of a walk through countryside but every so often a structure appears . Had to pop into the parish church. Classical structures abound. While buildings are interesting but so are trees like this.  Stowe house itself. Just so good to walk and walk.

 It wouldn't feel right not to undertake some form of Good Friday procession. Over the years it has changed from often having a police escort and large numbers to smaller groups with the world appearing to carry on as normal, and no need to get a police escort.  When we lived in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, a fairly strong council of churches organised the event. As clergy we all took it in turns to preach at the open air service in the market place. Some of us would start at one church the furthest away. As we made our way past each church others would join until we made our way into the market square with a very long procession. People would stop and stare. One year we pushed our daughter in her buggy as we followed the cross. We walked in silence and it was profound for those who walked and a challenge to those who looked on. The important thing to note was this was a united act of witness - Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Pentecostalists, United Reformed and Methodist. Yes there was of

Re reading Kathy Galloway's book 'Getting Personal' is proving to be so worth while. It's disturbing that the many themes she speaks of back in the 1980s and 1990s are still so relevant and many issues have not been faced up to. Through her many insightful reflections Kathy sets the challenge that means and ends do need to match. This is another must read book. In attending the Palm Sunday service it made me think about the means and the end.  When Jesus made his choice out in the wilderness it was as much about means as anything else. So when some three years later Jesus chooses to ride into Jerusalem it was a continuation of a choice he had made. Jesus annoyed people to the point they wanted him dead. Jesus was no populist. While some people in the city may have cheered him, there was a growing awareness of being on a collision course that would see practically all those around him run away leaving him isolated. Jesus had chosen to live by grace and to show grace and

Stepping back from full on church life gives time for reflection. So I picked up off the book shelf for a re-read this excellent account of Columba by Ian Bradley. The author is careful not to romanticise either Celtic christianity nor St Columba.  What still comes afresh is that the church has always been about community. It's about being a presence and that everything is provisional.  Yet I have spent so much time in ministry having to maintain structures both physical and organisational. At times losing that sense of being a  presence, that it's okay for things to change, and you don't need a strategy for the next ten years.  Columba and his community were content with a simple wooden building to worship in as well worshipping outside. Around the chapel would be buildings that contained workshops etc, as well as cells for sleep, prayer and solitude. Columba like so many of his era would also go off to be alone to pray, to reflect just like Jesus did. Everything was up fo