Goodhand in Banbury

When I was on placement with the probationer service in Birmingham, a long time ago, I had to give a presentation reflecting on the nature of its work. I chose to use the parable of the sower highlighting the various contexts of its work with clients, in particular their backgrounds. On the whole it went well. But my supervising probation officer had once worked in agriculture. 'You know Mark the quality of the seed really matters' That has stayed with me down the years especially when the lectionary readings throw up once again the 'Parable of the sower.' We can be so fixated on the context, stony ground, thin soil, thorns and weeds that we allow ourselves to be excused thinking about the quality of what we sow.  I have two favourite mantras 'God loves everyone without exception' and thats a tough one to live by.  The second is 'Our lives might be the only bible some people ever read'  It is through our lives, our living, that we sow the seed of the Kin...

 In moving to Banbury I discovered that my probationer tutor from 39 years ago had also retired to the local circuit a few years earlier. In meeting him at a Christmas gathering I reminded Robert that he had introduced me to the wonderful book "The velveteen rabbit" 'I still use it he said'. Well it has served me well also through my ministry. In sorting out stuff from the move I also found some poems I had written as part of a reflection on becoming a  minister which Robert had marked as part of my studies. Oh what a small world it is and how time flies. Well today we had opportunity to attend the weekly Thursday communion service in the circuit. Robert was leading the service.  We entered the room to see the communion table in the centre which immediately and creatively changed the setting for the service as we all gathered around Christ's table. Sometimes it's the smallest of details that have the greater impact, and oh he didn't feel the need to wear a...