Space oddity

With University friends

Lots of school feathers mcgraw

Monsters inc!!!!

Spock

Days 4-5

Had a fabulous time, with my university buddies, Athene, and Hilary, along with Hilary’s husband Jeff – looking for Gromits, Wallaces and Feathers McGraws in Bristol.  New for me this time around was using the phone app, which was mostly a good experience. It was not great for determining when things were upstairs in Cribbs causeway shopping centre- but as long as there were no multiple floors involved it was easier than the printed map. Then there was also the ingenuity of decorated sculptures, this time some with moving parts – including my favourite Gromitronic – who had a 3D printed waggy tail (not shown above!)

I am honestly not sure what it is about looking at painted sculpture trails that makes me love doing them so much. Over the last five years, I have looked for Gromits, Shauns, Snow dogs, Sun bears and Owls in London, Birmingham, Brighton, and Bristol. Each time I have embarked on this kind of day – it has brought great joy. Some of it is the artistic interpretation and creativity, some of it is in the walking and searching, and some in the imagination and wonder. It’s a fine activity done alone, but even better with friends. I was in particularly good company this time around – with my pals from York University, who I first met in 1980!

The underlying reality is we are made in the image of a creative God, and our creativity brings him glory. It says in Isaiah 43:6b -7 (one of my favourite Biblical chapters) “Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth –everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made” * – This kind activity revels in all this creativity, may that’s why I find it such a joy!

Gromit hunting in Bristol is available until 2nd September… Comes highly recommended! 

*New International Version – UK (NIVUK) — Holy Bible, New International Version® Anglicized, NIV® Copyright © 1979, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Standen House

William Morris wall paper

And more WIlliam Morris wall paper

All a bit Scarlet O’hara

Day 3

Finally a day at a more manageable temperature, and a brief trip to Standen House, near East Grinstead for some creative inspiration. It was very good to be out and about (and I was careful not to overdo it!) There were William Morris tapestries and wallpapers from a time gone by in an interesting Victorian house, nestling in a glorious corner of West Sussex to enjoy. Well worth a visit, and I will return at some point when I am bit fitter, so I can enjoy the woodland walks and gardens more extensively.

I was very taken with the “tomorrow is a new day” fire screen, and it is true each day offers us a fresh start and new opportunities. We do need to concentrate on living in the moment, alive and engaged, not afraid of perceived or imagined hazards lurking in the shadows. However as a big fan of ‘Gone with the Wind’ – it also does remind me more than a little of Scarlet O’Hara, who often seemed to have the uncanny knack from the depths of dire present circumstances to utter – ‘After all – tomorrow is another day!’

Coming soon Gromits… EXCITED

This is a picture of the end of my first communion service as a priest on the 3rd July 2005.. The theme of the service was ‘promise’, Moyra preached, and it took place in St Michael’s in Basingstoke, where I was curate.  My first substantive sermon at Christ Church, South Nutfield, in March 2014, was looking at one of the promises or covenants God makes with his people in the Old Testament. Today, I have just been putting the finishing touches to tomorrow’s sermon at Christ Church, which is my last as a sabbatical rapidly approaches. This is also about the overarching storyline of promise or covenant in the Bible.

I can’t help thinking there is something very circular about this. It is always good to reflect on God’s promises or covenants revealed in scripture – and the way the new covenant works, since the coming of Jesus. It helps us to keep rooted and grounded in our journey of faith. Tomorrow’s  sermon  finishes with some of my favourite verses from St Paul’s letter to the Romans (8:38-39), as they are found in ‘The Message’

None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us*.

As a thinker and someone who likes (and at times needs) time to think things through – I particularly like the rendering thinkable and unthinkable – “kind of” captures  the predictable and the unpredictable stuff of life. Though it may feel like I have had more than my fair share of unpredictable of late – none of that stuff whether its predictable or unpredictable can get between us and God’s love for us through Jesus. Amazing!!!

Study leave starts on Monday….

*The Message (MSG) –Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Thank you for joining me!. As the time draws near for my study leave in 2018, there are lots of things to think about.

• Leaving everything in good order in the parish and the area.
• What to do and when to do it as the time of sabbatical approaches
• And most importantly where is God in all this?

In Southwark Diocese, sabbatical time comes along at 7 year intervals post-ordination. This means on 4th July, I marked my 14th anniversary of ordination. Time is slippery stuff – I am older and wiser perhaps, but I am also very shaped and honed by these years and the work of the Holy Spirit. Like all life, there have been ups and downs, moments of clarity and doubt. Ultimately I am still Alison, talents and weaknesses in a quirky package.

I’m currently not as organised as I would like to be (this is quite common!), and I know as I am preparing, I will not quite be setting out on the journey I had hoped for, particularly in relation to my fitness. No doubt however, God has a plan, which will be (as they always are) better than any of mine!