Minus one: being out of touch

I can't  believe it! My  countdown app was set for 144 days but now it's down to one!

Today I've been in Bradford at an immigration Tribunal,  caught up briefly with my good friend Adrian and had various concerns about pastoral ministry and circuit matters but from tomorrow that's all on hold, thanks to the wonderful support of colleagues.

In a minute the phones will be switched off,  Penny is going to change the password on my 'Methodist email account' so it will be impossible to keep in touch.  I will be genuinely off radar for three months and a bit.  Wow!

But praise be, God won't be out of touch with his servant.  In the words  of a wise Bishop 'I'm going on a journey,  it would be great to have your company Lord so I can learn from you,  but if you aren't able to join me,  I'll enjoy the journey anyway'

Tomorrow I'll post some day one reflections here and on Facebook but I'm making a promise that I'll only do that when I have something to say!

Minus four... The Bright Field

This beautiful poem sets  the theme for Greenbelt and also much of my forthcoming sabbatical:

The Bright Field

I have seen the sun break through
to illuminate a small field
for a while, and gone my way
and forgotten it. But that was the
pearl of great price, the one field that had
treasure in it. I realise now
that I must give all that I have
to possess it. Life is not hurrying

on to a receding future, nor hankering after
an imagined past. It is the turning
aside like Moses to the miracle
of the lit bush, to a brightness
that seemed as transitory as your youth
once, but is the eternity that awaits you.

RS Thomas

One of the gifts that I have been preparing to receive in the coming weeks is that of time:

Life is not hurrying

on to a receding future, nor hankering after
an imagined past. I

Minus five... Spirt calling...

 Minus five days! 

Trying to get things straight ministry and life-wise whilst finding space to get into Sabbatical Zone.
Glastonbury starts tomorrow so I mustn't be bitter.... Looks like rain anyway.

In the run up to Glastonbury, BBC 4 re-ran 'Festivals Brittania' which traced the development of festivals from hippie love ins where everything was free (notably admission) to the commercialised suburban weekenders of today.

As one who will be sleeping in a pre erected tent (not quite glamping) I'm not joining the chorus of 60-something hippie-turned - respectable- employees who say the festivals have sold out!

Brilliant quote from the programme spoken by one of the aforementioned 60- somethings: 'The thing that really calls people to a festival is spirit. They are touched and sometimes that touch changes them forever'

Amen to that! Dare we hope the same for Church!!



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Add a comment...sMinus five days! 

Trying to get things straight ministry and life-wise whilst finding space to get into Sabbatical Zone.
Glastonbury starts tomorrow so I mustn't be bitter.... Looks like rain anyway.

In the run up to Glastonbury BBC 4 really ran 'Festivals Brittania' which traced the development of festivals from hippie love ins where everything was free (notably admission) to the commercialise suburban weekenders of today. As one who will be sleeping in a pre erected tent (not quite glamping) I'm not joining the chorus of 60 something hippie turned respectable employees who say the festivals have sold out!

Brilliant quote from the programme spoken by one of the aforementioned 60 somethings: 'what calls people to a festival is spirit. Many are touched and some will be changed foreved'
Amen to that!



1

Add a comment...omething talking heads who appeared in a BBC documentary 'Festivals Brittania'