Author: stuart

  • Walking & Cycling

    It is becoming increasingly difficult to get about round here without a car. Now that isn’t because anything is that far away, but because of the hills and the pace of work. There is something to be said for getting about slowly though; I would not have met half the people I did this week…

  • Sports Day

    Finally the School are brave enough to be outside for more than ten minutes at a time, wellies would have been a better option than training shoes, yet, there was not one drop of rain. All the parents coo and ahh appropriately, yet internally wanting their own little cherub (who could never do anything wrong…

  • Sermon no.1

    While friends are sunning! themselves on the distant isle of Iona – I was preaching my first sermon.It all went well really, of course I wasn't wise to the antics of the church warden, but was quick off the mark away from the lectern, missing the score card from the back by seconds!! It was…

  • visitation

    A Bishop’s visitation shortly after ordination does seem a little over the top, but one cannot choose when they happen!! We actually had a reasonably interesting day walking from Llanasa to St. Asaph with Deanery clergy, the Bishop, Dean and a few others. It was good to see a bit of Wales without a car,…

  • Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

    Now, I don't think I would have even picked up this book if I had noticed the label announcing its credentials as being one of Richard and Judy's choices for summer reading, but if I had passed it over I would have missed out on something rather quaint.It is not an enthralling read, to be…

  • Fish

    Many Christians put fish on their cars… I have two in my study! ‘The boys’ as they are becoming known, (well they are moody, only eat when they want to eat, are fussy about having the filter on etc…) are my pastoral fish, they are quite calming actually. It is a long way from a…

  • the end of a week

    Well, it is the end of week one. We were awoken this morning to the sound of the gazebo trying to get in through the french windows, followed closely by Chloe having her finger shut in a door by her delightful sister! Good start to a day off. It has been an interesting week, one…

  • Funerals

    I conducted my first funeral yesterday. He was two and a half years old, but had lived a good life, mainly he liked running sleeping and eating. He was a little bad tempered at times and would often try to bite. RIP Joseph the hamster.

  • Roller-coaster …

    … of emotion etc. Well one ordination and one Sunday in five services starting with 1984 green book Eucharist and ending with evensong, that’s about enough for one week I feel! We will also be eating chicken curry for a month, due the ambitious over ordering from the butcher after yesterdays festivities! Thanks to those…

  • NOT buying it

    If ever there was a book to be read by ordinands about to go on retreat before ordination, it probably shoudn't be this one!! Right about now we really should be buying it … Well this is me. I never did buy into the whole corporate church thing, the 'deacon – servant' and 'priest –…