On the sixth day of Christmas

Saturday 29th December 2018

The "six geese a-laying" are in a slight muddle in the winter sun.

And now it's here!

Monday 24th December 2018

The arrival of "Santa Claus" driving past the Rectory is the sign that Christmas Eve has arrived and I must head straight out to church for the Christingle Service

One week to Christmas

Tuesday 18th December 2018

The churches' "Open the Book" team tell the story of the first Christmas in Kielder First School

Ripples in the sky

Monday 10th December 2018

After visiting in various parishes, I noticed that the tide had gone out leaving ripples in the sand...oh no: sky!

Sunday here and there

Sunday 9th December 2018

After rain and wind, the noonday sun comes out on my way from Elsdon to Bellingham.  Next stop: Thorneyburn.

Christmas Tree Festival

Wednesday 5th December 2018

To coincide with Bellingham late-night shopping, the Co-op organise a Christmas Tree Festival in St Cuthbert's Church

Very varied exhibits!

On the road

4th December 2018

The sun rises over Kielder Water on a frosty morning as I drive up the valley for an "Open the Book" 9 o'clock school assembly telling the story of Moses in the bulrushes.    

Then back down nearly twenty miles to Bellingham for their assembly at 10.20 a.m.: another "Open the Book" but this time the team act out Abraham and Sarah's welcoming the strangers who bring them surprising news and a lot of laughter!  By the time I've met my 11 o'clock, 2.30 and 4 o'clock appointments I've driven well over a hundred miles  in beautiful if freezing surroundings.      

    

The day begins spiritually and ends prosaically

Monday 3rd December 2018

The Advent ring with its first candle lit to represent the light of divine love revealed in the world through the coming of Jesus.  This moves around from school to school.  Today it was at Bellingham Middle School where we thought about how we can share that love by acts of kindness during Advent.
     On to an appointment with another priest to discuss various concerns of parish life.  Not deep discussion but a useful conversation about practicalities.
     An afternoon of administration, necessary but uninspiring, followed by an evening meeting with the treasurers of the deanery  --  which doesn't feel central to our work but which is essential to support the work which the Church is here to do...which brings us back to our calling to help people to share God's love in the world.

Advent Sunday

Sunday 2nd December 2018

Yesterday's wedding was followed by today's Confirmation when I took two of my candidates (who had missed our local service owing to mumps) down to Hexham Abbey to be confirmed there by the Bishop of Newcastle.

Wedding rehearsal

Friday 30th November 2018

The priest's view of the procession at the end of the service

Gatecrashers at the funeral

Thursday 29th November 2018

Mourners at the graveside embraced by a rainbow over St Cuthbert's Corsenside

Meanwhile we just managed to prevent the horses from forcing their way into the churchyard

Last Sunday before Advent

Sunday 25th November 2018

 

After Communion services in three different churches to celebrate the feast of Christ the King, it was on to a fourth village for Messy Church.  With fewer children attending than usual, the adults took the construction activities very seriously!

Darkness at dawn

Tuesday 20th November 2018

Nearly 9 o'clock on my way up to Kielder School for an Open the Book session in which we told the story of Joseph.  Some of the team then went on to Bellingham for another session, this time a lively one on Noah with much participation.

A light Saturday (no sermon to write)

17th November 2018

The self-disciplined participants in Otterburn's coffee morning waiting for the stalls to open.  In the afternoon I did some parish visiting and in the evening completed preparations for Sunday services.

Winter Wonderland starts tomorrow

Friday 16th November 2018

The reindeer bring Santa Claus on a flying visit to Kielder Water (on his way to carry out Christmas preparations) to say hello to all the families of the people who will be working at the Winter Wonderland.

 

There are refreshments and entertainment in the tepees before I explain the making of the Christingles ("Christ-lights") which represent Jesus, the Light of the World, by a candle in the centre of an orange which has four cocktail sticks carrying sweets for the "fruits of the seasons" and is encircled by the red ribbon for the embrace of God's love for the world.

 

 

After the evening's activities I enjoy my reward:

 

At the going down of the sun

Wednesday 14th November 2018

Time to draw breath

Tuesday 13th November 2018

Late afternoon by the River North Tyne after parish visiting and before returning to my desk to write my contribution to the church magazine, appropriately called The Meeting of the Waters.  (the rivers North Tyne and Rede)

Remembrance Sunday 2018

Sunday 11th November 2018

After the wreath laying at Corsenside parish War Memorial

At Thorneyburn, where the pulpit is inscribed with the names of soldiers who returned, some of the congregation wore their (grand)parents' medals. 

 

Preparing church services

Saturday 10th November 2018

Petals added to the Prayer Cairn in St Cuthbert's Bellingham

Poppy Prayers

Friday 9th November 2018

Today's Prayer Space in School



Remembering

Thursday 9th  November 2018

Wark on Tyne
on my way between schools and meetings

Open the Book again

Tuesday 6th November 2018

"Joseph's brothers" wearing their headdresses as they watch the adults acting out the Bible story.

     The team moved on twenty miles to the next school to "Open the Book" at the story of human wrongdoing in the "Garden of Eden". 

     After this I stayed on for a discussion with the head teacher about plans for the future.  Then an afternoon continuing preparations for Remembrance Sunday.

Preparing for the Centenary of the Armistice

Monday 5th November 2018

We are not actually commemorating animals in war here (unless St Francis church at Byrness mention them when they dedicate their wreath), but this memorial in London reminds us of all the far-reaching consequences of war.

Births, marriage and death

Sunday 4th November 2018

On Saturday I was conducting a wedding.  On Sunday we had the baptism of two babies, cousins, with a congregation of 107 adults and 22 children.  (The Church of England is supposed to keep accurate records!)  The service included an activity which involved making a "Baptingle" and was followed by a quiet Communion service.  In the evening we celebrated All Saints' Sunday and lit candles in memory of the Departed. 

     All this involves constant work behind the scenes to alter the atmosphere of the church building.  The subtleties may go consciously unnoticed, but when the white and gold celebratory altar frontal is replaced by a red one [white for a wedding  and red for Remembrance], everyone picks up the mood.  It's one of the reasons why people appreciate a funeral in a church where all the most important stages of life have been marked for hundreds of years.

Wind and sun

Saturday 27th October 2018

The bitterly cold wind has blown the leaves off the tree whilst the sun catches the sweet-scented winter-flowering shrub near the stable (a kind of vibernum?)
It's a pressurised afternoon to have my sermon reading for the 6.00 p.m. vigil Mass of St Simon and St Jude.

Discussions at Blanchland

Friday 26th October 2018

 A beautiful if cold day for a day conference on

Sacred Space in Communities

Kielder School assembly

Tuesday 23rd October 2018

On the way back down the North Tyne valley after an "Open the Book" assembly at Kielder First School

Making the best of a disaster

Monday 22nd October 2018

At least the loss of my favourite lime tree (as a result of storm damage) can be used to provide logs for the fire.
     More importantly, the Office of the Schools Adjudicator has just announced that the formal proposal to close Bellingham Middle School has been rejected.  A great deal of work has gone into making an appeal against the proposal and the local community will be very relieved.

A plentiful fruit harvest

October 2018

A few minutes under the trees which we planted on the rectory glebe produced these windfalls.

Autumn draws on

Tuesday 16th October 2018

Molly doesn't seem to mind that the weather is becoming cold and grey.

Open the Book

Tuesday 25th September

Acting out the Bible story of giving into temptation in the Garden of Eden



Some of the props (wily serpent, tree and a bite out of the forbidden fruit)

Confirmation Service

Sunday 16th September 2018

A happy Confirmation conducted by our Diocesan Bishop, the Rt Revd Christine Hardman, in a full St Cuthbert's Bellingham

Growing a Living Church

Saturday 8th September 2018


Cutting willow in Kielder village (followed by "strip the willow"!)

Willow weaving the church

A "Trinity window" with three fish

Constructing a spire

Inside the "church"