Gonna lay down my sword and shield.....

....down by the riverside!

Had a fabulous time last Sunday afternoon at the Riverside Service in Wroxham.  It's set up by Churches Together, and was a great opportunity to meet with other local Christians.  I'm pretty sure the title of the service wasn't actually referencing the idea of giving up fighting, everyone seemed pretty friendly to me!

They've clearly been doing this a while.  I'd been asked in the week if I'd be happy for the chairs from St Mary's to be used.  I agreed, and no one has objected yet! They were duly picked up and delivered on the day.  No shortage of helpers to set them out.  Everyone here is so friendly, and I've yet to find something people won't help with.

I'd had nothing much to do with planning this event, so I had no real idea what to expect.  Matt - URC minister - has done most of it, as until I arrived there was nobody but him.  The new Roman Catholic priest arrives in September, and the Baptists are still awaiting a minister.  I suppose if I'd been asked, I'd have said that the music would be provided by someone with a keyboard, but no....

A full brass band began to set up....

Complete with very heavy drums!

They offered to let me help carry them, but I said I had to think of a talk.  Which was true. Hmmm.

There was a fair amount of curiosity around about what was going on.  I sat by the water thinking about what I was going to say, and got heckled! No, really!  'Oy Vicar! Aren't you supposed to be doing something else on a Sunday?' was one shout from a boat. No respect, I tell you.  I shouted back that I was just about to, if they'd like to join me.  But they'd clearly forgotten how to turn their boat around....

Some arrived by boat.....

Many on foot....

Some had no idea what was going on....

But eventually, and pretty much bang on time, we got started.  And it was brilliant!  Matt led the service really well, the band played amazingly with drum rolls before the final verses just to add to the uplifting feeling, the congregation sang loudly and with enthusiasm. And even in tune.  

And me?  Well, I did think of something to say.  I'd share it with you, but I truly hadn't any certain idea of what I was going to talk about until it came out of my mouth, so I don't have a copy to print here.  But it was largely based on the beach visit I blogged about, and the idea of God being like water - gentle enough to hold us, strong enough to give power, and yes, even dangerous.  To place yourself in the hands of the Living God is never never safe!  Do you honestly think I planned to be a Vicar!?

One thing I can share.... Halfway through my talk I remembered something I'd read in Tolstoy's A Confession.  About how, when he had been seeking answers about faith and God, he had a dream where he found himself lying comfortably on his back resting and looking upwards.  Then he looked down and realised how high he was, and that he was precariously balanced on ropes and began to panic, and as he struggled he felt himself begin to slip.  So he relaxed again and looked up and found himself held once more.  He realised that as long as he trusted and looked up, he was safe and held.  

Well, that's the brief synopsis anyway.  You can find the whole passage here

How did I do?  Dunno! You'd have to ask those that were there!

But it was a great afternoon, and I'm looking forward to next year's - especially as we will have a new RC priest and Baptist minister, so there is NO WAY I'm preaching again!

Thanks to all who helped, all who came, and all who organised.  

Home again, home again....

A quick update for those of you who read yesterdays entry.  I logged the dog I saw on the beach with http://www.doglost.co.uk and I saw on the website today that it has been reunited with its owner. So I can now stop worrying and wondering whether I should go back!

Home again, home again, jiggly jig....

I'm so glad she's safe (or he).  Now I just need to let the people in the shop know, and thank them for their help!

A bit of space....

It's been a busy few weeks.  Moving house is stressful enough, but add to that a new job and all that entails, and life has been hectic to say the least.  A week with 400 Army Cadets last week was fun, but not relaxing, so given that I missed my day off last week, and will do the same this week, I was in the mood for a bit of space yesterday.  So I went to the beach.

I love the sea.  Always have, always will.  I grew up near the coast, and miss it when I'm away. So when I realised that I could be on a beach in less than half an hour, I was in the car.  I wanted space to relax, space to think through the last few weeks, and the next few weeks, space to - well, just space really!

I headed for Sea Palling.  Much recommended by various people, I thought it sounded good.  And it was.  Lots of families enjoying themselves, people surfing, dogs playing. The weather was beautiful.

There were lots of areas with breakers of rocks which kept the water calm inside them, and it was lovely to sit and just think and reflect and pray.  So much has happened recently that it was good to take some time to just be, to allow thoughts to run through my head in no order, while my brain sorted out all the stuff that has been milling around in there.

I didn't stay sitting for long.  I went for a long walk along the beach, out to where the waves were rather more active.

For the first time ever, I found myself really aware of just how loud the waves were - maybe because of how quiet the water on the Broads is.  I've become used to sitting quietly by a river and watching the water, smooth and gentle.  This water was anything but.  And a verse from Psalm 42 kept going round in my head...

Deep  calls to deep at the thunder of your cataracts;

all your waves and billows have gone over me.

Which reminded me of waterfalls, and watermills and all sorts of other types of water.  And then I thought about Jesus and his saying 'I am the water of life' and how I always think of water to drink when I read that - which is unsurprising because he goes on to say that anyone who drinks will never be thirsty - but water is so much more.  It's powerful, and gentle, and dangerous, and life giving, and is the basis of everything.  Ever seen those photos of deserts before and after a downpour?  From nothing to a life filled field in just hours!  And, for me, God is just the same.  Powerful, gentle, dangerous (not in a nasty way, but really not safe to hang round with if you want your life left alone!) life giving and so definitely the basis of everything.  And if you want to see new life, there's no one better!

While I was taking the pictures up above, I could feel someone watching me.  Want to see who it was?

Yup! A dog.  She (I think it was a she) watched me for ages. I finally realised she was a stray.  That's when the fun started as I tried to catch her.  I got closer...

But she really wasn't willing to be caught.  So I went to the local shop to buy water and food, and a lead and bowl.  There are some really lovely people in this world.  I bought a hot dog, and when the owners realised what it was for, they provided two leads, a bowl and some water!  If you're ever in Sea Palling - this is the shop to use!

Sadly, despite help from others, we couldn't catch her.  I had to leave, but left the lead with those who'd helped in the hope that they could manage it later.  I suspect she'll have to be rather more desperate before she gives up her freedom!  Needless to say I worried about her most of the night.

I headed home, vowing that I would remember to take time out to think and pray more often.  I love being a vicar, and am so enjoying my new post.  But I hadn't realise how much I needed to relax and just be.  You may find more about that in this month's Bridge letter, those of you in the area.