If you go down to the church today....

...you're sure of a big surprise! Unless, that is, you are expecting dozens of people all erecting and decorating Christmas trees.  Yes, it's the last couple of days before the start of the 

Wroxham Benefice Christmas Tree Festival!!

I spent today at St Mary's Church in Wroxham helping with trees, taking photos, and drinking coffee. And chatting.  Lots of chatting and getting to know the people in the various local organisations who have decorated a tree for the festival.

So, would you like a quick photo tour of day one of the putting-up-of-Christmas-trees?

Thought you might!

People brought lots of decorations for the trees. Some were traditional....

Baubles, baubles everywhere!

Loving the light on this one!

Others were...less so!

Cheeky little hedgehog...

Everyone's a fruit and nut case?

Now who do you think this might be?
Clue - how many monkeys?

We had the usual issues with the lights...

The lights work!

Oh no they don't
(Well it is panto season!)

Oh yes they do!
And even better, they're untangled!

Trees, I discovered come in all shapes and sizes....

Well, at least until they are unboxed, unfurled, and ready to decorate!  These did end up totally tree-like!

Local little people may recognise this next tree, but I'm not giving too much away, except to say -Twiggles make good bunting, don't they!

This also gives the clue to who is opening our Festival - have you guessed yet?  One more clue....

Yes - Tom Blofeld, creator  of Bewilderwood, is our guest on Friday November 28th for the preview evening and grand opening and will be taking charge of declaring our festival well and truly open.  If you'd like to grab a ticket, contact Sarah 01692 630892, or Margaret 01603 783399 for further details.

I'd been so busy helping with various trees, that I'd totally lost track of how much had been happening around me.  Want to see?

Blue Christmas?

Last sight of our red altar frontal for this year,
Advent starts on Sunday, so we've changed it for a purple one!

Even the youngsters have created trees.

I do love a smiley face!

And we're not even half way there yet!  Tomorrow a whole new set of trees arrive. 

Do come along to the festival. I can't tell you how magical the church is looking.  It quite took my breath away today, and we have so much more to come.  The festival is open from November 29th until December 7th from 10.30 till 5.00.  Tickets are £3.50, and £1 for children, and there will be a 'find and seek' type sheet for children to help them hunt around the trees and the church.

I've never seen this festival before, it being my first Christmas here, but I'm really excited by it, and looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible!

I think it's going to be a fantastic event, but if you want further assurance of that, here it is....

Do you see him? On the right? That's our seal of approval!

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.

Boxes, boxes everywhere...

I've been in the new Vicarage for about a week now. 

In my head, before I moved, I had a vision of how it would all look now. I would be organised, the boxes would be cleared, the study a model of organisation, and the rest of the house tidy and welcoming. Hmm. You would think that someone who has moved so often would know better. 

The reality is that there are boxes everywhere, the study is a model of chaos, and the house is, well, enough said. 

But I'm here! I've made it, and the rest will happen in time. The internet is (finally) up and running, and I'm starting to find my way about. Wroxham is a beautiful place to live, and I'm so looking forward to meeting people, and getting to know everyone. 

Anyone need any cardboard boxes? Only one previous careful owner!