Transfiguration

The feast of the Transfiguration and today's Eucharist  seemed extra special, experiencing that thin place between heaven and earth – complexity and simplicity.

This is not something that can be prescribed, manufactured or reserved. Something that happens without announcement and finds us holding our breath and wondering just what is happening.

Walking along the river Tees at Preston Park last week, I captured the delicate shades of this flower against the flowing river and above, the spiral staircase; more simplicity – complexity.

 

 

 

Note to evening office: Remember I am not just earthly bound.

Past Present & Future.

During this last month there have been many re-connections with folk from long ago. Cousins, friends and just this week an old school chum who I have not seen in 41-years (when we left school). Some have been off the radar for only a couple of years but some for over twenty; it has been quite weird how this has all happened in just a few weeks.

The photos I am including today were copied from glass slides and were taken (or at least once owned) by Leo Atkinson, Scout leader of 3rd South Bank St Peters. Also you can see by the football that the team were St Brendan’s Middlesbrough 1903; I am amazed at the quality of some of these old slides.

A days hike…….

 

We see today as a result of our yesterdays and step forward with excitement for the future; for it will be what we make it.

Hastings 1066

Its nice to be back; Hastings, Bexhill and Battle. A lovely break meeting friends old and new. This was a part working holiday with a retreat at Ashburnham Place. Time away is often an opportunity to take stock and look forward, a time away from the routine and busyness; the distractions that prevent forward thinking.

The challenge now of course

is to follow it through.

John 1:12

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,

The Dawn

Note to evening office:

Stop searching David; and let the discoveries dawn upon you.

Fathers Day

Father of all,
we give you thanks and praise,
that when we were still far off
you met us in your Son and brought us home.

Early in the morning

Monday the 14th and an early walk to meet the sun.

Holy Holy Holy, Lord God almighty, early in the morning our song shall rise to thee….

All thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea.

Saltburn by the Sea.

Note to morning office: May I rise to the newness of each day.

3rd South Bank St Peters

Bluebird 

Back in 1966 a young boy was part of a scout group near Middlesbrough; they were due to put on (what I believe) was their first and only Gang Show. Much practising went into the production and help was drafted in from the area. I still have the programme somewhere and must find it out. The rendition above of Bluebird has yours truly somewhere in there; nobody seemed to worry too much about staying in tune.

Now I have found the programme, I can see it was May 1966 and a celebration of their 40 years. Someone had the foresight to set up - what was - even then an old spool tape recorder. Being a bit of a techno... and having the original tape in our family, I did a conversion to modern cassette tape. I now find myself years later converting it all to Mp3.

 

Back in 1930, my fathers scout master was Leo Atkinson and mine in 1966 was

Derek Maughn (Skip). Happy days.

Note to evening office: Taps -

Day is done, gone the sun,

from the hills, from the lake from the sky.

All is well, safely rest,

God is nigh.