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During my sabbatical I aim to visit a healthy selection of local churches of varying persuasions. It’s been a while. In fact it may be around eight years since I ceased the kind of ministry which enabled me to visit churches of different denominations working closely with their worship teams and leaders. Perhaps I’ve missed it more than I thought.

This morning I walked to a local anglican church where a friend is the vicar. They were celebrating seventy years of ministry and dedicating an area of the building as a Chapel of Reconciliation. We sang, prayed, participated in the eucharist and shared the sign of the peace. (My own congregation may be surprised to learn that I’ve always enjoyed this kind of typically non-Pentecostal activity). Afterwards I engaged in some chitty-chat, caught up with old friends and did a little hobnobbing with some people wearing important looking robes.

However the highlight of my worship experience was the address given by the Bishop of Grimsby. Not only was the content very relevant but the delivery was perfect for a family service. He was full of life and humour and the twenty minute message carried passion and purpose.

I was left thankful to God that the Anglican movement in my locality is overseen by people like Bishop David who have a deep sense of call and committment to the gospel yet love to see people enjoying life. I hope that the children who were in fits of giggles after being playfully splashed with holy water by the Bishop grow up to throw off the shackles of a dull Christianity and experience life to the full as God intended and as the Bishop exhibited.

Next time I have a sabbatical, which if my employers are still sufficiently generous will be in seven years time, I will remember to take it at a different time of year. The current meagre and altogether insuffient seven hours of daylight is simply not enough to get outdoors and leisurely spread ones wings.

Not that I’m complaining. I love winter. I like dark nights. Snuggling on the sofa with a good film and mug of horlicks is a top ten experience. However, I seem to have accumulated an extraordinary amount of coarse fishing equipment from kind and generous folks and I’m eager to try it out on some local ponds and rivers. But fishing takes time and a part of its charm is the waiting.

“So”, I hear you say, “why not extend into a spot of night fishing?”

“Because” I reply, “Horlicks just doesn’t work in a flask!”