Happy Christmas

I'm just enjoying a relaxing morning in the afterglow of Arsenals 6-2 victory over Blackburn made even better by the fact that Van Persie made 36 points for my fantasy football team meaning I take top spot in the church league at Christmas...come on.

The shopping is done, presents are wrapped and I'm looking forward to the candlelit service that we're having tonight for those of us from ENC who are left in London. We've opted for a 7pm carols and communion followed by a party round ours, and are expecting a few family and friends to swell the depleted numbers.

Yesterday while doing some last minute shopping in North Finchley I spotted this stencil graffiti on the wall next to Iceland. Now it might have been there for years and I've never noticed it before and I think it's quite recent. Now I'm no expert on stencil graffiti but I'm just wondering it couldn't be a Banksy could it? I mean why would he choose a wall behind the North Finchley High road, which while functional is fairly soulless, but then maybe that's why. I think it unlikely but that then raises the question are there now loads of stencil graffiti artists out there?

Whatever the answer it made me smile.

I will not blog again before Christmas (probably before Feb knowing my blogging consistency) so have a great Christmas and a happy New Year.

Tagged

Ok I've been tagged twice now in 24 hours by Tony and What's your point caller so I'm succumbing to this pressure and trying to think of 5 interesting things you probably don't know about me.

1. Last night Sue and I had a great night out with a few friends at the Jazz Cafe in Camden watching LCGC doing their Christmas show. That saves me doing a separate blog about what was an incredible evening in a great venue. I can honestly say I've never enjoyed singing Ding Dong merrily on high quite as much as when we joined in their "salsa" version.

2. While at bible college I trained to be a pool lifeguard and worked for a summer in a local leisure centre - nobody drowned.

3. I was born in Cardiff in Wales and left after 6 months - I didn't have a lot of say in the decision. The welsh roots do go deeper as my mum's mum was pure welsh descended from Thomas Thomas of the valleys. However I feel truly British as her husband was a pure Scot from Glasgow, and my Dad's parents were both from Lancashire. I do support England when they play anyone else.

4. I lived for a month with my family, on the Peguis Native American Indian reserve north of Winnipeg when training for ordination, looking at how the Church did or didn't do cross cultural mission. It was a fantastic experience for us as a family and we were hosted by Barry and Freda Bear of the Diocese of Rupertsland..surreal.

5. I once got stuck up a flag pole when the flag I was trying to raise put up some serious resistanace. I tried to climb the pole to rescue the flag that had blown free, slipped and ended up suspended by a hook that ripped through my trousers. It was hugely embarrassing but 25 years later I feel released sharing this with the world.

Happy Christmas one and all.

Happy Christmas

I've heard it said that "all work and no plaigarism makes for a mighty dull sermon" I'm not sure what it infers about Christmas blogs, except that I've blatantly nicked the mosaic idea from Jonny and Tony as it seemed a great way to put together some of my favourite photo memories from 2006 and then send them to family and friends rather than a newsletter type thing. I'm happy to field questions about the context of the photos or you can just guess.

Have a great Christmas and I hope that 2007 creates lots of great memories for you.

Evil Minded Parishoners Making life Hell for Clergy

This article by Ruth Gledhill made me laugh out loud and reduced my mother to mild hysterics as well, when I read it to her on the phone. I am so grateful that ENC falls into the final paragraph!

technorati tags:Clergy, Parishoners

The Boy did Good

We knew it was a good photo but we didn't expect Luke to win, but he did and here's the evidence. The gutting thing is I took loads of photos and didn't get close and he took a couple and won! Obviously he's made up not least because the prize money can go into his ipod fund.