it's good to talk

It's been great to have time with the schools again today.

The last of the three assemblies over at the Royal High in the morning first thing. It's a different set of pupils every day. And a different talk as well. Related to Christmas (obviously) but a seasonal word of challenge which I hope makes some sense in their lives.

I spoke today about the journeys that the people in the Christmas story made. And asked the question as to just how far we too are willing to go. In healing broken relationships. In helping other people. In heartening older people at this season of the year.

It's a delicate sort of balance between being too overtly Christian and being pretty wishy-washy.

Not easy. But I'm glad of the chance that I have to speak with the pupils there.

The primary school had their service here straight after that. So it felt a bit like shuttling back and forth between the schools. Again there was the chance to speak. The Head is good that way. And it's a chance, of course, to share a bit of what the Christmas message is about.

And how it still applies to each of us.

The children were great with their singing again. And we just about coped with the last minute sort of juggling which we had to do with all the varied bits of techno input that there were.

The Head and the deputy both came in and had a cup of coffee for a while. It's good to have the chance like that to sit and simply chat in the easy, warm, relaxed environment we have. I think they value such moments as well.

Another service at lunch - the last of the lunchtime services till the Christmas season's past. And a further chance to teach, apply and help folk see what Christmas is about.

I guess it's this that people mean when when they say 'this must be your busy time of year!'

Er ... it's always busy!

But I guess the thing about this time of year is simply the amount of different chances that there are to speak and teach and share the thrilling message of the birth of God's own Son. Giving, giving, giving - at least in terms of speaking in that 'formal' sort of way.

But I love it. And there's always so much to say as well! So I don't really think of it as 'busy' in that way at all.

Today we included the sacrament as part of the half-hour service which we had. That's a new departure and it took a bit of jugglng things around. Fitting in the praise and prayer and Bible teaching portions that there always are and adding in a whole new sacramental part as well!

It seemed to work OK. We weren't hugely over time or anything. And I think in the main folk were glad of the chance to tie the birth of Jesus to his death like that. I've been doing it already this week at the school, of course, so it wasn't a problem for me!

I had some time in the afternoon discussing with a fellow leader here the things we'll have to do in terms of preparing 'starter' papers for the meeting of the leaders that we'll have in January next year (which makes it sound a good deal further off than it actually is!).

And at night there was the chance to pop our Christmas cards into the homes of folk who live up in the streets behind our own.

I've got to know the different folk a bit across these past few years. It's a good chance to have some further contact with them once again.

These gentle, early points of fleeting contact can gradually develop into something like relationship. And the from that relationship, relationship with God himself can sometimes grow.