Well, I met up with my friend yesterday - he seems in remarkably good spirits, but I fear he gets tired easily.
The choir I sing with has decided not to continue working on Karl Jenkins' "The Armed man" - I'm rather disappointed with that, I was enjoying getting my teeth into a serious piece of music. We'll see what next term brings.
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Thursday, 3 December 2009
Advent
I'm aware that a week has passed since my last posting here.
It is now Advent, and the season began with a retreat at Loyola Hall, near Liverpool. I had to leave a bit early, well, very early on Advent Sunday morning in fact, to get back here in time for my services, but it was very good, and a good opportunity to start Advent by being still before the rush really gets underway.
I led a prayer at the switch-on of the Kippax Christmas lights tonight - I don't think it was the best performance I have ever given, but back-stage I had a brief chance to chat with "Eric Pollard" or Chris Chitill. We have met before, at JFK Airport, New York, back in the year 2000. We were both there to run the Marathon a few days later - I think he did rather better than me, but never mind that now !
So, Advent is with us, the Christmas lights are up, we are looking to Jesus, the light of the world.
It is now Advent, and the season began with a retreat at Loyola Hall, near Liverpool. I had to leave a bit early, well, very early on Advent Sunday morning in fact, to get back here in time for my services, but it was very good, and a good opportunity to start Advent by being still before the rush really gets underway.
I led a prayer at the switch-on of the Kippax Christmas lights tonight - I don't think it was the best performance I have ever given, but back-stage I had a brief chance to chat with "Eric Pollard" or Chris Chitill. We have met before, at JFK Airport, New York, back in the year 2000. We were both there to run the Marathon a few days later - I think he did rather better than me, but never mind that now !
So, Advent is with us, the Christmas lights are up, we are looking to Jesus, the light of the world.
Thursday, 26 November 2009
I don't know if this is better or worse
The cause of my friend's HIV infection is almost certainly a blood transfusion. There is no other explanation. I know there are other ways of getting the virus, but he hasn't done any of them.
One piece of music I have heard twice since hearing the news is the 18th variation from Rachmaninof's "Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini". Not that a piece of classical music makes everything ok, but it has offered some calm in the storm.
The cause of my friend's HIV infection is almost certainly a blood transfusion. There is no other explanation. I know there are other ways of getting the virus, but he hasn't done any of them.
One piece of music I have heard twice since hearing the news is the 18th variation from Rachmaninof's "Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini". Not that a piece of classical music makes everything ok, but it has offered some calm in the storm.
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
I thought I had problems
Just heard that a good friend who I saw ordained last June has got HIV. I'm too upset to comment more
Tuesday, 24 November 2009
Sick of hospitals
I am getting totally fed up of hospitals. Today's visit was for a CT abdomen scan.
The story starts last December - I was on a train from Leeds to Warrington. I thought that I had a slight stomach ache, but it wouldn't go away. The pain got worse and worse, and when I arrived at Warrington station, I could not walk. I called for help and ended up leaving the station by ambulance. It was initially thought to be appendicitis, but it turned out to be kidney stones.
I was in hospital 4 times over the next 4 months - including Christmas Day - and it took 2 operations to remove a total of 7 stones. It is not something I would wish on anybody - it's said that the only pain worse than kidney stones is childbirth - but that doesn't last for 2 months !!
Anyway, they were finally removed in February, so now the question is - what caused them? After many tests, the answer is an enlarged and over-active para-thyroid gland, which is producing too much para-thyroid hormone, which in turn leads to a high blood calcium count, which led to the stones.
So I'm awaiting an operation in the New Year to remove the offending para-thyroid gland.
So where does an abdomen svan come into the picture? To see if there is any debris left from the stones and the operations.
With one thing and another I have become quite a frequent visitir to St James hospital Leeds and the Leeds General infirmary, and I will be glad when the whole thing is over.
The way that things are going, it will not be for a while yet. My experience of the NHS is that the staff are brilliant, but the management is beyond a joke
The story starts last December - I was on a train from Leeds to Warrington. I thought that I had a slight stomach ache, but it wouldn't go away. The pain got worse and worse, and when I arrived at Warrington station, I could not walk. I called for help and ended up leaving the station by ambulance. It was initially thought to be appendicitis, but it turned out to be kidney stones.
I was in hospital 4 times over the next 4 months - including Christmas Day - and it took 2 operations to remove a total of 7 stones. It is not something I would wish on anybody - it's said that the only pain worse than kidney stones is childbirth - but that doesn't last for 2 months !!
Anyway, they were finally removed in February, so now the question is - what caused them? After many tests, the answer is an enlarged and over-active para-thyroid gland, which is producing too much para-thyroid hormone, which in turn leads to a high blood calcium count, which led to the stones.
So I'm awaiting an operation in the New Year to remove the offending para-thyroid gland.
So where does an abdomen svan come into the picture? To see if there is any debris left from the stones and the operations.
With one thing and another I have become quite a frequent visitir to St James hospital Leeds and the Leeds General infirmary, and I will be glad when the whole thing is over.
The way that things are going, it will not be for a while yet. My experience of the NHS is that the staff are brilliant, but the management is beyond a joke
Monday, 23 November 2009
Ecumenical matters
Missed a call last night, but heard the message this morning. The neighbouring parish church is having a new organ installed, which will mean that the church will be out of action for a few days. The church diary has been cleared to allow for this, but the one thing you can't plan for in church life is funerals. So, should the need arise, can the parish church use the Methodist church for a funeral? Of course they can - it's good to be able to help.
One pastoral visit this afternoon - well, 2 if you count going to the wrong house, as the road layout in this small village is very confusing! Still, as I said yesterday, you never know what effect a visit can have - even if it is to the wrong house!
One pastoral visit this afternoon - well, 2 if you count going to the wrong house, as the road layout in this small village is very confusing! Still, as I said yesterday, you never know what effect a visit can have - even if it is to the wrong house!
Sunday, 22 November 2009
Stir up, O Lord
22 Nov 2009
It is "Stir up" Sunday - the name given to the day by the collect "Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people...."
I'm a Methodist Minister, currently in my 4th appointment, and my first appointment as a superintendent. I'm in the Castleford circuit, West Yorks, UK, and this morning I was preaching in the small village of Burton Salmon, North Yorks.
There are 2 things which really stick in my mind about today, and the service I took this morning doesn't feature in either of them. The first was an e-mail I received. Now I know that in sermons, pastoral visitors meetings and other such settings I have said that you never know what might come about as a result of a visit, but this really did take my breath away. The e-mail was from someone I had visited 19 years ago, back in 1990, saying that the visit I made was part of the reason he is still in the church today.
Now it's easy to say that "Ah yes, the minister visited" but no, the minister did not visit. I was not a minister 19 years ago - I was a university student. I had almost forgotten about making that visit until this e-mail arrived out of the blue.
So I suppose this is why I am calling this blog "A knock on the door". What might seem like a small knock to us might be a huge door opening to someone else. A former TV talent show (back in the days when talent shows really were about talent) used to end with the saying "If opportunity comes your way, don't knock it". Good advice there.
The 2nd thing that sticks in my mind abou t today was the wonderful testimony given at this evening's service. The preacher knows who he is, and although I had heard the story before in the privacy of his living-room, it took enormous courage to say that to the church. God bless you.
There'll be a lot more to come in these posts - I intend to update regularly, though perhaps not every day, and I'll introduce myself to you bit by bit as time goes on.
Every blessing
Rev.Robin
It is "Stir up" Sunday - the name given to the day by the collect "Stir up, O Lord, the wills of your faithful people...."
I'm a Methodist Minister, currently in my 4th appointment, and my first appointment as a superintendent. I'm in the Castleford circuit, West Yorks, UK, and this morning I was preaching in the small village of Burton Salmon, North Yorks.
There are 2 things which really stick in my mind about today, and the service I took this morning doesn't feature in either of them. The first was an e-mail I received. Now I know that in sermons, pastoral visitors meetings and other such settings I have said that you never know what might come about as a result of a visit, but this really did take my breath away. The e-mail was from someone I had visited 19 years ago, back in 1990, saying that the visit I made was part of the reason he is still in the church today.
Now it's easy to say that "Ah yes, the minister visited" but no, the minister did not visit. I was not a minister 19 years ago - I was a university student. I had almost forgotten about making that visit until this e-mail arrived out of the blue.
So I suppose this is why I am calling this blog "A knock on the door". What might seem like a small knock to us might be a huge door opening to someone else. A former TV talent show (back in the days when talent shows really were about talent) used to end with the saying "If opportunity comes your way, don't knock it". Good advice there.
The 2nd thing that sticks in my mind abou t today was the wonderful testimony given at this evening's service. The preacher knows who he is, and although I had heard the story before in the privacy of his living-room, it took enormous courage to say that to the church. God bless you.
There'll be a lot more to come in these posts - I intend to update regularly, though perhaps not every day, and I'll introduce myself to you bit by bit as time goes on.
Every blessing
Rev.Robin
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