2006

And so begins my blogging in this new year. After an absence of what seems like absolutely ages, I am fully back on the net - or at least, I have it in Dublin again so when there's a computer free when I'm free, I can get on. Over the past week or so I was able to check my emails a couple of times in Dromara, but didn't want to be hogging the phone line, so decided not to blog.

So what have I been up to? Well, the new year was ushered in at the Watchnight Service in the Cathedral. This is a sort of ecumenical gathering, mainly brought about through the closer links with the Church of Ireland and Methodist congregations in the town (seeing we have that Covenant thingy), but other people attend too - including the guest organist this year from the Bann Road Presbyterian...

Sunday 1st January was the first time I got to wear my new robes in the Cathedral - with several people commenting on seeing black at the bottom of the surplice, rather than the winey red of the choir robes! I was assisting at Communion - and Lynsey was in attendance... we're making a right wee Anglican out of her so far! Hehe! Although, of course, I'll have to reciprocate and attend some Presby services, as I do when I visit Dundee.

Then it was off to Lynsey's auntie's house for a family gathering with piles of food, fun and laughs. I even got to meet my old school headmaster, who is one of her uncles, but thankfully he didn't tell any stories of me from school - that might have been just a bit too embarrassing, and perhaps also would have ended my connection with the whole family!

The last week was then spent doing various things with people, and meeting up with those I don't see too often. Sadly, though, there were still some people I didn't get to meet - you know who you are!

A special note of sympathy to the Leahy family, on the passing of Fred Leahy. While never knowing him personally, I benefitted richly from his ministry, through the many books he wrote. Therefore, after getting to know Primrose, it was a joy to hear that he was her uncle. Primrose was saying that his last book was sent to the publishers hours before he passed away - so I will look forward to that. Primrose, I'm praying that you and the whole family will know the peace and comfort of the Holy Spirit at this time, as you look forward to a joyful reunion in the heavenly places.

The end of the holidays also brought about a parting of sorts, as I returned to Dublin, and Lynsey returned to Dundee again. These holidays were great, spending time together, but now it's back to porridge (as my ma would say), and hard work again. But it'll not be too long before I see her again - this time in Scotland again!

And what hard work could I be talking about, I hear you say... Well, I had two essays due in for this morning, and another two due for less than two week's time. And for these next two, we have to pick our topic and question ourselves... so that should be fun... although trying to pick one topic out of so much Church History is going to be a bit of a nightmare. In the New Testament one, I'm thinking of doing something around the idea of 'proclamation' in the Gospel of Mark (which is the gospel we did an indepth study of before Christmas). But we'll see what develops...