Back to School

Now that I'm back in Dublin, I've had a chance to reflect on my day - the day when I went back to my old school. Well, ok, not the school itself, but the school gathered in the cathedral for its harvest thanksgiving service. It is ten years since I left Dromore High School with a few GCSE's, and I was asked to speak at the harvest service today - this being their 50th anniversary year.

I wasn't sure how it would go, but looking back, I have to say I really enjoyed it! Despite there being a good turnover of teachers in the ten years of my absence, there were still quite a few that I remembered, and that remembered me! Teachers like Miss Uprichard, Miss Trimble, Mr Wright, Mr Todd and Mr Todd (science and computers both), Mr Cousins, Mr Hendron, Mrs Houston, Mrs McCalmont, Mrs Brown, Mrs Cooper, Mrs McKnight, Mr Currie, Mrs Storey and a few others as well! It was nice seeing them again, and catching up with them.

It was also great seeing Mr Wilkinson, the headmaster, or as he'll soon be known, 'uncle John'. This was the first time he'd heard me speak, so fair play to him for giving me the opportunity!

I've been trying to remember back to when I was at the school, to the annual services in the cathedral at Harvest and Christmas, and can only recall three of them - and always the carol services! The first, in my first year when I sang a solo, and got some of the 5th years into detention when they laughed at me (with the vice-principal sitting behind them!); in fourth year when I led the carol service; and fifth year when me, Gordon Bingham and (who was the other person? - I don't think it was Christopher Somerville) sang a trio. So I couldn't even remember how the harvest services had gone in the past.

Slightly scary, having over 500 people listening, all watching, but really good at the same time - a great opportunity to speak the word of God into their lives. I'll get the sermon text up tomorrow when I have some time.

One final thought. This morning when I was getting dressed, I went for my navy pin-stripe suit. The only shirt to go with it was my light blue shirt. The tie that went with it was a navy tie with lighter blue stripes. Whether subconsciously or what, I ended up virtually dressed in the High School uniform... talk about regressing to school days!