Almighty Faux Pas

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When I turned on my laptop late yesterday morning, I was mortified to discover that a draft post had been accidentally posted at the weekend! Regular readers will know that I don’t post anything at the weekends.

I was mortified because it was a draft post that obviously needed amending before it was ready to be published!!!

I felt that I was a little unkind to the ABC in that post. I may disagree with the current ABC but I also believe in the sovereignty of God. But who would have thought that the post would get published even before it was ready????

Anyway, by the time I accessed that particular blog post, many people had already viewed and liked it🙈🙈🙈! However, I went ahead with the necessary corrections and have now republished it. Better late than never!

The Knitter is back..

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The General Synod of the Church of England met last week from Tuesday to Thursday. Since I belong to the Church of England, I feel that it is my duty to keep abreast with what is happening in the wider Church and so forced the Mhinisteir to watch these proceedings with me in the evenings.

As I watched the proceedings, I jotted down some observations.

• The Knitter is back. I wrote about her in November 2021.
• Some of the chair were not very competent. My favourite was the Rev Zoe Heming. She was well briefed, calm and always had a smile.
• There appeared to be a lack of transparency. I got the impression that some people were “planted” to ask questions in favour of the ABC while people who asked difficult questions like Rebecca Chapman and Jayne Ozanne were “shot down”. I don’t know these two women personally and may not even share the same theological views but they asked very good and legitimate questions.
• Sadly, cheap jokes and sloppiness appeared to be the order of the day.

Where is the forgiveness?

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There is a court case going on concerning a request by Jesus College, Cambridge, to remove a sculpture from its chapel that commemorates Tobias Rustat, a 17th century benefactor of the college who also happened to be an investor in the Royal African Company whose major part of business was by trading slaves.

According to the college, the Master who was born in Barbados and others have the painful task of looking at the sculpture whenever they are in chapel. In the Master’s case, whenever she is seated in her stall.

As usual, the ABC has deemed it fit to wade into this controversy. Unsurprisingly, he is in favour of removing the sculpture.

I am against removing the sculpture for this simple reason. The Christian gospel message is one of forgiveness and that is why when we pray the Lord’s prayer Sunday by Sunday, we say “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us“

Thou shalt not steal!

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Unusually, last week’s delivery from Ocado was missing an item. I thought I had seen it while unpacking but I just couldn’t find it. I decided to give it a few more days before I got in touch with Ocado. During this time, I looked high and low for this item but to no avail.

Anyway, I duly got in touch with Ocado and requested a refund which they were only too happy to oblige.

Imagine my shock when two days later, I discovered the “missing” item in the cupboard hiding behind the coffee jar!!!!! Aargghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!

How do you refund a refund? I have decided to put the £1.50 into the collection plate when I go to church on Sunday.

Sorry Ocado!😢

When Neighbours become good friends…

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It was reported this week that Neighbours, the long running Australian drama will no longer be aired on British television. The reason given is that the television company wants to promote more British dramas.

I don’t watch Neighbours but I used to watch it when it was still aired on BBC one but that was so long ago when the character Susan Kennedy had long thick flowing hair!

I was slightly miffed to read that they were axing Neighbours because I know of many older friends and parishioners who enjoy watching it. Some watch the same episode twice each day; once in the afternoon and once in the evening! I have no idea why though😁.

I really feel very sorry for the older people because bit by bit things that are familiar to them are being taken away from them. Especially in rural places in the UK, the bus services together with banks and post offices are among other things that are slowly disappearing. The little comfort and enjoyment that these pensioners get from soap operas like Neighbours are also disappearing right before their eyes.

Sadly, the Church too has no time for older people. They appear to cater to young people and young families at the expense of the older people who are the stalwarts of the Church.

There is always a first time for everything….

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On Sunday, I was struggling to get up for church. I knew I had to get up but with the rain lashing against the window, I so wanted to hug my bed a little longer!

Anyway, I managed to be in church bright eyed and bushy tailed. Halfway through the service, I thought I heard someone’s mobile phone ring which was unusual because most rural folk either don’t bring their mobiles to church or they don’t own one. I was quite sure I knew whose mobile it was….. the assistant curate!

By the time I got home I had forgotten all about the mobile phone. However, just as I entered the house, I heard the same ringing tone. The Mhinisteir quickly said that his mobile phone was turned off! I hurriedly got my mobile phone out of my handbag and there it was happily pinging away!!!!!!! It was doing some systems update. It was then that I realised that it was my mobile that pinged during the service!!!

The irony is that my mobile phone is always on silent even at home which is why I didn’t even recognise my own ring tone! I rarely use it unless to contact the cleaner or the hairdresser so it didn’t even dawn on me that it could have been mine.

By the way, if you are wondering who was trying to get in touch with me during the service… It was Ocado sending me a text message to remind me that delivery will be on Tuesday!!!!🤣🤣🤣

Please don’t try this at home!

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Last week, I decided that the Mhinisteir and I needed a treat and decided to bake an indulgent chocolate fudge cake. I started work on the cake just after lunch so that we could have a slice with our afternoon cup of tea.

As I was putting away all the utensils, I realised that the dairy free butter remained untouched in the corner!!!! I had forgotten to add butter to my cake mixture!!!!!! How did I manage that? The cake was already in the oven!

Miraculously the cake turned out just fine. It tasted good but didn’t remain moist for too long. I have got no idea when happened but please don’t try this at home! 😁

Royal Mail, Please get a grip!

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I love receiving letters with beautiful postage stamps something which is a rarity these days. In turn, I too use pretty postage stamps when I am sending cards and letters. As I find the everyday stamps in blue and red quite boring, I use a mixture of make up value stamps and non adhesive special issue stamps so that the recipient has an element of surprise.

Imagine my annoyance when I read that Royal Mail is introducing postage stamps with barcodes and that the stamps that I now possess will soon become obsolete.

According to Royal Mail, people will be able to scan the barcodes and watch an animation featuring Shaun the Sheep and in future, we will be able to watch videos and greetings from senders. As an adult, why would I want to watch Shaun the Sheep? Furthermore if I wanted to send videos and greetings, why would I spend money buying a postage stamp when I could use my smart phone to do it???? Royal Mail, please get a grip!!!!

Too much free time Archbishop?

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It was reported in Wednesday’s papers that the ABC will be doing a BBC Radio 4 programme about faith with celebrity guests including the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. I didn’t know that presenting faith programmes was part of the ABC’s job description🙄.

I would rather he used his time more wisely by engaging with his clergy and his parishioners especially those in rural areas who are constantly the targets for cuts and closures!

There is an interesting article in the Church Times on how the rural and urban gap is widening. You will find the article here.

Poppycock!

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It was reported in the papers that a former BBC News head has called on the corporation to stop producing ‘lower grade stuff.’ He was pointing his finger on daytime television and has singled out the popular drama series Father Brown to face the axe. Father Brown? Is he insane?

The Father Brown series which is based on short stories by G K Chesteron is one of the very few ‘clean’ programmes on television. It is not only interesting but thought provoking.

The amount of filth and bad language on television is one of the reasons why we haven’t watched television in years!!!

It is mind boggling to know that some people find good programmes like Father Brown boring!