Debatable quality

I've just been part of the worship band at the Farside- which meant three long days with little sleep! A whistle stop tour seeing family and friends, getting up to plenty of different things at home and out. These included Sunday service at UCF, an escape room challenge of debatable quality and McDonald's breakfast with my brothers. I'm home next in April, for anyone wondering!

We're now in the season of Lent and I've been asked to write reflections and a song for each chapter of a book. The church cluster is collectively reading 'Enthroning Mammon' by Abp. Justin Welby, a book about challenging materialism with Jesus' teachings- very appropriate not just for lent but for all of us. I'm sure I'm going to find the quick-fire song writing difficult as I'm used to spending weeks developing songs, if not months, but it's a good test. I'm still playing open mics and finding a outlet for my music as well as finding thought provoking conversation almost every single time I go out for one. My faith is never too far from my lips but just being there for someone to talk to is often enough.

Joining us soon are Ashish and Sarah Shinde, who are visiting us from India for a short time to share with us their experiences of Ministry there. They will also be experiencing first hand many of our projects here in the Cluster and the community, we expect to learn a lot from them and vice versa! Their time here will enable them to see ministry in a very different context and culture from their own. Their visas were recently authorised and they'll be arriving on March 25th. I'm not sure they know what they've let themselves in for yet... they haven't met me face to face!

Although I'm fairly sure they will appreciate the views as much as I do

Last week I found myself doing something totally out of the blue that has stuck with me and I'm sure will continue to. I was walking down Market Jew Street (Penzance High Street) when I heard a classical guitar being played by a busker. It was further out of tune than I could cope with and as I got to the source of the racket I realised that the guy was homeless. I stepped over and asked him if I could tune his guitar for him, which he let me do, and after I'd done so I dropped a few coins in his hat and left him to it. Hopefully he collected a bit more for his efforts after that, and passers by were less tempted to cross over the road.

Everyone gave me their onion rings at a meal before one of the escape room challenges I did

Wednesday evening lectures have moved onto Church history from ethics now and we've got up to 312AD ( which I'm sure someone will recognise as being significant). There are now two interns in Stithians as one of them had to leave but we still manage to have prayer, fellowship and a meal together. This week I went to an Ash Wednesday evening service at Truro Cathedral. It was a beautifully organised service with ashing, long choral interludes and communion, the first time I'd been into the Cathedral and I'm sure I'll be back.

Me and the interns at Stithians (Sophie, Melissa (deputy warden) and Christine

So, as I continue to help organise services at St John's I would appreciate thoughts and prayers for the children's work on Sunday and through the rest of the week's to come!