Egyptian Surprise

Apparently, the National Museum in Dublin is saying that the discovery of Egyptian papyrus in the 1200 year old cover of a book of Psalms have raised questions about traditional understanding of the rise of Christianity in Ireland!

Madrid Airport and Iberia Airlines

Just back from a late summer break in Madrid and surprised at how shocking the level of customer service has descended to in Sapin generally.

Madrid International Airport looks stunning. It is beautifully presented and great on the eye.

But as a functional, practical traveller-friendly airport it is astonisingly ineffecient.

Arriving in Terminal 4C on a British Airways flight the journey to baggage control involved as very long walk, up and down lifts and escalators and then a train ride to the main terminal 4. Then - with about 20 luggage carousels idle all flights' baggage was arriving on the same conveyer belt. We waited 40 minutes for our baggage (no wonder most travellers had carried the most ridiculously large hand luggage into the cabin which BA had allowed) and left for the Metro 65 minutes after touching down.

The return flight on Iberia started with an inability to check in online because it was a BA booking - despite it all being part of the One World Alliance. So no seats together when we arrived at the airport.

Once again - queues for the bag drop were ridiculous with tens of desks unpersonned.

Then - and I am really sorry to read blog after blog about the terrible experience of flying Iberia - the shockingly cramped economy seats - really no space for my legs at all - followed by the trolley bar with drinks starting at £2 for water and up to £10 for a sandwich and drink.

Would I use Madrid Airport if I had a choice? No if I could help it.
And Iberia? Never again.

Madrid itself - despite the journey there and back - was smashing!

Sheffield Filming

Spent the day yesterday filming a sequence of You Tube type film pieces with Steven Croft as Bishop of Sheffield.

Steven has written the 2011 Lent Book and this series of short films to camera will elucidate some of the theme which Steven has written about.

So we went to various venues across South Yorkshire to record the various shots.

It was the first day of the autumn season yesterday with lots more media activity and enquiries across the client range.

Took the train back to London from Sheffield. East Midlands trains showed their crass incompentence once again by getting us to "change train sets" at Derby on the "through train" to London. When the train pulled into Derby the platform staff were not ready for the steady procession of heavily laden passengers including many elderly who stood on the platform for several minutes waiting for them to open the new train set. Only, they decided, let's take half of it to London empty and keep it locked - presumably to avoid cleaning it in London. So -two sets attached together with only one open. The poor train manager struggled to find enough words for "apologise".

Last night it was a question of getting ready for a long weekend with friends in Spain to bring a lovely summer to a close.

There's a chill in the air in the morning and at night - but this was one of the best days weather wise for quite some time! Lovely.

Guardian article on Pope's media team

This is an interesting article in today's Guardian on whether or not the Pope's media team are up to the challenge.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/aug/30/pope-benedict-media-team-britain

Thought for the Day

Just finished another series of Thought for the Day on Saturday's in August
www.bbc.co.uk/religion

Bank Holiday Monday

I have nno idea where the time has gone. So much for keeping up to date with this more regularly. At least the itention is there!

It has been a really busy summer. A great holiday in the US followed by the week in Durham celebrating Celtic Christianity in the north east (a really super group this year).

Then - throughout August - I have been pretty much the priest on duty at St Mary Abbots on the High Street in W8 as colleagues have been away.

The past week, however, has been tough.

My mother's younger brother David died suddently in France and I had to hop to a small town near Poitiers to take his funeral. My first bi-lingual funeral in France and it was a very interesting and moving occasion.

Then news that Martin Warner - one of my closest friends and the new Bishop of Whitby - has been in hospital for tests following a heart attack whilst in Florence. Martin - get well soon!! We were all rooting for you.

It's the Notting Hill Carnival today - and it's one of those days when to be at the heart of things isn't always the easiest option!

So - more blogging in the autumn!!

Trinity Sunday

What Kind of God do you believe in?

Summary of a sermon preached at St Mary Abbots, Kensington on Sunday 30th May 2010

Trinity Sunday.

Epistle was Romans 5.1-5

The questions: what kind of a God do you believe in ? – is increasingly asked.
What’s more, it is an increasingly difficult question to answer.

The context in which the question is asked includes:
 General rise in secularism
 A defensive mindset for Christianity in general
 Pluralism – lack of basic Christian identity
 The great science v Christianity debate
 We are still too inward looking as a church.

The Trinity is about going back to basics:

When we say “I believe in one God”, which we will shortly in the Creed – what are we saying?

St Paul in this passage from Romans – reminds us that one of the easiest starting points for answering the question – what kind of God do you believe in? – is

God the Father
God the Son
God the Holy Spirit

Through God the Father – love is revealed

Through Jesus the Son – peace is offered

All because the Holy Spirit has been poured out for us.

We say the Creed now as an act of rededication in the God in whom we believe – three in one and one in three.