Christmas is coming!

It's true folks Christmas is coming! I know because last night I joined a local band called 'Wot's next' at their rehearsal to practice some carols with them. They are preparing for a booking at a local church where they want to do a mix of Christmas Songs (Chestnuts roasting etc) and Christmas Carols but it appears their keyboard player is not happy playing the carols so they drafted me in.
I see that there are a lot more lights appearing on houses as well so that must surely be a sign.

My marking is complete and has gone off to London and I hope that in the next few days there will be 14 happy students at least - I do hope they read the comments I have made to encourage them on their journey's to becoming fully accredited.

I have just been on a tour around the blogs I read regularly and I am always quite interested by the vast range of topics that people in the blogosphere are talking about, that's when they do talk of course, and I know I might be told I am not looking at the right blogs as there are some who blog regularly. I really must sit one of these days and look at the list of blogs I read and see if there are some I could remove while at the same time adding some different ones. I think one of the reaons I haven't done this is that I think most of the people who read this blog also read all the others that I do where there may be a whole load of links to a wide variety of blogs. I have on occasion clicked on a link on other blogs to find the link takes you nowhere presumably because the person has ceased to blog or has changed to a different provider.

On a slightly different note I can report that my son has done some test recording and it looks very much as if the 'talking book' version of 'A Bang or a Whimper'could very soon become a reality. I will keep you updated dear reader.

Well a busy week ahead with Local Preachers tomorrow evening, preparation for a special celebration service I am leading on Sunday and catering for an 80th birthday party where there will be 80 guests as well as doing a full time job

Nearly Done!

Just thought an update for my reader might be appropriate - the marking is nearly complete - hope to finish today and then there will just be the completing of the feedback sheets and I can send the stuff off to London and relax until the Spring when the next lot of marking arrives.

On a different topic sales of my book are going steadily considering I haven't really pushed it and most sales have been through someone telling a friend or colleague about it (40 sold so far). I have had a suggestion that I should do a 'talking book' version and this may well be the next project for my technical expert (my son) to assist with as he reckons we could do this fairly quickly and effectively with a programme on our Mac computers called garage band. We have had a little dabble with it and managed to record the foreword and first chapter so watch this space for more information on this project.

And finally just in case you hadn't realised Christmas is coming! I saw my first house decorated for the season yesterday evening on the way home from work.

Funeral update

In my last post I mentioned the funeral I was playing at yesterday and thought I should give an update for any who might be interested. The church was almost full to capacity (including the folding chairs we had put out) with many people present who belong to choirs in the area. The singing was absolutely fantastic but as we were limited for time we were not able to have an extra chorus of any of the hymns which is what we often do at Pleck, however when we got to the last hymn (great is thy faithfulness) I really sensed an air of expectation that we would have an extra chorus and thought to myself it is what Iris would have wanted and went for it followed by the assembled folk as one voice.
I thoroughly enjoyed the service (can you enjoy a funeral?) and I think one of the ladies from one of the choirs summed it up when she said I could hear Iris singing every word - I think I could too!

Marking well on the way!

Just an update really to let you all know I am about two thirds of the way through my marking so blogging may continue to be a little sporadic for a few days still - my deadline is 14th November but I hope to complete well before then.
I have an interesting day today because in my lunch break I am going to play for a funeral service of one of our church members. We are having five great hymns - How Great thou Art;And can it be; When the roll is called up yonder; What a friend we have in Jesus and Great is thy faithfulness. We are no allowed to wear black or dark blue either as Iris said she wants the funeral to be a celebration of her life - I have to say I am quite looking forward to it.

Culture meets the gospel

Well folks I have been back from Glasgow a couple of days now and we had a marvellous time. The event at the SECC with the Gaithers was well worth the journey and the cost of travelling up there.
The final song of the evening was a combination of a great piece of classical music by Sibelius and words by Bill and Gloria Gaither and you can hear it here. Hope you enjoy it - the audience at SECC certainly did!

No post!

I have just heard the postal strike is on from tomorrow and this blog will be taking a few days off as I am going up to Glasgow for some good Southern Gospel music on Saturday from the Gaither Vocal Band, Ernie Haase and Signature Sound, Janet Paschal, Buddy Greene, Gordon Mote, Kevin Williams and Greg Richie. Will be back on Tuesday next week.

Preacher and Prophet meet!

Well it's happened the Preacher and the Prophet have met and both lived to tell the tale.
I had to go into Birmingham on Saturday to take my wife to Symphony Hall where she was singing in Prom Praise and as Methodist Preacher had very kindly expressed a wish to purchase a copy of my new book (A Bang or a Whimper) I thought I could deliver it rather than post it to him. It only meant a very slight detour on my homeward journey and took me past City Road Methodist Church where I saw the poster about Jesus caring for Rotton Park.
I arrived near the Preacher's house and saw this man walking down the road who I thought was him so stopped the car and got out and said questioningly 'David' to which his response was 'Fat Prophet'followed by a query about what I was doing there and an invitation to come and have a cup of tea. I explained I had come to deliver the book as I was not far away taking my wife.
I spent a very pleasant hour chatting about a range of things and hearing some of the exciting activities that are going on at City Road in an attempt to bring in some new people. I wish them well in their endeavours.
I have left a copy of my book with David and now eagerly await the review on his blog.