Christmas is coming 2

Well folks as my daughter told me yesterday there were only 15 days to Christmas which of course is now down to 14 days.
I have noticed an upsurge in all things to do with Christmas as we approach the big day and I have to say quite unashamedly that I have been listening to carols in the car all this week but they are carols with a difference - let me explain. On Sunday our morning service was taken by Reverend Richard Jordan who works in the Derby Diocese of the Church of England and he said he had a CD which had been produced as part of the Bishop of Derby's appeal for the Church of North India which focuses on giving new life to mothers and children and it was essentially an album of carols with a very rocky feel to them. My wife looked across to where I was sitting at the organ and mouthed did we want one and I nodded yes. Well we put it on in the car on the way home and I have to say the music started and I thought I might not like this but I stayed with it and haven't listened to anything else all week.
There are 14 carols including 'Angels from the realms of glory', 'Joy to the world','See amid the winters snow', and 'Hark the herald angels sing' all played in an extremely interesting and refreshing way while still maintaining a high degree of singability.
The music is performed by a band called 'Fire Fly' and according to my son their other music is very rocky (in the musical sense).
Well worth the ten pounds it cost and a good cause to support as well - if you want a Christmas album that is different and yet appealing this may well be the one!
For more information go here. or if you want to listen go here.

Vestry Prayer Advent 2 year 'C'

Lord God our loving Father as we come to worship you on this second Sunday in advent we pray for this time of worship. We ask Lord that you make a way for us today to worship you as the living God with our hearts and minds fully concentrated on you and the things of the kingdom.
We pray for for our brother/sister N.... this morning and ask that as they have prepared to lead us in worship this morning we might respond by those who heard John the Baptist as he made a way for your arrival.
We pray Lord for your presence a blessing to be with each on of us this day and give you all the thanks and praise for you alone are worthy. Amen.

Book update - audio version available now!!

Well dear reader(s)I am happy to announce that there is now an audio version of my book available, read by yours truly and consisting of 3 cd's which last 2 hours 49 minutes. I am hoping that this will enable more people to access the book and enjoy reading my memories - certainly there has been some positive feedback from many who have bought it. I am hoping for more feedback from some of those who have bought it but are keeping it to read over the Christmas break.

I have given a test copy to a colleague who travels some distance to work each day and listens to talking books as she does so I thought she might be a good guinea pig, and I have a copy in my car which I am listening to as I travel to and from work etc.
Although I say it myself I think it is a very professional effort considering it was recorded and edited in our front room and my son's bedroom - he has also produced a very good cover for the cd boxes and again I have to be honest it looks very professional so many thanks to him for the work he has done on this project.

Now it may be that you are sitting there thinking if this is so professional what is it going to cost and the simple answer is £10 plus post and packing of £3 so a total cost of £13 - obviously if you know me well and live fairly near you could avoid the postage costs.

The paper copy of the book is still available and I am expecting a further batch today having sold the first two batches I ordered and this can be obtained for £7 plus post and packing.

A review of the book can be found over at Methodist Preacher's blog.

If you want more information please contact me.

Christmas carols what's yours?

There is an interesting thread going on over at facebook in respect of favourite carols as one of our on note local preachers has asked people what their favourite carols are as she might us them in a service she is involved in.
The question has taken us to discuss the merits of the two better known tunes for O Little Town of Bethlehem which are the original tune St Louis used more in the USA and Forest Green used more in Britain. Personally I prefer the original tune and might be tempted to use that in one of the three carol events I am planning. I also am very tempted to sing While Shepherds watched to the tune of On Ilkley Moor Bah Tat instead of the insipid Winchester New it is usually sung to or of course for purists you could sing it to Lyngham (O for a thousand tongues).

Any way here's a question for you dear reader - What's your favourite carol??

Wesley Owen to close!!

Some of you may not have heard of Wesley Owen but those who have will know that they operate a chain of 40 Christian Bookshops around the country which are under threat of closure if a buyer can not be found. While this is bad enough on its own there are wider implications for other Christian bookshops as the group that Wesley Owen belongs to also supplies a large number of independent Christian bookshops. I have received an email from one of our circuit local preacher secretaries asking us to pray that a buyer will be found and I really feel given the importance of this it needed a wider circulation - so hey readers if you have a blog how about spreading the word via you blogs. More details of the story can be found here.

Vestry Prayer Advent 1 year 'C'

Her we go folks as promised last night a vestry prayer for the first Sunday in Advent.

Loving heavenly Father, at this time of preparation we ask that you would prepare us this morning for this act of worship. Prepare the hearts and minds of people and preacher alike as we gather to bring our worship to you today.
We ask your blessing on our brother/sister N.... as they lead us and bring your word to us today. May our hearts and minds be open to your word and may it be as we gather around your word and hear again familiar stories that through the familiarity we will be able to see or hear something new and exciting.
Bless each and every person gathered here as we ask these things in and through the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Amen

Long time no blog!

Hi folks I have just returned from a Circuit Meeting where I was taken to task by one of my readers for not blogging so I thought I needed to make sure I posted something in case other readers were suffering from withdrawal symptoms.

As a point of information I have now sold 59 copies of my book 'A Bang or a Whimper' and have finished recording the audio version of the book which should be available next week or the week after at the latest for the really good price of £10 per copy (will probably be 3 or 4 discs). Don't forget the printed version is available for just £6 and you can email me for further details or to place an order.

Vestry Prayers - this Sunday coming is the first Sunday In Advent in year 'C' of the Revised Common Lectionary so I will be posting a vestry prayer sometime tomorrow for those who find these useful.

Christmas is coming and I would like to advertise two events that are coming up at Pleck Methodist Church that I will be involved in - the first one is an afternoon Carol Service on Wednesday 9th December at 2-30p.m.which is really intended for people who may not wish to come out in an evening. The second one is an event called Carol Praise which will take place at Pleck Methodist Church on Wednesday 16th December at 7p.m. with music provided by HIMS Ancient and Modern. If ou want more details please let me know.
If you are free on either or both of these days we would love to see you there.