Total banger at evensong today. The only annoying thing about officiating is that you have to maintain some sort of decorum whilst screaming this schmaltz! A happy feast of St Bartholomew to one and all! ⚓️✝️

Is it wrong to say that I am really excited to read this book?

Congratulations to Rhine as he takes up his teaching post at the College of the Transfiguration! Please pray for Rhine, for his family, and for his new students and colleagues in Makhanda!

Retreat day required, so began it with pancakes, and then more of von Balthasar’s Theodrama IV (rage!), and then trying to make some headway with Klempff’s arrangements of Bach chorale preludes. Both examples of turning something lovely and life-giving into a lot of shouty hard work.

The passion flower has decided to slip the surly bonds of earth and punch the face of God. It is the gardening equivalent of an overstimulated toddler refusing to go to bed.

Brought it with me for the office, but might as well get the benefit on the journey!

I can finally say that, in a sense, I have been on the Shinkansen. @railwaymuseum.bsky.social

The kids from the church primary school have made an excellent sign for the motorists who drop people off at the church centre. However, given that this is the view from my desk, I also feel duly spiritually chastened.

8 years a priest today. Gosh I was young. And I still haven't forgotten Bishop Christine having to prod my face when I was having a little moment so that I would stick out my hands for her to anoint them.

This is a public service announcement. At the Horniman Museum in London, there is a Walrus that was taxidermied by Victorians who had never seen a Walrus, and who thought that its skin was taught rather than wrinkly, and I think it is one of the most wonderful things ever. That is all.

Ordination service 4/6 for this year done. A joy to support Rev Emily-Grace Sainsbury and Rev Phil Burns. And I have finally got to Guildford Cathedral, which is glorious and well worth the mountain climbing.

Two of those pictured here are saints. St Teilo (cranium and all!), pray for us.

Its been a really hard week. So I woke up today, wrote 1700 words about shame, pickled a cucumber and made aaaaaall the mint in our garden into a single bottle of toothpaste… err… cordial. Ive always been scared of cordial, and now I have defeated it!

Compline begins at the final ordained ministry student residential at St Augustines. Superb that we have each been handed prayer cards of St Boniface.

From the House of Bishop of the CofE's January minutes. Did the Bishop who raised this point believe: (a) that all LGBTQIA+ people are currently excommunicate, or; (b) that the sacrament of baptism administered to LGBTQIA+ people in the name of the Trinity has hitherto been of no effect?

My office at the start of the day. Could be worse. I think the experimental and more merciless prune on the Rosebush this year has worked!!!

The book of the Bank Holiday. Total delight. Really sweet, really good writing of neurodivergent characters. Like a revivifying swim for the heart.

The roses are awake. Not bad for rescues from wasteland being bulldozed. 🌱 #bloomscrolling

Passion flowers at the end of a long day. 🌱

Travelled hundreds of miles. Saw the first steam locomotive in Germany, lovingly preserved at the DB Museum. Realised it was made in Newcastle. Don’t feel cheated.

Catholic churches, lutheran churches, and sausage. Lots of sausage. Amidst the Frankfurters and Nurembergers, it would be rude not to.

In the absence of a church to clean, Holy Saturday garden cleaning is happening instead. And very prayerfully. ⚓️ 🌱 Particularly praying for #CofEpeeps as the great feast of Easter approaches.

Signs you live in a multi-priest household. ⚓️ #CofEpeeps And yes, holy week stops for birthday lunch. Although it is dairy and wheat free, so some might call it penitential.

There we go. One of our former students is officially in post. Time for the tutors to crack on with the marking avalanche from the next generation of St Augustine’s students! ⚓️ #CofEpeeps

I have a new asparagus fern for my desk. And I need a name for it. It could be called Augustus, because that name is comically inappropriate for it. Or possibly Annunciata because today is the feast of the #Annunciation. Any suggestions? #CofEpeeps 🌱 ⚓️ #wearthebadge

On this your feast, Holy Cuthbert of Lindisfarne, pray for us. Holy Aidan, Holy Bede, Holy Hilda, Holy Godric, and all the saints of Northumbria, pray for us, and for the Bishops and people of Durham and Newcastle. @helenannhartley.bsky.social

Back to the desk as the last week of the term begins.

The pincer movement of generous nuns and generous students has utterly defeated the aspiration to diet at St Augustine’s. This is lenten #theology in action! Asceticism #CofEpeeps style! ⚓️

I generally worry that I haven’t planted enough Hyacinths, but this cluster around the front door is bliss. The smell! 🌿🌱

The Allister Heath headline generator is very funny.