Winter Blog - Dec 08

The summer was the briefest, wettest and coldest I can remember and now we are experiencing the coldest December for 30 years - something to do with global warming no doubt. However the plus side is that I have an excuse for loading up our new wood burner stove with a mass of logs and enjoying the heat and the hot water it produces.
The last time I blogged was in July and much has happened over the last five months. Some of the most dramatic happenings have been the changes we have made to our house. We tried to move at the beginning of the year but after a while gave up unsure of the real advantages of selling and reluctant to leave a house we had already worked hard on and were beginning to enjoy. We started to look at how we could use the most of the space we had i the house and ended up having two fireplaces removed, moving my study from the second reception room to the box room and getting rid of / rearranging a lot of furniture. Although we have not finished all the work the effect has been to create a lot more space, especially in our main living room, which we are very pleased with.

Personally I have continued with most of my interests throughout the Summer and Autumn. I am still cycling to work and enjoying occasional longer trips into the Dales. Mary and I often head for the hills on my day off and have had some great walks around the Pateley Bridge area which is only 20 minutes drive from home. I have not climbed at the Wall in Leeds as much due to my climbing partners injury but hopefully we can get back to that in the New Year. At the end of the Summer I squeezed in a motor bike ride to see my Mum in South Wales, a round trip of 500 miles. The bike performed really well and I enjoyed it immensely. I stil go to the gym on a regular basis and after a bit of a lay off after returning from India I think my fitness levels are returning.
My work has been good for the most part. We have had quite a few new families, couples and individuals join the church over the Autumn and we must number about 130 members now, with Sunday morning attendance usually being aroungd the 90 - 100 mark. We have started a monthly "new attenders meal" which has been a great success. Last week we sent 80 plus Christmas Hampers out to some of the neediest families in the surrounding area, through Social Services. This must be the seventh year we have done this. We buy the foods, toys, gifts etc, pack them into decorated cardboard boxes which are then covered in polythene and coloured bowes, the effect being very Christmassy. Social workers then play at being father and mother Christmas. There are a few new initiatives in the pipleline for the new year which will, hopefuly, increase our involvement and interaction with the community.
My trip to India in October was different in many ways to the previous six. We just visited and worked in two churches / bible schools which wa a good decision because it gave us more time with those people and a greater indepth experience of what it means ot be a Christian in Northern India. Most importantly we met 40 or so church leaders from Orissa who had experienced persecution from Hindu militants. Many of these young church leaders had lost their homes as well as seeing their churches being burned down. Some even knew pastors in Orissa who had been killed. This and our experience in the other church in Haryana has envisioned us to raise funds for the pastors of Orissa and one of the Bible Schools that needs financial help.
Family news is good. Bethan is expecting her second baby in January. George is growing fast and is no longer a baby. He has dozens of words and is stringing them together to make sentences, much the same as our eldest grandson Dominic is doing as well. We see George most days and Dominic, probably a few time every month. Dan and Kim make an effort to come over and we do the same so that we don't miss out on his development. We really are very lucky to have our chidren living so close to us, but of course we can't assume that will always be the case. Owen and Kim are working hard in the Ripley Group of businesses as well as loking after different departments of the church. Owen has worked hard over the last month or two preparing and rehearsing for the first Trigger gig for three years on 20th Dec. It's the ten year anniversary of the formation of the band and they are marking it with this one off gig. Lucy is in her final year of univesity and planning to attend the Abundant Life Church Leadership Academy next year. When not in university or the bathroom she works in Ripley selling ice cream and working in the shop. Lucy helps with the worship group in church and organises the welcome team on Sunday mornings. Mary is working in Ripley several days a week and may even learn how to pull ice creams in the near future. A few weeks ago we made a nostalgic trip back to her home town of Chichester, her first journey back since her Mum's funeral four years ago. We went on from there to visit her brother David and his wife Liz on the Isle of Wight for a couple of days.
We, or rather I, occasionaly dream of retirement in four years time but cannot really see a time when I wouldn't be involved with the church in Harrogate - so will I ever retire?
What does next year hold for us? Another visit to India in October, forming new links with like minded churches in Yorks and the N.East? Seeing the church reach that tipping point where it really takes off in terms of growth? I would also like to publish a book, travel into the higher mountains of North India when I am over there next. We can expect at least one new grandchild. Lucy will graduate. Mary wants to climb Ben Nevis during our summer holiday in 09. I wonder what other lovely suprises are awaiting us? Keep reading to find out