Maybe I’m too old for this ministry thing?

Ouch! I’m having real trouble walking today. Whatever those muscles in our thighs are … well, mine have decided not to work. Or, at least, not to work without protest and pain.

I blame Kidz Unplugged. A session is run at the Riddells Creek Uniting Church, and yesterday morning I went down to help. I was fine with the walking and running and twisting and rolling and doing the Hokey-Pokey – but the jumping like a frog? I’m too old for that sort of stuff. And pre- have so much energy.

Over morning tea one of the mothers thanked me for being there. Because spending a couple of hours playing with toddlers and holding a three-month-old until she fell asleep in my arms is such a hardship!

Having a holiday – or, why I think I may be a minor rain god

My very first Easter Sunday Service was wonderful. (I mean, the first one I’ve led as a minister, rather than the first one I’ve attended.) There was a moment in the vestry when I looked at the elder on duty and said, “Why did I think having a baptism on Easter Sunday was a good idea? I don’t care what the early Christians did!” (Which was: baptise catechumens at the Easter Vigil after years of preparation. When I was approached late last year by a girl in the congregation about baptism I suggested that we follow that practice as closely as possible and baptise here at Easter.) But the service, with baptism and eucharist all went well; the girl being baptised, an eleven-year-old, made her responses beautifully and meaningfully; everything flowed.

Culture Watch

A couple of notes to show what a highly cultured person I am.

Books

Today was my day in Parkville, having a class at the Jesuit Theological College. After three hours of deep and meaningful thoughts about the missions of Peter and Paul I wandered over the Lygon Street to recharge (despite living in the Macedon Ranges I really am still a Lygon Street person). Browsing through Book Affair (large second-hand bookshop on Elgin Street) I noticed that they had introduced a new section. Next to the Fantasy and Horror sections was the brand new section: Vampire Literature.