photo update

i've just uploaded a burst of recent pics onto my flickr account. to explain such an 'ecclesia':

- me reading in our basement in front of the washing machine. yes, i know it's odd, but it's a habit left over from days when i had to use a laundrette. actually i am normally hypnotised by the action of the machine cleaning my clothes and meditating as follows: is there enough detergent? is there too much detergent? how grey will the water get? is that my old shirt in there? will it get that stain out? is there enough detergent?

- burns night at estelle's. i had the honour of giving the address to the haggis, that great chieftain o' the puddin' race.

- hayling island (various). mrs hope and i spent a week at the vineyard national leaders conference at hayling island (which is near portsmouth). we had a wonderful time with old friends, had the pleasure of meeting and making several new friends, the pleasure of celebrating God and his goodness with our vineyard family and the privilege of hearing wise and challenging words from our extended church family. we also had time to indulge my interest in glorious old war machines like HMS Victory, who is in dry dock at portsmouth's historical naval docks... makes me want to watch Master and Commander again!

- dancing girls in plymouth. the saturday following the conference, we travelled down to plymouth to help out at a Great Big God kid's event. part of the superiority of children's worship to adult worship is found in the acceptable involvement of your entire body with worshipping God. these girls led the way with great aplomb, and i managed to catch them in rehersal.

- latte at clements. this past weekend found us on the beautiful causeway coast of northern ireland. we were with our immediate network of via centres (and affiliates) for a teaching weekend. it was wonderful for us to gather together with our fellow travellers on the way, to hear and to share encouraging stories and experiences. we had most of a day to while away in belfast city centre. i learnt the appropriate expression for my low temperature was 'foundering', and then had the not small pleasure of this latte to alleviate this.