When you are preparing to go away, say on holiday, how does it work for you? For me you ask? Well for as long as possible I pretend it is not happening and carry on driven by my diary, the phone and meetings. Please don’t read that wrongly, I generally enjoy my work, and even in those places where it is challenging I still gain a degree of satisfaction in having done my best.

Anyway back to holiday and going away. I guess that the first sign that I taking the idea seriously is to claim some space in my diary and decide where, and if necessary book the travel and accommodation. The former is essential if you intend leaving the country, and sometimes cheaper if you are staying at home. I do remember the first time we set out for some time in the Highlands of Scotland with no where booked to stay on the way there and back. It was quite an adventure, helped enormously by the Tourist Centres.

But then as the day draws near mixed feeling, excitement, anticipation, never be ready, most get this done before I go… well I leave you to add to the list. I’ve learned one or two things as I go along which help me.

• First, I will not get everything done before I go, so do what is really necessary for the well being of others and for the good of the holiday and go.
• Take enough with you to enjoy heat and wet and cold (the latter two these days generally means some good reading – I glad that I am a slow reader because books weigh heavy).

Holidays as I am sure you are all aware were and maybe still should be Holy Days. So when I look back at those long Summer holidays in my Grandma’s caravan at Sheerness, at weeks camped at Pounds gate on the edge of Dartmoor, at journeys to Iona off the West cost of Scotland, at flying off to Sydney, Australia I can see that they have all enriched my life. I know I am fortunate and hope I am thankful. But then I wonder what really makes for Holy Days?

That seems to be a prompt to indicate that the Methodist Conference is meeting in Wolverhampton 4-9th July, and from the 6-9th sessions in the Civic Hall will be generally open to the public. We will talk about climate change and discipleship on Tuesday in the morning. On Sunday we will worship and in that context receive our new ministers, deacons and presbyters, into Full Connexion before they are ordained in various part of the region in the after noon. On Sunday, Conference Praise in St Peter’s Wolverhampton at 7.30pm and all are welcome. If you want to know more about Conference you can follow links from the District web site, listen on line.

So even if you can’t go far, enjoy some Holy days.

Yours in love,

Bill Anderson

       Ordinands testimony Service at Four Oaks
               

Network officers for the District with National President at Nuneaton
                

Open air worship after pilgrimage to Boardsley Abbey nr Redditch
            

Clematis at 36!