FRIDAY

New found enthusiasm continues, so decide to attack the piles of paper and general clutter that has swamped the study. Manage to catch up with the filing and delight in the sight of an empty desk-top. Make neat piles of things I need for Sunday and don’t even get put off by the thought that my first service on New Year’s Day is at 8.00am. Can’t help being rather impressed with myself.

THURSDAY

As the New Year approaches, look forward to a chance to make a fresh start after almost two years of parochial upheaval. . Spend the day in the garden, the first opportunity for months, and begin clearing away all the dead leaves. Encouraged to see signs of new life and even the first few primroses.

SATURDAY

Positive mood continues. Accompany husband to Ashburton to buy newspaper and call into second hand book shop to check recent theological acquisitions in. Come away with pile of new year reading, which includes such august titles as ‘Patterns in Comparative Religion’, ‘Christian systematic Theology’, ‘Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism’, and ‘A Theology of Hope’. Start with the latter as it seems most appropriate.

SUNDAY

Try to keep clear head for services this morning as its Epiphany at 9.00am but Plough Sunday at 11.00am. Just about manage it, despite the snow, but then loose the thread at 6.00pm, by which time it’s back to Epiphany. Accidentally put bookmark in Morning Prayer instead of Evensong. Service is identical up to the first canticle, so don’t notice anything is wrong until I announce that we’re going to sing the Venite and there’s an ominous silence from the organist. Haven’t done evensong in Holne for a while, so ask the congregation whether they normally sing it. When there’s a loud “No!” I simply assume that we say it instead. Congregation duly joins in and it’s not until we get to the end of it that I finally realise my mistake. Can’t help laughing – both at my own foolishness and at the fact that no-one had the temerity to tell me I was on the wrong page. Decide later that it’s probably wiser not to reflect too deeply on the reasons for their reticence!

MONDAY

After good weekend, Monday suddenly proves a disaster that lasts all week. Not sure whether it’s hormonal, astrological, or probably more likely, the ‘pride coming before the fall’ syndrome. Rain doesn’t help either. Needless to say desk has returned to normal, despite best intentions, and neat piles have mysteriously metamorphosed into disorganised heaps. However, refuse to give up hope entirely.

TUESDAY

Things begin to look brighter again after visit to Postbridge, where there are encouraging signs of revival. Hope is rekindled.

THURSDAY

Organist greets me at village coffee morning by singing first few lines of the Venite in my ear. Realise that it’s going to take a while to live down my Evensong mistake. Conversation continues, covering the usual wider range of topics including sermons, hearing-aids and buttock clenching. Realise that linking those three in particular is likely to make another rod for my own back when one member of the congregation suggests that if they got bored by the sermons they could close their eyes and practice the buttock clenching instead. Wish I’d never mentioned Radio Devon’s new year initiative.

SUNDAY

Arrive at Sunday again. Time to reflect on what God is trying to say to us as he looks at the disorganised heaps of our lives. Bible Readings are the call of Samuel in the Old Testament and of Philip and Nathaniel in the New Testament - invitations to ‘listen’ and to ‘come and see’. The frightening side of it is that God knows exactly what sort of people we are, and the mistakes we make. The hopeful side of it is that he still invites us to journey with him into the possibility of a new and glorious future. It’s up to us as to whether we accept the invitation or wallow around in self-pity.

Copyright © 2006 Corynne Cooper.

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