So, here we are at the end of 2019.  Which means, for those of us reading the Bible through in a year, we're just coming to the end of Zechariah with Malachi still to go, end of Revelation, finish off the Psalms and Proverbs, before then going back to the beginning on January 1st - Genesis, Matthew, and the beginning of Psalms and Proverbs.  I've kept this going for some years now, to the point where leaving the house without reading the Bible is on a par with leaving the house without brushing my teeth, it's just not something I would do.

So, the general election has come and gone, returning a large Conservative majority.  On Thursday Her Majesty the Queen made her speech setting out the legislative programme for the coming year.

I would like to pick up on one point which, as far as I can make out, politicians and journalists regard as completely uncontroversial.  The Conservative party manifesto (pages 21-22) promised an 'Australian style points based system' for immigration which will prioritise, among other things, people who 'have good education and qualifications', looking to attract also 'the entrepreneurs of the future who want to start great businesses here in the UK'.

The UK has a general election on Thursday.  I put my own political and personal feelings to one side at this time, if your wish to know what they are, by all means ask by private message!  If I may I would like to share with you the prayers I led at St James's Bramley near Basingstoke on Sunday, it is very important to me that you cannot tell from these prayers how I am intending to vote - or what my view is on Brexit, for that matter.  At all times, in all places, in all things, to God be the glory!

Greetings from Luwero District, Uganda!  Visiting the Kampala Christian Orphanage, home to about 60 girls and boys aged 3-10, has been a wonderful privilege, I've particularly enjoyed encouraging them to read outside of normal school time:

You have my solemn word this picture is not staged!  They asked for the books, a small collection I was able to buy locally, and sat down and started to read - or in the case of the younger children, follow the story through pictures.  No easy feat reading in English when your mother tongue is Ugandan.

Here I am in Uganda!  Such a fantastic place to be.  Arrived on Monday having forgotten how horrible flying is - well, fun the first few times, but the grind of security, long queues, hanging around, being herded from one place to another.  Travel is very definitely a means to an end as far as I'm concerned, fantastic to be in other places but the process leaves a great deal to be desired....

And visiting the Kampala Christian Orphanage!  The children are fantastic, know in general terms the kind of stories which mean that children end up living in orphanages (not necessarily because both birth parents have passed away) but don't know - and think it's best not to know - any details of the individual children who come across as happy, friendly, loving children who love to play and show every sign of enjoying the extra attention I'm able to give them, occasionally getting into scraps with each other.

Desires, I suggest, come in two broad categories.

Dear Dr Welby,

Can I introduce myself as a lifelong member of the Anglican Church, brought up in a clergy home and, with two brief periods away, a communicant member of Anglican churches throughout adult life.

Over the years I've kept an eye on press coverage concerning you and your predecessors.  Have to say, being the Archbishop of Canterbury must be one of the toughest jobs in the world.  Whatever you do, at least 2/3 of your members will disagree, whilst non-members will consider you irrelevant, out of touch, or even evil.

One of my colleagues, of a similar age to me, told me of a recent conversation with one of our pupils, in which he was trying to explain what life was like in the days, well within our memory, before video recorders, let alone DVD, multichannel TV, on demand services such as Netflix and iplayer.  "So what you're saying," the pupil asked, eyes open wide in sheer wonder, "is that, when you were my age, if you wanted to watch a certain programme, you had to be in at a particular time to do so?

Some months ago my head of year told me that a group of boys, including a number from my tutor group and others from my maths group, were organising an event to raise money for charity  Fantastic!  Pupils taking the initiative, looking to help others whilst promoting a sense of community, developing organisational skills and having fun all at the same time.  Which teacher wouldn't want actively to encourage this kind of undertaking?

 

And the event itself?  A football match.