So, in this blog I am supposed to tell you about my day and what I get up to! Of course, no two days are the same for a pastor so let me offer you a smattering of what’s going on this week.
My week kicks off with a coffee and a fresh page of my notebook: dated and entitled “to do”. I write up my (expanding) list and draw nice big boxes to tick off my achievements. This week I have a funeral and Sunday sermon preparation at the top of the list. Many years ago, a wise person illustrated their planning with a bucket, sand, rocks and pebbles. “How do you get everything in?” they asked. The answer: biggest stones first then pebbles and sand. Try it for yourself.
So, I make space for the big, unseen, God focussed items first. There are always many noisy nagging little demands and distractions begging for attention, but I fight them off and fit them around the other stuff.
It is an immense privilege and awesome responsibility to deliver God’s word week by week. It’s one I take very seriously and carve out focussed and uninterrupted time as a weekly priority. It seems even more vital in today’s world that QPBC is a church of Word and Spirit, anchored solidly in scripture and empowered by the Spirit. So, I like to get into sermon preparation on a Monday morning if possible. That way thoughts and prayers are percolating through my head throughout the whole week. It’s not something I find natural or easy, so some weeks my brain is a furious whirlwind as I cry out to God asking, “what on earth do you want me to say about this?”. Usually there is a turning point when my anguish turns to revelation and an assurance of the Spirit that this is where things are going.
To remain fresh and not simply repeat the QP back catalogue I read more generally, take notes and squirrel away my thoughts and reflections for a moment when they might be required. Currently I am working my way through “The Unseen Realm” by Michael J Heiser and learning about the Nephilim and Rephaim, and other strange and supernatural creatures of the Old Testament… Coming to a sermon near you soon!
On the list this week is leading a funeral, and time to plan our Sunday prayer to kick off Prayer Surge (12:30pm in the sanctuary area after the service: come and join in!). This blog was not on my list… but our Tuesday afternoon team meeting is a great reminder of who is doing what this week.
Like many of you, every day includes digital whack-a-mole with emails, WhatsApps and every form of messaging just shy of pigeon-post streaming into all manner of digital inboxes. Don’t believe what you hear! Most of you are super-nice and encouraging in your correspondence.
This is also annual staff review season, so I am meeting with our SLT and some of our lovely staff to discuss what they are up to and why! This week we also have an extra SLT meeting – you can pray for us – it’s tonight (Thursday) and I had minutes and agendas and papers to get out to everyone and we have some decisions to make!
Planning events, gathering teams and publicising what we are doing together is a big role for our staff in a church like QPBC. So, I am grateful to be assisting Nick Fletcher with Alpha and not carrying it all myself – thanks Nick! This week we have a training evening.
Most weeks you will find me trying to find a parking space at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital or some other health establishment, or popping in to see someone at home.
Did I mention there is a sermon and blog (!) to do?
Somewhere in this, Anne and I may find time for a walk together and I may even get a couple of runs in to resist the creeping tide of physical decrepitude. I am generally good at taking my days off so we may see our kids or hack back the jungle that we call a garden.
Of course I could not get through this week on my own. So, this week the blog comes sponsored and supported by
The Macaulay family, the QP team, the power of the Holy Spirit and many great cups of coffee.