In quick succession this morning I had a follow up blood test, and a consultation with Dr Jordan about last weekend's little medical drama. My gall bladder has resumed normal functioning now and is no longer inflamed, but I have been booked in for a scan, and an urgent follow through visit to the 'bum doctor', as we call him. Heaven knows how long the waiting list is.
I'd rather be a patient in the true sense of what that means, than need to be a medical client as I was in Switzerland, and have to pay for treatment. OK, I probably am mean most of the time, but I believe so strongly in the values and principles of the NHS, and look forward to the election a a government which refuses on principle to privatise large sections of the health service, often in a way detrimental to users and real efficiency of service.
After the doctor's visit a short walk across the road to St Catherine's to celebrate the Eucharist, for the first time in two weeks for a congregations of four. It gave me great pleasure to be back at the altar again. With the ups and downs of my health at the moment, it feels like a gift to be able to carry on offering a little support to the ministry of my home parish.
The newsletter of the Friends of St John's City Parish Church arrived today, bearing news of the death of another of one of the elderly faithful who have been the prayerful backbone of the church over the past fifteen years, Mary Jones was in her late eighties and still active until recently. Sadly her funeral was a few days after my return, and I didn't hear about this until today. She was always appreciative of my ministry, and any time I visited St John's she'd ask me when I was coming again, in the hope that I'd become their a locum priest. I've filled in there on occasional weekdays at short notice, but it's been left to Eddy and Sally Davies to carry the continuity of ministry during the last two interrgna, so they've been in good hands.
St John's is about to welcome its third priest in the eight years since I retired - that's as long as I served there. I hope the new priest will settle and enjoy as long and happy ministry there as I did.
The newsletter of the Friends of St John's City Parish Church arrived today, bearing news of the death of another of one of the elderly faithful who have been the prayerful backbone of the church over the past fifteen years, Mary Jones was in her late eighties and still active until recently. Sadly her funeral was a few days after my return, and I didn't hear about this until today. She was always appreciative of my ministry, and any time I visited St John's she'd ask me when I was coming again, in the hope that I'd become their a locum priest. I've filled in there on occasional weekdays at short notice, but it's been left to Eddy and Sally Davies to carry the continuity of ministry during the last two interrgna, so they've been in good hands.
St John's is about to welcome its third priest in the eight years since I retired - that's as long as I served there. I hope the new priest will settle and enjoy as long and happy ministry there as I did.
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