A cold moonlit night, but not quite below freezing. Low cloud returned to cover the sky by the time I got up to start the day, making it feel colder than yesterday when is was minus 3C. I went to St Catherine's to celebrate the Parish Eucharist, I think for the first time this year. We began with Iona, Ministry Area lay co-chair reading the Bishop's announcement about the appointment of Fr Andrew Sully as Ministry Area leader, to be licensed on 25th March next.
He's currently acting Director of Christian Aid in Wales, and is the Bishop's husband. Both of them started ministry at the same time in Monmouth diocese 30 years ago. I was at the Vigil for Gaza in the Cathedral, which he organised six weeks ago, and formed a favourable impression of him. We're fortunate to have someone of his calibre with lengthy experience of the Church in Wales.
An email was waiting for me when I got home from Fr Stewart with the announcement of the new Parish Priest for St German's, Canon Jarel Robinson Brown, coming from St Botolph's in the city of London, but with links to Wales, about which I know nothing, but he's an honorary Canon of Bangor Cathedral. That's the second piece of great news in one memorable day. Next Friday an appointment should be made for the priest to be in charge of St Peter's and St Luke's. By next March, I will have worked myself out of both locum roles I have occupied for the past couple of years.
I didn't sleep too well last night, and after lunch, went to be for an hour, then walked for three quarters of an hour under my brolly, as the cloud was so low across the city that there was, shall we say, a persistently thick misty drizzle, cold and unpleasant, like walking on a mountain top enveloped in cloud, something I haven't done since we took Rhiannon by train to the summit of Rochers de Naye in Switzerland in 2018.
Fortunately it clearest somewhat by the time I went out to St John's for the switch-on of the Christmas tree and illuminations around St John's Crescent, and lantern processions with Sunday School kids at the start. There must have been 150 people present, if not more. Outside the church there was a stall serving pizzas freshly baked in a small wood burning oven. Indoors, a stall served crepes, there was free mulled wine and mince pies as well, and a local band playing Christmas music. A very merry event.
As I was chatting near the door, Fr Andrew arrived. We recognised each other and greeted me warmly. It was such a pleasure to be the first to welcome him into the church. He walked down from Llandaff rather than cycle in the rain. Bishop Mary came by car and arrived in time for the five thirty ceremony. It seems he was aware of my publicity efforts on Sway, and complemented me. I said I was looking forward to training my successor, once he's persuaded someone to take on the job! Later, he introduced me to Bishop Mary, and I was pleased to learn of her world church experience, and connection with USPG. Wonderful that he was able to join us on the day his appointment was made public and appear publicly with his wife.
I returned home in time for supper and the Archers, then spent the rest of the evening binge watching three episodes of Rocco Schiavone, all linked into one lengthy story. Time to relax after a busy week.
It seems the third day of hostage exchange is proceeding as intended, after the return of the second batch was delayed until late evening yesterday. On both days, mention has been made of the return of Thai hostages, of whom little mention has been made in our news media until now. It seems there are 23 Thais among those captured. A large number of Thais have been working in the agricultural sector in Southern Israel, many of them were killed in the Hamas onslaught. Their release after negotiation has been secured without precondition, an indication that they're of no value to their captors.
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