I switched the radio on when I got up at eight fifteen and was surprised and delighted to hear that today's Sunday Worship programme was coming from Llandaff Cathedral with Bishop Mary preaching, Jason the new Dean and his clergy colleagues contributing to a service celebrating the 'Eco-Church initiative which has been embraced by Cathedral Staff and members of all ages. Some work is being done to root out invasive species from the churchyard and replant with native trees. Large parts of the older cemetery have been left to go wild over decades. Now properly managed now this is a haven of biodiversity.
Plans are in place to install an air source heat pump system, to replace the broken electrical underfloor heating system. This reminded me that fifteen years ago, when I was at St John's and the revenue from St James' church sale became available, I persuaded the church wardens to approach a company specialising in heat pump systems. We'd got as far as ruling out a ground source system, and had just been introduced to the idea of an air source system, which was at that time a new idea, at least to me. Sadly at that time the installation of roof top solar panels on three of the huge south facing roof surfaces available was regarded as out of the question on a Grade One listed building. I wonder if this has changed since?
All this came to pass as I approached retirement. I didn't want to stay on until I was seventy. The thought of passing my final years in public ministry pursuing such an innovation given the bureaucratic mountain that would have to be scaled didn't seem worthwhile compared to the new horizon presented by voluntary ministry as a pensioner, which I have enjoyed since, I hoped whoever followed me would see the value of picking up on the proposition where I left off. But that didn't happen. It rarely does.
It was an overcast start to the day, with the threat of heavy rain to come. After we arrived at St Catherine's for the Eucharist the heavens opened. It stopped by the end of the service, and gutters were overflowing with water on the way home, drains blocked with uncleared fallen leaves. Fr Tristan Hughes preached on safeguarding as a Gospel value. His wife and young son came with him, also his parents. His father Berw was in St Mike's at the same time as I was and ordained a year ahead of me. At 82, he's still active in Bangor diocese where he's spent his entire ministry. How few, we reflected, are people from those days either of us are still in touch with fifty five years on.
While we were chatting, Roger came up to me and asked if I was going to Derek Belcher's funeral in Port Talbot on Thursday this week. This was how I learned of the demise of an old friend. When he was Rector of Cowbridge Team Ministry I took services in most of the eight village churches in his care when he was recovering from major surgery. Fortunately I'm free to attend the funeral Mass in St Theodore's Port Talbot this Thursday, so Roger and I will go together in our car. He was both a scholar and a pastor, with degrees in Theology and Canon Law, and served on diocesan and provincial bodies of the church in Wales. He trained as a counsellor and even set up a counselling service in the Vale, but he was plagued with ill-health for much of his later life, losing a kidney and a leg to diabetes. I learned from Angela at St German's one his home parish church, that he died of a heart attack, having been on home dialysis for many months, Making it to 74 was perhaps his last achievement. May he rest in peace and rise in glory.
Amazingly I slept for an hour and three quarters after lunch, following what I thought was a good night's sleep. While I was unconscious, a strong wind from the west drove the cloud away over Offa's Dyke and left us with late afternoon sunshine for our walks in the park. Clare went out while I was asleep and we met in the park when she was on her way back for tea and cake. It was sunset when I got back, at ten past six with another haiku composed while walking. Such fun! The nights really seem to be drawing in now, and it seems even earlier if it's overcast all day, so this afternoon's late walk was a blessing. I need to make an effort to get out for exercise earlier in the day in the coming weeks.
A quiet evening after supper, writing, reflecting, remembering, appreciating all that life has given me to experience. More for good than for ill. For this too I am grateful.
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