A is for Archbishop as well as A.I.

Last night my first 'covid passport' expired and as we have a matinee concert performance to attend at the RWCMD this afternoon, renewal was my priority after breakfast. I failed to get a result from the NHS digital app on my phone which referred me to NHS Wales digital equivalent without providing a weblink that would land me exactly on the page I needed. Or if it was there, it was somewhat obscured from plain view by too much irrelevant advisory text. I had to google the correct page on my PC to reach where I needed to be, and then it was straightforward to download and put on both my phones. Perhaps I'm just old and stupid, but perhaps some stupid old digital feud between governmental IT silos of the four nations is the reason.

In this week's diocesan newsletter was a short greeting video from newly elected Archbishop of Wales, Andy John, Bishop of Bangor. It's not a contentious appointment, but he's a safe pair of hands coming into office as the Province presses ahead reforming the structure of its entire parochial system, with one Benefice the size of a conventional area Deanery in many cases replacing individual Parishes many of which were probably carved from the larger area Deanery centuries ago. Why a 'Ministry Area' structure needed to be overlaid on the existing historic entity is hard to see. Admittedly demographic and social changes have occurred that make some ancient Deaneries boundaries irrelevant. They could have been tinkered with, but I suspect that would be more expensive legally than overlaying a new Ministry Area structure on a grouping of churches and then dissolving the ancient structure in one fell swoop.

Really, it's the way the plan has been implemented which is a problem for some. Some churches which have fought hard to survive, want to stay as they are and feel they will lose their identity, alleging their members have not had enough say in this decision. Others are now too impoverished and weak to care. Llandaff diocese has been a slow starter in this process. Pressure to complete has come at the most inopportune time during the pandemic, but more seriously because it can no longer afford to pay an adequate number of parochial clergy. 

A heart-breakingly difficult dilemma, as harsh as that faced by British churches at the reformation, when monasteries were dissolved, and monks who served as parish clergy were deprived of a living if they couldn't adapt to new vernacular liturgy or loyalty to the state. Some clerics are farced with redundancy and early retirement, or offered part time posts with free accommodation. Others are non-stipendiary clergy already or young enough to make a new career in secular employ, whether they want to, or not. It's been coming and avoided for as long as I have been in ministry. I retrained as a teacher forty years ago with that in mind, but somehow it never happened in my full time work life, and here I am in my seventies often working the equivalent of a half time minister's hours as a volunteer, and happy to do so.

While Clare had her online piano lesson, I listened to last Wednesdays Reith lecture about the use of A.I. in warfare, and what a challenge it is to agree global banning status for autonomous 'killer robots' that is equal to the ban on chemical and biological weapons, as different interested parties have different ideas of what autonomy consists of. Superpower governments are the most reluctant to agree to a universal ban for fear others will develop them in order to get the upper hand in the global strategic situation. 

The thought of killer drones that can use A.I. to select individuals based on facial recognition and target them for assassination with greater precision than a remotely operated unmanned aerial vehicle, is really disturbing. Tiny drones are already in development that can carry out covert surveillance, even indoors, and swarms of tiny light bearing drones performing aerial ballet were used in this year's Olympic games opening and closing ceremonies demonstrating the huge advances in remote control which have been made in the past few years.

After her lesson, Clare went to school for a couple of hours and I cooked lunch ready for her return. We had tickets for the matinee performance of the students' Christmas concert at the Royal Welsh College at three and walked over there through Bute Park. To my surprise, it turned out to be a full Christmas Carol concert accompanied by the College Big Band with fresh arrangements of a wide range of well known carols done in full strength music theatre mode, with jazzy swinging gospel numbers and fast moving choreographed ensemble singing by groups of singers and soloists. 

Everything was sympathetically re-interpreted and delivered with astounding energy. I was feeling rather jaded when I arrived but invigorated and awake when we left. I wanted to jump up, clap and shout hallelujah, but I'm not sure if that would have been deemed appropriate in an audience of staff members, elderly patrons like us, and just a selection of students (it was being live streamed for other students and family members around the world). Whether they were believers or not, they put conviction, heart and soul into performing in a way that seems lacking in church services.

I'd like to think that performing songs of faith so excellently might work its own miracle on those taking part. It's long been known that taking part in a passion play can lead a sceptic or someone going through a barren patch to a spiritual awakening. From my own experience I can say that the more I've preached and taught, the more confident in faith I've become without ever losing my natural scepticism and desire to test and question all religious assertions. I believe and hope this can also be true for others.

The sun was setting in a clear blue sky as we walked into town for some shopping before going home. With all the Christmas illuminations and streets full of brightly decorated market stalls, it was quite an enchanting scene. After supper, I settled down and watched a couple of episodes of the third series of 'Crossing Lines', ad free on the computer. There are major changes of cast in the new series, due to some characters being killed off, or disappearing from sight for reasons inexplicable so far. Only three characters from the first two series re-appear, and are joined by three more. Intriguing stuff.

Now we're covid passport holders

After downloading my digital covid passport last night, I heard the news that the Welsh Government has now made showing this pass a requirement of attending theatres and convert venues, as well as clubs. It came as a complete surprise, though it's understandable as the infection statistics in Wales aren't reducing as hoped for.  Clare set to work on registering to obtain hers after I returned from celebrating Mass at Saint German's this morning. Interestingly enough, confirmation of her verification by face recognition email  took six hours to arrive, whereas mine, yesterday evening took a matter of minutes.

I had a most disconcerting experience during Mass. When I began to read the collect and scriptures from the daily lectionary book, admittedly small print, my eyes wouldn't focus well enough to be able to read the text. It's the first time this has happened. I know I need bright light to read by, and generally speaking with the correct reading glassed can tackle small print. St German's is blessed with much natural light and with electric lights are more than enough for ordinary purposes. I haven't had this problem there before but this morning the sky was dark grey and the light levels low enough for my eyes not to work properly. 

It was a most distressing experience, which fortunately everyone took in their stride. It was something to do with the cataracts I am waiting to have dealt with I think. Anyway, Clare has come up with a small clip on LED light that can attach to the edge of a book cover and shine directly on the page. That should make a difference in future.

When I was trying to help Clare with her covid pass application, a realised there was a problem with her computer which she had noticed but put up with uncomplainingly hitherto. The window minimisation sequence seemed not to work. It seemed just to close a window instead. I searched the Linux Mint forum and discovered that the toolbar at the bottom of the page has lots more ways to configure than I have ever realised, and one of these is the facility to display minimised windows or not. It was switched off! As soon as a switched it on, a dozen minimised windows became visible and needed closing because redundant. It seems odd that something like that would be switched off by default.

We had a lovely salmon soup for lunch as Clare had bought a month's worth of fish at Ashton's to freeze. Then for supper we had some laver bread, with a slice of organic sourdough rye bread which I bought in Beanfreaks when I went to collect Clare's weekly order.

In the evening we watched 'The Repair Shop' and Scottish crimme 'Shetland' before bringing the day to an end. I'm wondering how it is going to be possible to curb the covid infection rate if vaccinations don't turn out to be the hoped for magic bullet. Social distancing is becoming a thing of the past and mask wearing even where obligatory seems more like optional. Breaking news tonight from COP26, where the USA and China, the world's top industrial polluters, have agreed to work in partnership on carbon reduction, though it is far to soon to understand how this will work out.