Re-starting 'God on Mondays'

We re-started God on Mondays this afternoon, with half the usual numbers. The weather is very cold and the possibility of snow makes people want to scurry off home, but it Candlemass was a good occasion to get going again, with a fresh order of service for the pre-Lent period, and a new song to teach everyone.

Quite a few of the children attending regularly will be moving up to comprehensive school this autumn. I was reminded of this by the pile of school enquiry forms I had to fill in on their behalf as soon as term started. They've been keen participants at 'God on Mondays'. It was easy to recommend them for a place in a church secondary school, where demand outstrips available places. It will be quite a challenge to re-build regular attendance at this service when the next school year starts.

I hope my successor as Vicar will consider it worthwhile to continue holding Family Services in the school, no matter what the format. It may be only a small minority of parents and children that attend, but there are also the teachers who come regularly, and seem to enjoy doing so. They too deserve far more time and attention than it's been possible to give them.