… 25 years ago I was ordained as a Deacon by + David Shepperd in Liverpool Cathedral – pictured above with yours truly and his wife Grace.

Deacons are ordained to serve and today I give thanks for the parishes where I have served: St. Mary-the-Virgin, West Derby, St. Margaret’s, Anfield, St. Nicholas, Heythrop and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital; and the wonderful parishes of Chadlington, Ascott, Spelsbury and Enstone that I am privileged to continue to serve in the Chase Benefice.

So how have I celebrated my anniversary?  It has been a ‘normal day’ – visiting parishioners, finalising another faculty application, attending to emails and writing the bulletin for this coming Sunday.  I also had lunch with our Area Dean, before she carried out her inspection of the newly re-ordered St. Kenelm’s Church, Enstone. Sally gave me a gift to celebrate my anniversary:  just what every priest needs – a bar of Pope Soap!

I feel truly blessed. In the words of Dag Hammarskjöld:

For all that has been, thanks.

For that shall be, yes.