Olympic Anticipation and more...

"You can tell it's the first day back after the half-term holiday," said a deputy headteacher after I finished this morning's school assembly. For me it was certainly challenging as I tried to keep the interest of nearly a hundred 4 to 7 year olds - and I could only agree: "Well, I'm glad you've got them for the rest of the day!"

Perhaps it was the subject I took (fish and fishermen called to be disciples). As I drove to school I passed the notices which have appeared along the main roads of both my parishes warning us of severe delays and road closures next Saturday as the Olympic Torch Relay comes to County Durham. Maybe I should have talked about the Olympics - though I suspect I'd have had only about as much success in failing to quell the various hotspots of post-holiday conversation.

But certainly Olympic  anticipation is in the air. The Torch enters County Durham over the bridge into Shotley Bridge at 16.04 on Saturday 16th June - and then it's uphill through Blackhill to Consett. Leaving Consett the Torch is carried through The Grove, Moorside and Castleside then turning left at St. John's Church towards Rowley (there's a timing of 16.54 at Gill View, so presumably about 5p.m. at St. John's.). So I'm really pretty chuffed that it's going the full distance through both our parishes.

And both parishes are celebrating. In Shotley Bridge the Business and Community Partnership has activities and celebrations throughout the afternoon from 1p.m. - more  about this on the Village Trust's website and its poster. In Castleside the school has activities through the morning - and in the afternoon St. John's Church is offering Strawberry Teas from 2.30p.m. (another poster here).

Meanwhile the sermons section of this blog has been updated - and you can go direct to Rosie Junemann's sermon for yesterday by clicking here.