what a weekend!

IMG_0694What an amazing weekend!

Gills are Champions! After an exciting season, and years of disappointment, Gills are promoted with 3 matches left to play (the first team to secure promotion from any of the leagues), and crowned Champions with one game still to play. We then celebrated as a group of ‘boys’ (while the girls went to see Dirty Dancing) with a curry and beer which is always great to do.

This orning was the APCM of St Marks. APCM’s are not renowned for their newsworthiness but today was lined with a bit of excitement as we were able to read of the load of tuff that St Mark’s is involved in positively in the community. Some established people recently have been talking of returning to ‘the glory years’ when the place was full. My reflection on those years is, however, that we got together to worship and then returned to our homes, without a lot of community engagement. Now, however, people are seriously engaged in their community …. which causes me to think to a large number of people this Christian community is ‘good news’ …. so I believe we are in the glory years and have no need to go back.

Finally my day ended with a trip up to Moot to as we put together more stuff and thoughts on developing an umbrella organisation for new monastic communities. A great meeting, lots to talk about with passionate people who simply want to follow God and see transformation in their communities … simples! It’s always an honour to be part of this group and catch up, even if it was too briefly, with my Moot friends.

That was the weekend … I’m praying the week will be as good!

We are going up!!

IMG_0682Today is a very exciting day.
The Gills are promoted.
League 1 football next season!
Top of the league for most of the season and promotion with 3 games still to play!
I can’t explain how excited I feel!
That is all!

come on sky … if you are serious … act!

Discrimination in all forms needs to be challenged head on.

I was shocked to read of Gray and Keys (and now Burtons) comments on Sian Massey over the weekend and I am quite, if I am honest,  glad that the storm is continuing so that Gray and Burton cannot just squirm out of this with an apologetic phone call and a one match suspension.

Rom Atkinson was equally discriminatory a while back and had the dignity to realise he needed to go and resigned. He was probably going to be sacked. Why are the comments from Gray and Burton being treated differently? This is discrimination which has caused pain and outrage which surely needs to be dealt with decisively.

If this only results in a slap on the wrist and the loss of one or two television fees what sort of message does this send to our young people? What does it say to the rest of the world about how we value each other? How can we challenge prejudice and injustice in other parts of the world when we allow and tolerate blatant discrimination in our own sports and media?

Come on Sky … if you really are appalled by these comments act decisively!

I flipping love football!

The atmosphere,
the look of joy on peoples faces,
the result …
the second away win of the season …
but
of course
THIS was the game all Gills fans wanted to win,
this was Barnet,
managed by Stimson,
the man we love to blame!

The stadium erupting
‘you’ll be sacked in the morning’
I think even some Barnet may fans may have joined in!

Good banter, good fun,
The Gills are on the up!

first time I’ve been able to blog football for a very long time!

Thanks Jay, Lucy and Tom for a great evening!

Great times


It’s a week one – but still I smile.
Gillingham 2 – Millwall 0.
I’ve kept quiet this week on the blog but this photo brought it all back to me.
The sheer joy of the occasion for Gills fans.
In the box behind me on Saturday were a lot of Millwall fans.
One was Phil, who was in my youth group something like 20 years ago!
He was telling how Millwall were going to walk it before the whistle.
This picture catches me turning round clapping while Phil, hands on head, is staring up at the roof in exasperation!
I’ve highlighted the bit in red for all to see.
It brings a smile back to my face eve now!!!
(if you are wondering why I am up so ridiculously early on a Saturday it’s because I have just dropped Tom off at the rail station who is now on his way to Leeds to watch Gills hopefully put up another good performance!)

The Gills are going up!!


What an amazing day we had at Wembley.
Gills thoroughly deserved the win … and leaving it to the 90th minute added to the excitement.
It was fantastic being 1 of 32 000 Gillingham fans who made the Wembley pilgrimage!
Photos on facebook for interested parties taken with iPhone.
C’mon you Gills!

we’re off to wembley!

Happy Days


The Gills … on the road to Wembley!!
C’mon you Gillssss!

Gills go 2nd!!!!!!

I want to keep a permanent record of this (to see the reality click the pic!!)
I think it’s worth breaking my Lent blog ‘silence’ for.
Up the Gills

The weekend …


sometimes a picture can say a thousand words and cause a big grin on your face!