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On a rather dull and damp May Day Bank Holiday Monday I decided to venture out into the Derbyshire Dales (partly because my new fleet car is arriving earlier than anticipated and I had some fuel to use up). It was an excellent day, I just set the SatNav for a village in the Dales and then just went where I felt like – it was all a bit random and serendipitous! In true English fashion I took a flask of coffee with me, although I did end up in Ashbourne having a cappuccino after some chips! Lunch was an excellent salmon roll and salad for only £1.40 in Hartington Village Hall, and while there I dropped into a flower festival in the village church. Hartington also has an excellent cheese shop, and temptation got the better of me! The highlight of the day was a visit to Dovedale, somewhere I hadn’t been back to since a school outing many years ago. Health and safety legislation has increased since those days, and so the famous stepping stones are now higher and flatter! Check out my complete photoset here or just the best ones here.

I have a theory about choosing a church! It’s firmly tongue-in-cheek, but with an element of truth! Yes, you need culturally relevant and uplifting spiritual worship! Yes, you need a challenging Bible message that relates the timeless truths to the reality of the world today! Yes, you need a warm welcome and true Christian fellowship! But, ultimately, it comes down to the quality of the after service refreshments!

When I visit a church and make my way to the refreshments, only to be confronted with Rich Tea biscuits and cheap coffee – my heart sinks! Digestive biscuits and decent instant coffee are a minimum requirement! Hobnobs are even better, chocolate hobnobs are a big improvement, and specialist biscuits from Marks and Spencer with real coffee is the height of church refreshments! I was pleased to share in a Sunday Eucharist at Leicester Cathedral this morning. The worship was good, the Bible message excellent, the fellowship warm, and the refreshments included chocolate digestive biscuits with fresh coffee! Well done Leicester Cathedral!

Note: Since I posted this a friend on Twitter pointed out some evidence for my theory!

One day last week I was introduced to a homeless man by John Coster (a friend of mine and @citizenseye on Twitter). Over a cup of coffee in Kona Blue Coffee we chatted about various aspects of homelessness, and I offered what help, support and advice I could. Imagine my surprise then, when I found out today from John that he was a clergyman and charity worker for Action Homeless who had gone undercover to experience what it is like for those who live on the streets! Reverend Tim Blewitt went undercover to highlight the plight of people sleeping rough in Leicester. He had a sleeping bag and sheltered under a tree on some of the coldest nights of the year, not an experience he is keen to repeat, although he said that the highlights were the acts of kindness by strangers. Surely a reminder to always look out for those we can help in our day to day lives, and to perform those random acts of kindness. See Tim’s blog here: www.hidingintheopenleicester.blogspot.com