New Year - Still breathing

Happy New Year everyone - it is still only ten days old so I think I can get away with such an opening greeting. For those who have wondered whether the festive season had overwhelmed to to the extent that I had disappeared here is the reassurance that I am still breathing albeit after a period of hibernation.
Since my last blog I have been on Christmas break from college which has meant that all available time has focused on the church and our extensive programme of Christmas services interrupted from time to time by the falling of snow which necessitated some snowman building and path clearances.
All of our Christmas services were well attended by both visitors and regular folk and I hope we re-told the familiar story of the birth of Jesus in refreshing and challenging ways across the season. Certainly those who attended who received their gifts at the various pre-Christmas services - a glow stick, a bag of straw and a copy of John's gospel - had something to take away and reflect upon as well as share in the familiar carol singing and bible readings.
Our own carol singing in the neighbourhood proved a popular event and our 'choir' brought Christmas cheer to a number of our shut-in folk.
Laid low with the flu from Boxing Day, three days in bed provided a period of enforced rest which was probably necessary although I am not a good patient not least when I know I have lots I want to do and am physically not up to the challenge.
Anyway the flu has passed and we have journeyed with the Magi into the new year and the Epiphany Season. We have had three folk - local residents - visit us on Sundays and each has indicated a desire to return. We will look forward to welcoming them again.
The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity looms and this year I have been invited to preach at the parish churches and we will have an Anglican minister preach in place here. The Vicar and I will also lead a united service for our congregations which re-introduces something which has not happened in our community for 20 years or so.
Today I update this blog sitting in the college library having returned to Spurgeons for the last four weeks of the semester. Two assignments and a journal need to be completed by 31 January so I have enough to keep me occupied for the next few weeks but will doubtless find time to post another update here soon.
In the mean time the challenge remains to be still breathing....