I had a difficult day yesterday (Thursday) telling some colleagues and congregation members that I will be leaving Munster at the end of the month. There is inevitably a sense of disappointment - perhaps even (understandably) of being let down. But in this vocation one must be as true as possible to one's conscience ("Ahhh!" I hear you say, "shifting sands!") and it is no longer right for me to stand up and do what I do in the setting of the Church of England when one feels it is on a fundamentally flawed course. However, as hard as it was, just about everyone I chatted to said that they understood my position - and some even agreed with it!
Anyway all was well last night when I went out for a birthday dinner (a day late) with my chaplaincy team colleagues here. A German Indian curry is not quite what we expect back in the UK - but nevertheless it was an agreeable evening and the food was 'not bad.'
Today is a national holiday in Germany - Unity Day - so I'm taking the opportun ity to pack-up some kit to take back to the UK next week and I have a young couple calling to see me this morning to (hopefully) buy my almost brand new washing machine and fridge/freezer. A bargain at €250.- the lot!
Later today I have a great chum of mine arriving for the weekend - I haven't seen him for two years, so I had better go and buy some limes for the inevitable pints of G&T that will flow this evening