IDC goes to the printers

Over the last couple of weeks I have been putting together my first Brook House Booklet. It's called Ingleton's Dickensian Characters (IDC for short).

It has been a distinct learning curve. When I first went to see Andrew, the printer in Bentham, I didn't even know how to put an A5 (half A4) size booklet onto Publisher. He showed me and I got started.

Now the Master Copy is ready. This is a day earlier than I originally put into my business plan.

YES! I have a business plan! It's just a sheet of paper with deadlines to work to, but it is a great help.

The unit cost is £1.00 per copy from the printer and I am selling them at £2.00 each. I have ordered 100 copies so I hope they will sell well in a week's time at the Late Night Shopping Evening in Ingleton.

Now I'll have to get marketing.

I got Pix

I took delivery of a camera yesterday.

It is this one:

It's about as big as its picture which was a surprise.

Nevertheless I have taken some pix with it of the inner sanctum of Brook House.

Now I am off to get pictures for my first Brook House Publishing publication Ingleton's Dickensian Characters.

O Pete did you forget?

I have just got back from leading the Monday AM Prayer Meeting at IMC. I have done it for six months now but today I forgot.

I was so intensely concentrating on a little Bible Study I was doing on work that I forgot to go and lead the prayer meeting.

The old enemy of our souls has fooled us into thinking that these two vital ingredients of Christian life (prayer and Bible Study) are the most boring and tedious pastimes on God's earth. So we think they should be avoided at all costs. And that is just what he wants. Because if disciples aren't reading and studying the Bible or joining in prayer together then they are like a car which is not firing on all cylinders. It works but it doesn't work well.

So what have I learned from this morning's mistake? Set an alarm for the Monday AM Prayer meeting and don't neglect it. I do so at my peril.

WELCOME to the new look site

Well, I warned you.

Here is a new look site for you.

I hope you enjoy it as much as the old version.

The idea's the same. It's just the look that's different.

Like preaching the Gospel in a 21 st century context really.

Warning: Things are going to change round here

I have decided that I am going to change the look of this blog.

It needs a makeover. But I wanted to warn you before I did it.

One of the things I hate about the internet world is unplanned changes. So I am warning you:

Next time things will be different.

And another doctor said..

I had to go and see a doctor about my Incapacity Benefit this morning.

He asked some strange questions which didn't seem to have anything to do with depression.

For instance, he enquired if I made the tea and helped around the house. What's that got to do with anything?

Another seemingly unrelated question was what I like to watch on TV. Why did he ask these things?

Well, I'll see if I gave the right answers in a few weeks time.

More now

Well here I am back at home after my race round Britain.

It was fun and I learned a lot.

The highlights:

Sitting in a small group setting in the Chapel at Harpenden Oval listening to people from all over England and many different denominations. They said they were all seeing the same thing: Growth through small groups. God is on the move.

Martin Robinson from Together in Mission was in the group and said something along these lines: When the church was in decline, you knew what was going on. Now so much is happening you can't keep up with it.

That got me thinking. There should be some means by which the Christian people of this country become aware of what God is doing.

The second highlight was sitting amongst 2500 men in Bradford listening to Paul Scanlon talk about his relationship with his dad. It was very moving. The theme of the conference was I am not my father.

Fascinating insights on both occasions.

What is God saying to me?