Strange weather: after a warm Thursday, it was really chilly the next two days; today it’s warm again, with bright blue sky and everything you’d expect from summer. This is the day Matthew leaves us for Cringleford and the Cracknells, which is nicely alliterative. He was at church with us this morning but stayed behind to wire up the new Matt Creber-patented PA system. Hope he hasn’t electrocuted himself. Owing to a combination of expected and unexpected absences, I found myself leading, preaching and interceding. Lesson was the feeding of the five thousand, which sums up Christianity in action pretty well, I think.

Neat link to Norwich Youth for Christ, whose barbecue Dot and I attended on Thursday evening, arriving so late that the barbecue had closed down and had to be revived. I have great admiration for director Mark Tuma, who is laid back and positive at the same time. NYFC put the principles of feeding the five thousand into action, in that they do what needs to be done without getting extra bread in first.

On Friday we had a very long lunch with the Eagles, who arrived at about 12.30pm and didn’t leave till nearly 7pm. Vicky joined us for a while, and Matt popped in. Later Dot and I were taken by Matt for an evening meal at Prezzo’s, which was very kind of him. Our protests fell on deaf ears.

Saturday we had our hair cut by Linda, and I spent much of the rest of the day writing my sermon, while Dot created a new clear area under the hedge in the garden, which was immediately occupied by the local robin.

Have just discovered my father’s father was in the army at the beginning of the 20th century – the King’s Royal Rifle Corps. He was 19 when he joined up.