The Pink Vicar - Rachel Noel
@ThePinkVicar
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Creative, colourful, vibrant, pink priest. Passionate about energy, joy, enthusiasm of living life with ADHD, Asthma, Autism and Bipolar
Bournemouth, UK
Joined July 2020
@natsantonia But who knows, another pandemic may happen, and you may find yourself wanting to melt an old paschal candle from church to create a lent candle for each person to use at home. Last time that happened, it turned out that the 72 pots I had just weren't quite enough!
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@DrHannahBelcher If there weren’t so much risk in doing so, because it would be misinterpreted, it’s this sort of letter that makes me want to turn up to a psychiatrist appointment in evening dress, or dressed up as a fairy or a butterfly.
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I thought I would share with you my write up and the final image of Our Lady, Undoer of Knots. (The original Our Lady, Undoer of knots, has one silky ribbon and a lot less knots! Figure the world needs prayers that can handle a whole lot of messy knots!).
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So grateful for my bishop @debbiesellin for leading a beautiful service today, affirming my ordination. I go to sleep tonight with a deep, deep sense of peace. ‘God has called you by name and made you his own’
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Walked to bathroom, washed face and brushed teeth at a sink. No added oxygen. Feeling a lot more human. Hoping I may get to go home tomorrow :)
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So grateful for friend that realised noise cancelling headphones would help, and delivered them to hospital. Feeling a bit more possible to keep finding a way through this. Still on oxygen, hoping stats improve soon. #ActuallyAutistic #COVID19
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10 minute brisk walk. I didn’t have to stop, no chest pain. Significant moment in Covid recovery (Covid day 103)🙂#covid
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Some exciting news to share, subject to checks and clearances, in the autumn I will be licensed as Priest in Charge at St James Church, Pokesdown in Bournemouth. @CofEWinchester
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In tears watching @BBC Panorama, Is the Church Racist? There is still so far to go, around race. I'm not sure we've even got started re disability, neurodiversity or mental health. Ticking time bombs for @churchofengland ?.
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I am blessed with a very wise daughter. This is the letter she wrote me 6 years ago, aged 8, ahead of me leading a Remembrance service.
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Very glad to be home again. Trying to find energy to climb up the stairs and sleep in my own bed. And then tomorrow, no more steroids, so hoping rest will be even more possible. Thank you all for your kindness, encouragement, support and prayers over the last week.
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On a mix of oxygen, steroids, nebulisers and antibiotics. So grateful for NHS. Still on breathing vs mental health tightrope; but no longer seem to be getting worse :).
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Covid at home team sent for ambulance, now in southampton respiratory assessment. Hoping meds start to kick in soon on breathing.
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I suspect you may be as relieved as I to know that I had amazing GP appt this morning, who praised how well I’ve handled it since state of me on Friday to now, how well the Bishops have responded (yes, I have found some awesome grown up bishops). I have meds :)
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Does anyone know the protocol for dealing with a mouldy Jesus?
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Seen the doctor. I’m well enough to not need hospital care; which is amazing news. He clearly knows me quite well though, as he made sure I was listening when he explained that I’m still not very well at all, and will need to be off work for several weeks to continue recovery.
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Thank you to everyone that is reading and sharing @MadsDavies @ChurchTimes article about autism and the church. For a subject that is so often considered niche / too difficult, it's great to see it currently appearing in the most popular reads this week.
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So happy, now we’ve got furniture in the right place and stuff unpacked, now getting pictures on the wall. Our lady is in her new home :)
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Speechless with joy, incredible gift from someone in my 8am congregation. Gutted that I’m not well enough to be at church today and use these fabulous vestments for Gaudete Sunday (not usually worn with PJs & fluffy slippers…#COVID19) looking forward to being well enough in Lent
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You may recognise one of the authors of one of the letters to the editor in this week's Church Times. after appalling article previous week re disability/neurodivergence/labels etc
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I did a thing this weekend… I’ve now got a new parish to love. I’m not sure it’s going to happen every Sunday, but this Sunday lots of them wore pink :) @CofEWinchester.
Thank you to the Rev'd. Debbie Sellin @debbiesellin, Bishop of Southampton, who presided over the Licensing of our Priest-in-Charge, Rev'd. Rachel Noël @ThePinkVicar, on Sunday 2nd October 2022 at St. James' Church. It was a wonderful occasion.
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I'm having a particularly tough afternoon. I need your pinkest, sparkliest, butterfly prayers please. xx.
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@ChurchTimes Is there not some deep irony in charging £10 for this particular webinar, with no online way of self-selecting a lower price if the cost might exclude. when you're going to be talking about how social background may affect someone's experience of church community?.
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Blown away by the wonderfully thoughtful ‘pink vicar survival kit’ that I’ve been given today by the Junior School. The start of endings here, before moving to Pokesdown in the autumn.
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20 years ago, I was pregnant & didn't know if child would survive. It didn't. Christmas day miscarriage. 7 years ago, Christmas Eve, I started reacting atypically to antidepressants. mania. followed by so many other's fear and ignorance. This year, presence, peace, gift of me
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In tears as I listen to Archbishop talking at General Synod. 'Our failures in safeguarding, in racism, in the way we treat those with disabilities or anyone we see as other are being tackled not nearly as well or as quickly as we all want. @JustinWelby @GenSyn #ActuallyAutistic.
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Thank you @MadsDavies for sharing autistic stories, for helping to open up the conversation about the breadth of experiences. Hoping we can continue to challenge myths and stereotypes, that so often leave autistics seen as 'other' and somehow a bit 'less'.
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I forgot to take any photos earlier. This is the face of a happy, tired vicar after preaching & leading my first Eucharist here at @SJamesPokesdown. I feel as if I have come home in so many ways - ready to ‘Go in peace’
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So delighted to have a few days away with my daughter. First time in nearly three years due to pandemic & my challenges with covid/ long covid. A joy to be by the sea in Cornwall again :)
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7 years ago, I was finally home after psychiatric hospital. Soon after this was when I started to get diagnoses, understanding more of who I have always been. So grateful today for friends and family who have supported me throughout. (& Eeyore). Today. a streaming cold.
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I’ve driven through fog and rain, my phone assures me it’s august & not November. Lovely to be in Cornwall and see Linda. Some of the beautiful flowers in her garden.
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My new painting, restore joy. Based on the sculpture of the woman at the well, in Chester Cathedral.
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Covid / long Covid emergence continues. Today I can fit into my boots again 🙂
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An absolute joy to be in Truro Cathedral this afternoon as my amazing friend @RevSimonR was installed as Dean. Do look at the online service for great sermon from Steven Stuckes. So great to see Sue & Malcolm Praying for continued wisdom, courage & joy for Simon in this role
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Back in Leicester this week for the @churchofengland Enabling Leaders programme. A pilot leadership development programme for disabled and neurodivergent leaders. Glad to be here, tired this morning!
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As an overweight, autistic, adhd, bipolar, 48 yr old woman, accessing health services can be frustrating. 1st I have to prove that I'm not manic (I do speak fast), that symptoms I'm experiencing might not just be related to weight or menopause. Today was a good health service day.
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An absolute joy this evening to get our youth confirmation group started. One of those moments when you know you're called to the right parish. neurodivergents outnumbered neurotypicals tonight. Joy, questions, faith, fidget toys, pizza @SJamesPokesdown @CofEWinchester
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Feeling much more my usual self today. Dropped daughter at school, dyed my hair back to its usual pinky purple, met with churchwarden & LLM at home, and now met with a few people at diocese. All shall be well :)
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Yay, I have a GP appointment for later this morning. By lunchtime, with any luck, I should have all the meds I need. That will help with possibility of relaxing. I've got a massage booked between now and GP. All shall be well.
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Sensory regulation starting to return. When I’m really regulated my preferred light is bright. Since I’ve been home I've had to be in low light conditions. Really glad to be starting to ground again. It’s going to take a little while. Yes, wearing black, to help with regulation
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@jaybird_pizza @JayHulmePoet I think there will be a second hand lectern available soon from downing street :).
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@MadsDavies It would be great to include a conversation about working hours / days. Working 6 days a week instead of the 5 that others work, means 52 less days per year for catching up with friends / family / doing life-giving things / sleeping than most people.
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@Ministry_Tim I would add training around trauma and neurodivergence to this programme, both of which affect the way that people communicate. So many of our systems are set up to assume able-bodied, neurotypical, no trauma people in the process - people then excluded for not doing it "right".
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A huge thank you to Jonathan Richmond & family for the beautiful rose vestments they gave me in memory of their lovely Mum, Olive. Unfortunately I was ill last advent & lent from covid, in Pennington - so their first outing was today in Pokesdown 🙂 #advent #GaudeteSunday
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Relieved that tech is coming together for today’s @livingedgeconf Wholly, Holey, Holy, #WHHoly So glad to support this 11th @inclusivechurch Disability Conference - drawing together and resourcing disabled christians in this country & beyond.
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So thankful for our fire crews and responders. Fire on the common opposite Vicarage / next to churchyard this afternoon. Thankfully crews got the fire under control… wasn’t at all sure we’d be able to sleep in our beds tonight.
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After mess of vicarage house move last year / tail end of builders, we have finally extracted out table from underneath builders mess / garage, and starting to get it back into a usable state :) day off… sunshine :)
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Home after a week on silent retreat. I really struggled with silence this week, glad I persevered. My reinterpretation of Jesus icon with a brightly coloured lost sheep - not sure that I wanted him to take me back to the 99 though -church / institution recovery still in progress!
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A beautiful day, birthday breakfast at the beach :)
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Please @churchofengland stop making all the disabled people have to keep doing all the work. It is absolutely exhausting to keep having to name it / address it / to ask to be taken seriously as human beings. So much of how we work, our language, our interactions are ableist.
I am so tired of seemingly being alone in noticing and acting on the persistent casual ableism in *gestures at everything * church. It's exhausting.It's microaggressions.
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Thank you @ClergySupportUK for a great training day on Clergy Wellbeing. Proud to be part of @CofEWinchester (first time I think I've ever said that), with both our bishops @debbiesellin & @DavidGWilliams & Archdeacon there for the whole day too. Real, honest conversations. #hope.
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I think they need bigger desks at #SST2023 I’ve run out of crochet space! What an amazing day of sessions, Kelly Douglas Brown, @mikehigton, @xden1977, Jane Chevous, Olabise Obamakin, @alex_clareyoung, @hodgehillvicar, Ruth Harley. Such rich, exciting, thoughtful conversations
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Today is brought to you, sponsored by coughing & paracetamol, great conversations at @SST_Theology committee meeting - I love their commitment to finding way to draw in diverse voices into theology conversation… during zoom, I finished crocheting an octopus hat :)
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Glad to be in Leicester at the first Diocesan Disability Advisors (DDA) conference. Thank you for inviting me @KtTup No, @CofEWinchester doesn’t have a DDA…in 2007 General Synod declared that all dioceses should have a named, trained, resourced advisor… 16 years. not there yet
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Delighted to welcome crochet HRH QEII to the Hedge at Pennington :) Relieved to have got it finished before Jubilee! Apple clearly thinks it looks human, as it attempts face recognition on the crochet :)
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Diocese announces formation of an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Group. I am encouraged. Only aspect of diversity mentioned is race. I am incensed. If this is a Racism taskforce, then name it as such. No evidence yet that actually serious about diversity. @churchofengland.
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"The beauty of listening is that, those who are listened to start feeling accepted, start taking their words more seriously and discovering their own true selves." (Nouwen) Thank you Bishop Philip, for your gift of listening today. Precious gift. @pmounstephen.
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I was chatting with people on @PremierRadio last week, about neurodivergence & church. Would love to hear your stories too.
Does the Church exclude the neurodivergent community? 🤔. @ThePinkVicar is an ordained minister who as an adult was diagnosed with Bipolar and ADHD. She describes how difficult it can be for a neurodiverse person to sit through a typical Sunday service.
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Feeling angry with Anglican twitter today. There is far more outrage around rubber ducks in church, than there is about the institutional abuse of autistic people that is still going on in the UK today. Priorities?!
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Great zoom meeting this morning. I may also have made good progress sharpening pencils for children’s church.
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I wish that were true. I have yet to encounter the institution being self-aware, nor admitting wrong. I continue to live in hope. Today, I choose to hold onto hope. But the self-denial in this institution is still large. @JustinWelby @synod #ActuallyAutistic.
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It's been an 'interesting' few weeks. I needed something fun &creative to help prepare for Christmas. I love the community of Pokesdown, who joined in wholeheartedly. this is me today, with the heavenly host, an added bucket of tinsel & 50m of lights :) @SJamesPokesdown
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@natsantonia Although clearly I have been collecting since then… this is my inside kitchen collecting box…. that then feeds the bigger collecting box in the garage… I don’t want to be short of pots next time!
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There seems to be a twitter thing of cool photos of people as we do our day jobs. I'm not sure I've ever managed to pull off cool, but this was a fab day at work. Community summer fair, photo taken as I was given the end of the slushy machine, and just as we started hymns & pimms
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Praying for all at General Synod this week, for the courage to be uncomfortable, to face each other, to pray together, and to be open to the Holy Spirit at work, even through our institutions.
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Went out for a sneaky premier inn breakfast on this Christmas morning, and then off to church. Happy Christmas everyone
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Thank you so much to everyone that came to the service today, marking the end of my ministry here in Pennington. Thank you for all your kind wishes & gifts, and for the delicious spread of tasty cakes in the churchyard. I’m tired now and will most likely sleep for a while!
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When I applied for this post I said that one of my most relevant qualifications was my Blue Peter badge. It’s been fab to have about 160 children through church today, to take part in making a giant coronation crown. Here’s hoping the glue dries! This is state of my table :)
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Yay, I was able to sit through most of a church service today… nearly through sensory regulation :) Hopefully will be leading services again next week. This afternoon have had fun with beginnings of a creative project.
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Just about to start three weeks of leave. I have treated myself to new pink pens :)
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I had flu & covid jabs yesterday. This is me this morning. So grateful for the NHS, and the vaccines. Also posted, a pic of me in hospital 2 years ago with covid / covid pneumonia. I’ll take vaccine side effects as a gift. (Still recovering from wake of actual covid / long covid)
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This is what self-care looks like tonight. Really hoping for a good night’s sleep. I am soooooooooo tired
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@RevRichardColes I still have my blue peter badge :) :) When I applied for my most recent vicar job, when asked for my list of qualifications, I said that this was probably my most relevant one :).
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Breakfast from my room with a view. No added oxygen, and stats seem to have settled. Still wired on steroids, hoping I may be able to go home soon.
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@1Schoolhouse My *most normal* special interest is crochet. Sometimes I crochet quite a lot and quite large. so perhaps taking it from a 'normal' interest, to something a bit special :)
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Re-regulating after intense week is going really well. 10 hours sleep last night without zopiclone. (Just 2 wake ups & chose sleep rather than words). This morning sitting with fruits of Sep retreat at St Beuno’s, the lost sheep being held, Jesus has my back.
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Fab birthday. I was reunited with some stitching that I did nearly five years ago & in an exhibition. I thought it had been lost. A very lovely surprise, that someone had posted to my previous address, and passed on by new curate. The joy & freedom of my daughter on a swing.
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Regular followers will know that one of the ways I handle interesting times is breakfast. Today’s breakfast is M&S, with gift of joyful child nearby we played peekaboo, restoring the joy in my soul. Light, sound, so breakfast is also accompanied by my hoodie and loop ear plugs.
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Somehow #SSTYarn people @scott_midson and I have both found ourselves elected to be part of the committee for @SST_Theology, along with some other amazing people including @selinarstone Proud to be a part of this organisation, opening up theological conversation & thought & yarn!
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Happy new year to all you fabulous people. Looking forward to embracing the new year with you all, just as you are, with all our wonderful blends of strengths & gifts, challenges & needs, and beautiful quirks. Here’s to all the adventures awaiting us in 2024 :)
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I'm so sick of this 'attendance counts' mantra, that is closing down neurodivergent and mental health conversations, that hides the complexity of situations, that is forcing schools and parents to pressure children and young people, driving up anxiety & stress - to what gain?.
Last year he dragged himself to school because of threats. This year he is dead…. Would be more accurate…. Autistic children “mask” out of pride. They are taught that their terror doesn’t matter so they conceal it (if they can even process it). And - the truth is - The DfE
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Beautiful to be in Cornwall for a few days, ahead of fabulous @RevSimonR’s installation as Dean of @TruroCathedral on Sunday. The sun almost always shines when I come to Cornwall, staying with my godmother. Today is no exception… but there is an added sprinkling of snow :)
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Look. topological crochet. who knew there was such a thing. beautiful, amazing. there's an online class to learn how to do it! thank you @peterbowyer for noticing it.
Topological Crochet is back and better than ever!.Book a series of four online sessions now at and learn how to make a mind-bending decoration such as those shown below. Sessions begin January 4. 🧶🪡. #MoMath #Crochet #Math #MathArt #OnlineCourse
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I’m tired. Oh so tired. Lots of plans still fluid re house move to new vicarage / school. However, fish now there, upstairs is carpeted, & first coat of paint on E’s bedroom wall. I move family there tomorrow to camp while I deal with removals stuff. Nearly there… (v tired)
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Looking for something else on my computer and just came across this picture from the early days of when we were married. I'm guessing this is 24 years ago? Thought I'd share the happy memory :)
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Yes! This!.One of the things that hasn't happened again this year is Christmas cards. I love designing, printing, writing christmas cards. I'm sad that yet again this year, it's not happened. However, glad I took the pressure off this year. I'm glad I know you, however I know you
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Really excited seeing the fab appointments @Westcott_House wish I could train again, I know where I would choose! Amazing team @revhelend with @kmrodonnell, Jenny Leith and Renie Chow Choy joining the team in September. Exciting to see how this develops :).
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Eh?! apparently bipolar disorder is now trendy?. that's not been my experience. of all the 'labels' I've accumulated, this is the one where I encounter the most fear, ignorance, misunderstanding and stigma when people know about it. Trendy? not sure I've seen that. .
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Delighted to be at @WinCathedral today for our new Bishop’s installation; exciting as a new season starts here @CofEWinchester Parish trip out with my awesome church warden and LLM @SJamesPokesdown
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Home from livestreaming neighbouring parish midnight mass, joining with #ClergyMaltClub. Are we nearly there yet?
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Really grateful for Lisa Oakley’s paper this morning - ‘Who holds the power and where is it held? An exploration of spiritual and domestic abuse.’ Some great questions to be left with. A call for honesty and integrity, for opening up conversations. (Blanket is growing) #SST2023
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Prof David Fergusson, ‘the power of God, it’s use and abuse as a theological concept’… and a spot of crochet. #SST2023
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Today has included painting, resting, glove shopping with E and trying to source medication. I’m so glad that the scene has shifted in the diocese, I have been held, supported and encouraged. TBTG. I’m looking forward to another good night’s sleep tonight.
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Curled up in bed with crochet. Struggling with second week in conference space. I hit complete sensory shutdown this afternoon. A long time since that happened. It felt that access needs are taken more seriously for visible disabilities than invisible. Tired.
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