Presenting Christ

Rembrandt's Simeon holding Jesus

Forty days after his birth, Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the temple at Jerusalem (Luke 2.22-40), and today, 40 days after Christmas Day, the church celebrates the festival of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, as we did today at St James.

We welcomed babies from two families today for baptism at today's family service and in her talk Penny skilfully made links between today's baptism service and the events in the temple of Jerusalem two thousand years age.

Today we also had an expanded music group who played brilliantly  and there was quite a lot of interest in next week's Men's Breakfast, when barber-turned-vicar, Rev Les Wells is going to speak on 'how I delivered a baby in my living room' at what we have modestly called 'the best breakfast in Bermondsey.'

In the interests of equality, the next thing is to organise a breakfast for the ladies - who, incidentally, have already indicated that they are not so keen on the traditional 'fry-up' as the blokes.

We may have to go for something healthy. Possibly even fruit.