Covenanting and Accountability

Coventry Cathedral (ruins)

This morning was the usual monthly breakfast for the United Church clergy here in River City. Due to a fortuitous series of circumstances (and two good friends), I have been lucky enough to have been "adopted" as part of this group. I think I know as much about what's going in the UCC as I do in the MCC.

Anyway, we discussed continuing the breakfasts during the summer, as many people go away or have fewer services during the summer. I mentioned that I had hoped to take the first weekend in August off, as our GLBT Pride celebration is the weekend before and the church is having all kinds of special events, including hosting one of our denomination's evangelists and a concert... However, a couple wanted to have their wedding that weekend, and finances being what they are, I couldn't turn it down.

But, I said this morning to a group of clergy (I should have known better), "I AM going to take a week off in August and do something special."

So now they are holding me accountable for that.

I love fellow clergy.

Oops. I did it again, didn't I?
(No, I'm not channeling Britney here)

OK. You folks can hold me accountable too.

Now. Can someone offer ideas on where to go? I'd love to visit England again...my son was there with his father last year, and it reminded me of how much I loved it when I was there before. I have a couple of friends there I could visit, my niece and her family moving to Oxford, places I haven't been, things I've read about since. I haven't been to Coventry, for example. I haven't been to the Lake District or the Isle of Man or northern Wales. I want to see some literary sites, like Haworth Parsonage (the Brontes) and Lichfield (Samuel Johnson) and Bath again (Jane Austen) and Portsmouth (Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-Maturin novels). I haven't been to Gloucester or Birmingham or Manchester or Sheffield, for that matter. I haven't seen the Millennium Dome. I want to go back to York. And of course there's London... But the issue there is cost. And I don't think a week would be long enough, given that list.

I could go to my favourite retreat center...I've been talking about going back there. I could visit friends in California. Or go to Cottage Country. Well, nix that last one. I don't think I want to do that one alone. The others would be fine alone.

I have thought about taking my vacation at home...but being part-time, that's too much like just being at home.

Well, I've got a couple of months to think about it. And to take your ideas into consideration. Best idea (i.e., value for money) wins my undying gratitude. Anyone who figures out how I can get to England for a week or two without going into massive debt gets a photo of me with an overjoyed smile at their favourite GB landmark!

Now there's an inducement...

But I will be taking that week off....somewhere.