Welcome to The Chaplains Corner!
Rev Dominic Hubbuck
My role at the Federation involves supporting the spiritual input, faith development and the pastoral care of everyone in the school community.
My background before being ordained was working with children, young people and families. It has often included play, creating safe spaces for families and supporting people to explore faith as they do life.’
I love Musicals. My family less so.
I sing songs from them, listen to them on my phone, have been to see some in the West End over the years,
and watch them on the telly when I have chance. And one of my favourites is The Sound of Music.
I still love the songs and especially ‘So Long, Farewell’
I wonder if you’re like the old clips of Wonder Woman who spins really fast to change from one thing into another.
Or Superman running into a phone box and exits changed and ready for the next thing.
Or Batman or Batgirl who slides down their poles and their complete wardrobe and mindset has altered.
When we were young, we used to make mix tapes.
Recording tracks of music off the radio or albums that we had.
Creating our own album of music to listen to in the car, in our room or in even more romantic circumstances – to a friend.
We would share tapes that summed up how were feeling or what most said ‘This is Me!’
Some days it is really slow going.
It feels like hard work to get up and get going.
The day seems to take extra energy to get momentum, to find traction and to gain ground.
It’s days like these we are thoughtful for the things we have lost and the moments missed.
But that’s not a bad thing.
I wonder who or what you will welcome this week.
Will it be other people into the place where you are or will it be new things into your life.
I remember the moment I welcomed Jesus into my life. But you can ask me about that later.
I remember the refuse collectors at 7am this morning and in my heart,
I welcomed them into the street as our bins definitely need emptying in this warm weather.
As I go into school this week, other people will welcome me too.
And we welcome in so many different ways – if we imagine the word meaning ‘well come’ or good visit then so many people have cleaned, sanitised readied rooms and prepared so much for people to arrive.
As we now get to the stage of being able to welcome others into our gardens and our homes, we also welcome many back into our lives that we have not seen for a very long time.
And I wonder what welcome we will have ready for these people.
But what about those that have very few people to welcome them? And what about those who have struggled with the time we have been through and will struggle again to get slowly back into our communities again. And those that have lost more than we did?
My wallet is full of them. There’s more of them than money to be honest.
Not moths as my wife might comment: Cards!
Membership cards, loyalty cards, points cards, stamp cards, lots of them.
And they tell a story of two things –
If there’s something free that you can get then I’ll work for it.
I’m part of many different things and have evidence to show my support for them in some way.
We are a Lego family.
It is everywhere. On shelves, in cupboards, even under foot.
There is not a room in our house without Lego in it.
These small plastic building blocks are part of the building blocks of our family life.
I wonder what building blocks are part of your family life.
‘Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.’ Luke 18:16.
This is part of the Gospel reading set out for today.
It is a timely reminder of the care we give our children and young people and the nurturing we do of them and their faith.
I don’t know whether you had picked up yet that I have a real thing about JOY.
Joy is not about excited, exuberant, ecstatic moments with fireworks being let off and million-pound mansions being won in prize draws.
Joy is not about belly laughing all the time, crying tears of laughter and doubled up with the pain of it.
It’s the little things in life sometimes that bring the most joy.
It happens every year and it comes with some excitement.
And the excitement comes in different parts.
As we near the summer, so the time has come to look for the summer hats.
We have a selection of large straw ones, some caps that have fabric that covers your neck, and a few that look like you should be found fishing.
Alongside those people being coached by personal trainers in the park, there are lots and lots of dogs being walked.
The occasional huge hound surrounded by small yappy type dogs, sometimes several on the same lead.
Slow plodders being overtaken by quick young things.
And even the smallest, cutest puppies – excited and overwhelmed by their surrounding in equal measure.