Jude Smith

Its three years till the London Olympics begin. The stadium is coming together, the trains are getting sorted out, we're on budget, we're on time. So lets start moaning about legacy. The BBC have just thrown out the stats that people are not taking up sports like swimming and gymnastics, but they are taking up table tennis. Can I throw out a thought: in my years of teaching/ young people's work I've noticed that young people don't like doing sports that mean they have to get their bodies out. There is something about school PE which makes this worse, the struggling into kit at the very moments when your body is least in control of itself. Its only natural then that people are less keen to take up the sports which mean you have to do that daily. The way round it: I don't fully know. Better changing facilities in schools. Sportswear manufacturers making good kit for bigger people (thats a whole other point but I think thats important). Maybe assuring peop...

I went to the gym today. Not remarkable in itself, in fact before you get our hopes up none of what I am going to say is remarkable. I did over an hour of proper exercise, which has made me feel really good. I very quickly forget that its when I exercise that I think more clearly and have more zip about me. It makes me want to eat better and be more alive and alert. It normally doesn't make me want to pray (apart from that the pain might stop!) But I have been doing 2000m ergos, and they have gotten me praying. Each little clause of the Lords Prayer gets 100 m. Thats not very long but it really makes you focus on what you are praying for. So, inspired by finding some joy in exercise I have once again resolved that I am going to lose some weight. 28 pounds. Thats quite a lot for some folk but not for me, it will make me feel much healthier. I'd very much appreciate your prayers (if you are the praying type) as I go for this. Exercise is not too tricky once I get going, b...

I'm pottering my way through the West Wing (again)- mid way through series two and the plot has DEA agents kidnapped (and their rescuers killed) in I think Columbia. Bartlet calls his policy aides in mid way through the crisis and reels off some statistics about the war on drugs. He concludes with 'just say no doesn't work'. Today I did a bit of intentional mooching. I walked through the estate where the under 4's are out playing unsupervised, where the guy with the hood on the bike moved pretty quick when he saw me coming. I popped in the doctors, when I asked what can one change would make it different; I was told.. 'get them all jobs, and get them off drugs'. Just a few minutes earlier I had been talking to a lady: she started taking drugs in the sixties and has shot all her faculties and veins to pieces. She showed me the scars as she told me about her boyfriend who died tragically again with drug induced psychosis as a contributory factor. Drugs k...

The first few days of settling into this new post have had the faint hum of a fridge behind them. Those of you who have followed and commented on facebook will have a vague idea of what has been going on. To fill in gaps and for those who don't know; here is the story. When I moved in there was a fridge dumped just to the other side of a driveway by my house. I hoped the council were on the case but didn't chase them as I know authorities move slowly to do anything helpful on a housing estate. All fine until Saturday, when I got home to find a note scrawled on the fridge (picture 1). I came inside, part furious, part upset, part intrigued. I realised that my response needed to set out my stall about what I really believe about being here. Would I be vengeful? Would I run to authority? I chose what I hoped was a different way.. (pictures 2 and 3) And then I waited. It was interesting because I posted these pics on facebook and the response form other folk was amazing. ...

The ministry to which I am called. My first two posts in my new found ontological status (am I changed, I don’t know), were quite ranty I think. If I look back over my blogging thats really been my pattern, some stuff thats reflective, some thats topical, lots that ranty. And that is a huge part of who I am. One of the things that has been said to us all lots as we really prepare for ordination, is, it is you who is called, be yourself. On retreat I reread the poetic ‘Irresistible Revolution’. Before my selection conference I read the book first time and put it in the post to a friend saying, whatever I do, don’t let me not live some of this. And so I read it again, praying Lord help me to live this in the established church. Whilst on retreat, I heard that friend and prayerful co-conspirator Jo Norton had died. As a Salvation Army officer Jo’s life and work inspired me: prayer and care for the poor. Jo’s example will remain with me as I try and be me in this job. As if I needed...