These words have encouraged and nurtured me for many years, and they felt especially significant throughout my ordination weekend. Again and again, the same message seemed to emerge in different ways:

There is something about sand and sea air that is refreshing and renewing. I sometimes wonder how much Jesus would have looked out over water (Lake of Galilee in his case) and stared into the distance and prayed.

Being able to stand in that pulpit, with the children and think about what the bible is about, and how it might impact our lives now, as well as asking the children what they might preach if they were doing that this Sunday was fascinating

And this is what the church was built on - not ready made immaculate, sorted and well positioned people, but a motley crew of all sorts and misfits.