While I was minister for the Armidale Congregation of the
Uniting Church, the content was easy—sermons and the occasional prayer written
in the course of my work. What should it evolve to now that I am Principal of
Grace College? The sermons are less frequent; and that makes the content both
more open to other possibilities and more reliant on focussed attention to the
blog as blog.
It has never been my intention to let it lapse. Apart from
anything else, my biggest fan and self-appointed President of my Fan Club, Doug
H. at Nambucca would not allow it! Ah, the pressures of celebrity status?!
Satisfied that I have at least one “Gladdie” out there in the listening
audience for my version of “Late Night Live”, I am encouraged to continue. And
as it happens MAD-e-Lena is about to
be resurrected just in time for Easter and in my third month of a new placement
(rather than “on the third day”). There is something about the ancient rhythms
and routines of the faith that govern our lives despite our best worst efforts.
So,
I shall begin with a tale of madeleines (another not so ancient tradition of
writers—this times of those with Proustian pretensions who do not know when to
stop!). With apologies to Doug for the fact that MAD-e-Lena may never quite be the same again, let me tell you the
story of the origin of the name.
