Bill Donoghue's Blog

On a recent holiday to Granada in Spain I had the pleasure of being able to spend the entire time relaxing. It was funny on my first day there I was walking at hectic london pace trying to see the city sites, however I soon realised that I did'nt need to be in a hurry for anything. From that moment on I disciplined myslef to relax and enjoyed.

I have now been back in the Tera Firma of London for a week, which has given me time to reflect on the recent trip to Uganda and Rwanda.

Everyday in uganda, I seem to have the pleasure of meeting another bishop. in fact I have met more bishops in the last 5 days than I have in previous 26 years of my existence, including a random encounter on Kampala street with the bishop of Toronto.
We have now conducted five interviews with more to come on friday and already have a couple of really good candidates. The busy scheduele has seen us travel 140 miles north to Soroti where on sunday morning Robert preached and I led worship, then back to Kampala, then yesterday we drove 8 hours to the south of uganda and are joined by eighty clergymen and more bishops for a conference on islam. The countryside here is stunning and later this week we will be treking up a mountain which we are all looking forward to.

We are have arrived and are safe and well in Uganda. Upon arrival Amanda and I were immediately of to meet the Archbishop of Uganda, and bizarely got to sit in on a very important meeting of his clergy. Highlight for me was the Bishop insisiting that I sat next to him, saying "it is not everyday thaat you get to sit with an arch bishop. We managed to remember ettiquite but to our embarressment and the bishops amusement both Amanda and I managed to nod of in our tiredness.

Tomorrow myself and my colleague Amanda Walker have the priviledge of travelling to Uganda. We are being sent out there for ten days from All Saints to interview prospective PUMPS (All Saints Volunteer Placement Scheme), and to assist at a training conference for church leaders all over Uganda at which I will be leading worship.
Me and Amanda are both excited and a little daunted by this trip but no doubt it will be fruitful as we really believe God is opening up some exciting opportunities for us as a church in Uganda.

When the All Saints staff leave Peckham it seems carnege ensues and this years Christmas party was preseeded by a competition of fitting as many people into phone box as possible and the use of train luggage racks as a bed.

Last night was our annual All Saints Community Carol Service and it was a faestive firecracker of a show. The Carol Service was a culmination of a week long morning outreach to the commuters of Peckham Rye Station which is opposite the church, with members of the church serenading the commuters with carols whilst handing out candy canes inviting them to the carol service. This project has seen amazing fruit in the past and is a very exciting outreach project.

Christmas is fast approaching like an unstopable jaggernaut. Here we are gearing up for our many Christmas activities, and I've been rehersing the choir for our annual Carol Service.
Whilst preparing the carols that we are going to be singing this Christmas I became increasingly aware of the amazing treasures and truths that are contained within so many of our old Hyms and carols. The words that they often use are so rich with theology, oozing with the truth of who God. Take O come all Ye Faithful, it feels like many of the lines come straight out of the Nicene Creed.

Hi now is the time to make my blogging debut and thus enable my friends around the world to stay in touch and keep up to date with what is happening in the funny old life of Bill Donoghue and in the life of All Saints Church here in Peckham.
I've now been working on the staff here at All Saints as Worship Director for 2 months. So far although challenging, it has been a real priviledge to working amongst a people and church who are so dedicated to seeing God move and bring the lost to himslef here in Peckham.