Well, it's goodbye from me and it's goodbye from you. But is it? I shall remain a part of you as you will of me. I take many good memories and, because I've tried to make you think and consider your faith, I hope I leave good memories behind. However it is not total bereavement as I can still be around if you are unshepherded, and I will remain in touch or could return to run a parish weekend to keep you on your toes. Perhaps "Consultant to the Hillsides" is a possibility?

How the Diocese will cover the Hillside Parishes, as they were called when I was licensed to them, I know not. I think you must take stock of what you want and make determined and serious suggestions. Keep what is good and works, and bin what doesn't. I suspect how solvent you are and that will have a major bearing on your future. Good luck and let us all pray about it.

What am I going to do? I intend to take early retirement whilst there is still some pension left before it is reduced, and freelance as a sculptor with a bias towards being a resource for the Church along the lines of the booklet Liz and I wrote, Sculpture, Prayer & Scripture. This is aimed at running Quiet Days, Quiet Gardens, Parish Days, Retreats etc with an input from sculpture and to develop and deepen the individual's spirituality and use of the Bible.

What is Liz going to do? She will be full time tutor at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford, for the foreseeable future, teaching Prayer, Spirituality & Mission. We hope to live on the edge of a village just outside Oxford to the East. She will still keep her column in the C of E Newspaper.

And Felix? Well, off to school is his only option and what we saw of the schools, great and small, which impressed all three of us. They all run breakfast and after school clubs too.

The dogs? There is some beating and shooting down there but as we all prefer the Grouse Moors we hope to return and do a few days on the Moors each year. I've links there going back over 30 years and my Theology of Shooting book has its roots up there………

You will find that at the Churchwardens' Meeting we decided from September to ease into a pattern of one service per Sunday at 1030hrs rotating round the whole group, except those Sundays that I am here and not moving house. Evensongs will go by the board unless by local demand the churchwarden is prevailed upon to take it, and those wanting it undertake to support it. We also hope the singing group will be available most of those Sundays to lead the choral part of the worship. As I've said to the churchwardens I will return to take those weddings I have prepared to date until 31/05/08. I shall only return to do funerals for those who have asked me and have stated it in their wills, as I have no intention of being selective! There is now a bi-monthly house communion at Miss Yarker's in Kepwick that I hope will continue, and I hope some of the parents will take the initiative to continue Godly Play that Liz started on a regular basis.

So, every good wish from Liz, Felix and myself and now all the churches have sound roofs on them please do not let them fall into disuse! Worship in spirit and in truth.