I’m not sure what time it is because my glasses are more than an arm’s length distance.  Christopher, my five-year-old son, has woken me with the bedside lamp aimed at interrogation level; he wants to show me how interesting the wall is when he shines the torch on it.  I concur, though my excitement diminishes as I see that it is 5.46am.  My wife Hilary has already abandoned her side of the bed and is, no doubt, slumbering softly on Christopher’s vacant mattress.  I promise to be downstairs shortly to see how the torch lights up the kitchen floor in an attempt to buy a half hour more under the duvet.  The distant sound of children’s TV appears to have brought my plan to fruition when Sophie comes into the room at pace asking if she can go to see her cousin NOW.  The etiquette prohibition of not visiting before 7.00am on a Tuesday is lost on three-year-old Sophie, so it is time to get up and see how quickly breakfast can distract from ‘I want to see my cousin Katie’.

Carrying Sophie in my arms, all is tranquil until eighteen-week-old puppy, Jess, withdraws some skin from my shins.  ‘Yes, I am happy to see you too, Jess – shall I throw your chew toy into commuter traffic?’  She is a great dog and is really good with the kids.  In one motion, I pour cereal, dispense handfuls of puppy meal and brew tea.

I use volume and repetition to get the kids dressed, supply ham and cheese for their lunches and take tea and toast to Hilary’s bedside, aiming to be Mr Wonderful (or is it to make it up for yesterday?).  Ever dutiful, I defrost the car windows before bidding adieu to wife and kids.  I skip up the steps to shave, then dash for the 5A.  The time on my two buses to work is really good for reading things, scratching out notes and seeing what the work day has in store.  I usually sit on the top deck and relish the challenge of negotiating the stairs as the bus takes a corner. 

Ashleigh, my administrative assistant, is always in the office ahead of me and always says, ‘How’s it going?’ when I arrive. I address phone messages and e-mails right away, often while swilling down another cup of tea.  Today, there is a message from Denise Wright who is on the EMBRACE committee with me. We need to decide about using the Emergency Relief Fund to cover the cost of a flight to Bulgaria at the request of Homeplus, a shelter that has been working with the person concerned. 

EMBRACE is a group of Christians from different denominations, working together to welcome, connect with and integrate newcomers to NI (people seeking asylum, refugees, migrant workers) and people from minority ethnic backgrounds living here. Edgehill works closely with EMBRACE on the Emergency Relief Fund and also in coordinating a practical project called 'Embrace on the Street'.  This initiative raises awareness of migrant destitution in Northern Ireland and provides practical assistance through the donation of clothing, bedding, toiletries and non-perishable foodstuffs. Currently these items are donated by 13 Churches from across the denominations on a rota basis throughout the year.  We make contact with the homeless shelters two weeks in advance of a collection to find out what items are urgently required and then contact the Church on the list to inform them what is needed.  The collections are delivered and sorted at the College and are distributed directly to organisations such as the Red Cross, St Vincent de Paul, Simon Community , Homeplus and the Welcome Organisation. At the moment, Glastry/Portaferry and Ballynafeigh Methodist Churches are on the rota; if your Church would like to get involved please contact the Reconciliation Office.    

I then meet with one of our ministerial students to discuss her training placement and to work out some practicalities.  I return a phone call from Father Damian Bresnahan, Provincial Councillor of the Society of African Missions. We partner with them and with the Mater Dei Institute of Education in Dublin to deliver the inter-Church ‘Exploring Theology’ course in Dromantine. 

At 11.00 am, I shuffle down to partake of my freshly baked scone and also to meet with a lady from Australia. She had heard about some of the ways I have used drama games to address issues of conflict and sectarianism and was interested in a chat. 
 
I’m then back in the office phoning Rob Fairmichael in the Inter-Church Centre and exchanging idle banter before discussing the next meeting of the All-Ireland Churches Consultative Meeting on Racism (AICCMR). The AICCMR is a sub-committee of the Inter-Church Committee on Social Issues of the Irish Inter-Church Meeting. The purpose of AICCMR is to enable the Churches in Ireland to live out a public and continuing commitment to the practices of racial justice and mutual hospitality, both within our own structures and within the structures of society as a whole.  We understand this commitment to be at the heart of a faithful proclamation and witness to the Gospel. 

Instead of lunch, I opt to go and play squash in Queen’s University.  Having dispensed with my competition, I return rosy-cheeked and respond to an email from Maureen Edmondson, who is on the College Board of Governors and serves as chairperson of the advisory group of the Reconciliation Programme. 

The rest of the afternoon is given over to the pleasing task of preparing all of the necessary reports and documentation for the forthcoming EU verification visit.  This really isn’t onerous and the EU folks have been very good to work with, especially with Ashleigh’s assistance.  The Reconciliation Programme receives nearly £300,000 over three years from the European Regional Redevelopment Fund; nearly half of this is used to cover a proportion of student fees on the theology course.

I get a phone call from one of the people who is evaluating the Reconciliation Programme; we discuss a questionnaire and setting some interview dates.  Ashleigh and I discuss work over the next couple of days and then I head off for the bus stop. 

On the bus, I look over a security clearance application for someone to work with me on the Programme in Hydebank Young Offender’s Centre.  I also make a few notes for my Queen’s lecture to Master’s students in the Research and Study Skills module.

I arrive home to leaping hugs from Christopher and Sophie and an equally energetic welcome from Jess. Since there is nothing on this evening work-wise, I light the fire and steady myself for a challenging game of hide-and-seek. 

For information on the Reconciliation Programme, e-mail us at rec@edgehillcollege.org or phone us on 028 9068 6933.