Frantic writing for IVP continues, so only a small hello and an encouragement from me today. I’m about to head off on my annual pilgrimage to the Proc Trust Minsters’ Wives conference. I shall report back on what the well dressed vicar’s wife is wearing this season.
But I wanted to let you know that we briefly saw Gone in church on Sunday morning. He was happy and tidy and seemed well and hadn’t been drinking. He waved his house keys at us but said he was having a little trouble budgetting his electric and his bacon had gone off in the fridge. We were very pleased to see him. The Vicar asked him to come back later so he could put money on the electricity card for him but he headed off before we were able to do that.
So he’s managed about 3 months in a house and is keeping himself together. Good news!
The Vicar's Wife 
Good news indeed!
Have just read last year’s post about the wives’ conference …. have just returned from WEAC myself, and we’re obviously rather more working class than Proc Trust, judging by the content of our clothes exchange!
Quite a few London types on PT clergy wives. I think some get given posh things by kind congregation members! What’s WEAC? Google has not helped me!
If only… he’s been drinking a lot recently, and getting into all sorts of trouble. In fact, he came to mine on Sunday afternoon, very drunk. He said that he left yours and went immediately to buy a drink. An ASBO is being prepared to prevent him going near some local ministers and/or churches (I’m not involved in that, and wouldn’t want to be). And now I’ve had a call from J9 Accommodation saying that they are about to start the paperwork to evict him. I get the impression that they have been extremely patient with him, both in trying to sort out the benefits problems he was facing, and in tolerating quite a lot of drunken behaviour. But they have now reached their limit and, fairly soon, Gone will be given his notice to depart.
Very sad. He was doing really well until the Benefits money came in, and that seemed to trigger the return to alcohol.
Hi Tim. Really sorry to hear that – and that he’s obviously being such a pain. We’ll be praying but do let us know if you think we can help out practically at all.