I’m just warming up with a coffee after a live interview with Helen Jones off of BBC Radio Ulster, both of us standing shivering at the Abercorn Basin to provide that authentic ‘live broadcast’ feel!

I’m truly grateful for the many chances that I’m getting recently to invade your airwaves – it’s a great way to keep spreading the vision for The Dock.  On Friday I realised that it’s exactly one year since The Dock vision ‘went public’ – since the day we gathered in the Pump House cafe with representatives from all denominations to launch the ‘Shared Medley’ – the vision of a unified church..

Looking back on the year since, it’s fantastic to realise how much of that vision has become reality.  Day-by-day, week-by-week, I’m now walking, talking and praying with people from other traditions – finding deep friendships and connections with people I never would’ve even met if I’d stayed in my Church of Ireland box.

I really believe that this is the way we’re meant to live – in community, in relationship.  Mixing and talking and laughing and arguing and forgiving with all sorts of unexpected people. It’s there right at the start of scripture – “It is not good for man to be alone”, says God as he looks at Adam.  It’s there in the challenge coming from the spiritual leaders of all our traditions – both Bishop Harold and Norman Hamilton (the Presbyterian Moderator), speaking on St Patrick’s Day last Thursday, called powerfully for an end to “parallel but separate” living and an investment in the Shared Future.

It’s there in the enthusiasm with which people turned up to Meet The Neighbours at the Arc Apartments.  The croissants were cold, we ran out of coffee (all things which will be improved by the next time!) but it really didn’t matter – people were exchanging phone numbers, arranging to meet up to explore Belfast, connecting and relating.  It’s not good for us to be alone – or to stay in our cosy little enclaves.

There’s a great African proverb which I’ve often used when sharing The Dock vision: