This is late, terribly late. The esteemed editor of this month's Newsletter is probably vexed and I wouldn't blame her. This should have been written last week. I could cite services and other vicarly activities, but late is late and I nearly missed the deadline. I didn't have enough time and things just happened.

This seems to be a theme of my life and I wonder if you can relate to that. Perhaps you are wonderfully organised but I tend to get caught out by the unexpected. I seek no sympathy – save that for the editor! Many of us live lives that are so ordered by our schedule or rotas that a glitch cannot be accommodated and I doubt that it is a new human phenomenon. We like order; we treasure routine.

Where would this leave us if God spoke to us as he did Mary? 'Sorry to interrupt your day, Mary, but I need you to do me a significant favour – you see I am hoping to have a Son...'! 'Sorry God, but I have no bandwidth; maybe next time...'! We all begin a new year, all fresh and sparkly, many complete with a plethora of resolutions and good purpose but how many of us have resolved to leave space for the unforeseen. After the more–gym, less-gin, carb-lite intentions of January, where is the gap, the unscripted moment?

As you begin this new year, you do so with the prayers and warm wishes of your local church and her people. Whatever you need from me or them, you need only ask – and if you need some of that rare commodity, unscripted silent space, the church building is yours to use. I wish you the best of everything, and I also wish you nothing at all.

Fr David