I know, I know. This is a little bit late. But I am going to continue to lean on my 7-month old baby excuse if you don’t mind. 

You know the drill by now. As ever, I have compiled my 25 highlights from the year. Together with 25 related goals for the year ahead. 

I chose the number 25 because it is a centred octagonal number as well as an automorphic number. It is also the smallest decimal Friedman number, and can be considered vertically symmetrical.

I think that’s quite enough intro nonsense. Let’s get into the nonsense proper.

We babymooned in Wales 
In a lovely airbnb cottage overlooking a lake, reached via a disconcertingly vertical path in the dark (you don’t have to approach it in the dark, but we did cos we’re well ‘ard and bad at organisation). We drove through stunning Welsh mountain scenery on some beautiful winding roads that I enjoyed a lot more than Emily. At one point some fighter planes broke the sound barrier flying through the valley where we were staying.
Next year:  I will break the sound barrier myself driving my old Nissan Micra, last seen wrapped round a tree in the bottom of a field near Ilminster

I went semi-viral on Tiktok
I performed a version of Alexander’s seminal surrealist hit ‘Sper bur yur’ from the Traitors. And the people of Tiktok would not stop hitting me up. 80k views mate. I was even found by someone that I had been a youth leader for one year at Spring Harvest through the video.
Some comments highlights: ‘Petition to get this to Eurovision for the UK please’, ‘I’m gonna tell my kids this is the national anthem’,  ‘Feel like this should be the new intro to the lion king’, ‘Swear I heard this on heart 90s other day.’
Next year: I’m going to play badminton with Alexander himself while singing Row Row Row Your Boat

I played with Mark Prentice
I imagine this means nothing to the vast majority of you. But I grew up going to Soul Survivor, being so inspired by the worship leaders there. Tim Hughes, Matt Redman, even Ben Cantelon. But because I’ve always been a bit of a nerd, of course I knew the various band members too. And Mark was the bassist for a long time. And this year, he came along to play with us for the Pioneer conference in March. He is every bit as good of a bass player as you’d expect. Effortlessly creative and solid. Also, just a lovely guy. And exactly the right height for a bassist. 
Next Year: Eventually, I’m going to have to play with Stu G right? Why not this year?

I led worship for Church’s 50th Anniversary
I find moments like this so emotional and significant. Being trusted to mark a time like this is a real honour. Hearing faithful people sing of the steadfast love of God never gets old. And this time was particularly special, singing one of my own songs alongside Be Still for the Presence of the Lord, also written within the same community 40 years earlier. Hearing people singing words you have written is always incredibly humbling, and to have those words mark such a momentous occasion is a whole other level. It’s moments like these that I can feel a 16-year old version of myself just beaming.
Next year: I’ll sing one of my songs for Travis and Taylor’s wedding. Until security take me out of course.

We sold our house
We’d never done that before. It’s a bit stressful. We let the cat choose our estate agent and accepted lower than we’d initially wanted. But we sold it. We don’t live there anymore and someone else does.
Next year: I think we’re gonna stick with this one for now

I turned 35
That’s halfway through my 30s. And halfway to 70. And that’s quite enough dwelling on that.
Next year: I will turn 36

I sang Father Abraham at church
On ukulele, accompanied by a veritable army of surprisingly unselfconscious young people enthusiastically doing the actions.
Next year: I will perform Praise Ye the Lord at New Wine. Test everyone’s knees.

I preached on Sodom and Gomorrah.
For an all-age service. On Mother’s Day. On the day after my birthday. On the day before I moved house. And you know what? I chuffing nailed it. 
Next year: I will preach a sermon entitled ‘Sex, Money and the Trinity’ on Remembrance Sunday

We moved to Bitterne Park
We never wanted to give in to the cliché. But you know what, there’s a reason everyone lives there. We now have a detached house, lovely neighbours, a fireplace and a drive. Sure, the house is a weird shade of green, but you can’t win them all eh?
Next year: Again, I think we’re gonna stick with this one for a while

I released an EP
Having fundraised for the thing last year, I felt it was prudent to actually finish it and show it to everyone. I’m so proud of how it all turned out. I got to work with some incredible people, and I believe this is the best music I’ve released. Both songwriting and production-wise. And it’s been the most successful as well. More on that later.
Next year: Let’s not stress ourselves out too much. If I can release one song I’d be happy.

Pete Greig added a song of mine to one of his playlists
It was Most Merciful God. It doesn’t get many plays from it. But I like to think that Pete listens to it when he really needs to repent. Also, it’s alongside Chance the Rapper and Kanye, so one of my more eclectic playlist placings.
Next year: I want the Pope to add Son of a Brick to his ‘chill’ playlist

I became a father
Winston Mark Powell arrived into the world. He’s simply wonderful. It doesn’t feel quite right to only give this a single highlight, when it could be 25 highlights all by itself. Giving birth is absolutely wild. Emily was amazing. And then they just let you go home with this brand-new human. Not even a manual. Seems unwise.
Some specific highlights include introducing him to all his family and crying pretty much every time (me not him), the moment he first started babbling back and forth with me, the smile he gives me when I come back from work or when he first sees you in the morning, the little sigh he used to do every time he sneezed, the time I got him to sleep while reading Tom Bombadil, and the weird little scrunchy, sniffy thing he does with his face.
Next year: I will finally get him to say dada

Liverpool won the Premier League
Didn’t take another 30 years this time. Although, given that the time before that was the year I was born, I do worry that they’re gonna wait until Winston is 30 to win it again. And on this form, that’s looking more and more likely.
Next year: I’ll settle for a place in Europe tbh

I started a band
I haven’t done this properly since I was like 16. It’s called The Pocket Beats, and Tommy D does almost all of the work. We’ve played 3 gigs. You can watch our promo here and book us for your weddings, party or event.
Next year: We will try and play a gig with our actual drummer.

I watched Andor Season 2
This was partly special because I mostly watched this early in the mornings with subtitles on while holding a sleeping baby. So it’s Winston’s first Star War. But also, it was just a stunning piece of television. Beautifully shot, scripted, acted and conceived. I cried, laughed, whooped and felt palpable tension. You should absolutely watch it.
Next year: I will create a shot-for-shot remake using Winston in place of all the characters apart from Andor himself, who will be played by Noah.

I went to France
For the bougiest 30th birthday I’ve ever been to. We stayed in a chateau. There was a literal moat. We ate well, we played Traitors. We learned to waltz to a song that wasn’t in 3/4. We saw a Highland cow. We drank, we fought, we made our ancestors proud. 
Next year: Emily turns 30, so I’m somehow going to have to compete with that.

I led worship for the kids at Wildfires Festival
I’ve not really done a lot of kids worship before, so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it was amazing. I mashed up My Lighthouse with the Bluey theme tune and we played Forrest Frank. I took an amazing band of students (including some youth jam alumni) and they did so well. 
Next year: I’m going to mashup Great Big God with Peppa Pig

I went to France again
For the bougiest wedding I’ve ever been to. There was another chateau. No moat this time though. Come on Tom and Shailee, step it up. The weather was stunning, the canapés were excellent, there was a pool party the day afterwards, a Northern Irishman took the ceremony. Winston is gonna be real disappointed by his second wedding.
Next year: I think that’s quite enough France for now. Let’s try Venezuela this time. I hear they’re sorting out the drug problem.

I saw a bunch of flamingoes and a bee-eater
While in France we popped to a nature reserve and there were flamingoes for days. And as we were leaving our Airbnb, I finally saw a bee-eater, chilling out on a telephone line. Always wanted to see a bee-eater.
Next year: I’m going to accompany Mikey Oldfield on a Glimpse trip to the Galapagos and we’re gonna see blue-footed boobies. Mikey doesn’t know yet.

I ate (probably) the best sandwich of my life
It was a Hot Meat Sunday from Maurie’s (if you haven’t been, you need to). It was two slabs of focaccia with 12hr slow cooked beef, horseradish, garlic aioli, caramelised onion and provolone, alongside a steamy cup of homemade beef stock. It changed my life. When I tasted it, I literally saw through time. I have seen the pyramids built, I have watched the last woolly mammoth take its final, laboured breath, I have witnessed the inevitable heat death of the universe.
Next year: I’ll pop back into Maurie’s. Once or twice.

I saw Lawrence
Not as many gigs as last year, but Lawrence were incredible enough by themselves. If you haven’t heard of them, do have a listen. A full on pop-soul, brother-and-sister duo and band, complete with horn section. Supremely funky, so very tight. A huge amount of fun. They also do a mean cover of the song from the Special Edition of Return of the Jedi.
Next year: I will watch the final Taylor Swift Eras tour show on Disney+

I lit Mike Martin up in a green spotlight and made him play Defying Gravity as a screaming guitar solo
I don’t think I need to add anything to this. I hope you’re happy. 
Next year: I will hoist Phil Griffiths in from the ceiling, playing guitar and singing ‘Where is Love’ from Oliver

Got over 14,000 plays on a single song for the first time
Long Haul really tickled the Spotify algorithm apparently. I’ve never had a song hit 10,000 plays even before. So to do that in one year is amazing. And actually Lift Up Your Eyes got over 10k as well. As I said, I really felt like this collection of songs was my best so far, so it’s nice that it seems like other people felt the same. 
Next year: If you guys could carry on listening, that would be great

I read 18 books
That was fewer than I had planned. But I think I’ve got a pretty good excuse – I became temporarily illiterate due to an encounter with a powerful x-ray gun.
Next year: I’m gonna try and bring it back up to 36. But we do have a Mr Man Advent Calendar to use this time. That’s 24 off the bat.