ALL KINDS OF EVERYTHING...

...remind me of the service this morning!  As usual I had a wander around the Church before the service looking for something to Blip for today.  We were there just after 9.30 as we were on stewarding duty, so I had plenty of time because people don’t generally start to arrive until just after 10 o’clock.  

I went to the back of the Church and got this VTV - or Visual Team View -  from there you can see there aren’t many people about.  Then I wandered down to the front of the Church and took a shot of the Prayer Tree, which I believe was made during the All Age Service a couple of weeks ago, when I didn’t go because I was poorly.  It sits on top of the organ, which isn’t used that much, but it was a good opportunity to photograph this and to see the work which had gone into making it.

The tulips in the vestibule looked very pretty and I couldn’t miss taking a shot of Vicki, our duty Deacon for today, wearing her noise-cancelling headphones.  As the Deacon on duty, there are lots of things to do before, during and after the service - and of course, lots of people to listen to about various things, so I think she wanted a moment of quiet - little did she know that she would take “centre stage” in my Blip for today - sorry Vicki - I just couldn’t resist it - the fee is in the post!

I think the children are quite used to me now wandering around with my phone taking photographs, and today I thought that feet might be a good idea and you can see there are varying types of trainers, with pink and purple being favourite colours.  Whenever I ask them to pose either to take a shot of their tee shirt or hands or feet, they are very happy to do so, and I always ask their parents if it’s OK - even though their faces aren’t in the shot - common courtesy as far as I’m concerned.

I was amused to see N’s trainers with different colour laces, so asked what they represented, and he told me that he had just come back from Germany, having been there for a few days with his Dad, to celebrate his 13th birthday and the colours were in recognition of the German flag.  My response was “Ah, yellow and red” to which N’s response was “No, yellow, red and black”!  You can tell I’m not that well up on flags!  Anyway, having taken a shot of N’s trainers, one of his younger brothers wanted his feet in the shot too, so there they are - all four of them!  The outside of my collage is to prove to N that I did take notice of what he said about the colours of the German Flag!  

Our visiting preacher, Ian Hoskins, from Gas Green Baptist Church, Cheltenham, was very good, as he always is, and before the service, I gave him a demonstration of our newish card machine.  Now that many of us don’t carry cash with us, most of our giving at Church, and I imagine this is true for a lot of churches these days, is via our Bank accounts, but he said that their Church was thinking about getting one of the machines, so it seemed a good idea to give him a demo - and he was impressed.  

I was impressed, as I always am, by his sermon.  When Iain leans on the pulpit and looks out into the congregation, I always feel as if he is looking at, and speaking directly to me - perhaps he is - and maybe everyone feels that - but it is good to know and be reminded that God is interested in everyone of us.  One of the things he said that I wrote down was “If we are brothers and sisters in Christ, none of us is a burden to another”.  What a comforting thought that is.  

Yes, we all have our issues, and perhaps there are people who “rub us up the wrong way” but I remember a quote I wrote down many years ago and which is, or should be true - and perhaps not just for Christians: 

“A Christian should not have a wrong way to be rubbed up!”  - see my extra shot.  

I think maybe I need to take that into this coming week - and remember it every day!

Have a great week whatever you are planning to do.  M xx