Brothers and Sisters in Christ

It is the week of prayer for Christian Unity, and I have just got home, and I am listening to the Sunday Half Hour hymn singing on Radio 2 which is celebrating that. We've just been to a united Churches Together service. It was hosted by the Roman Catholics, and everybody seemed to be there - RCs, Anglicans, Baptists, Methodists, United Reformed, Old Uncle Tom Cobley and all!

Some very friendly young people met us at the door and gave us our service sheets.

We began the service in darkness, then the clergy processed in from the back carrying candles. Then more lights came on and a ladies choir from the Cameroon came down the aisle, singing, and dancing, as they brought the Bible to the front and placed it on the altar and someone read John chapter 1.

The preacher was Bishop Tim, the Anglican bishop of Leicester, and Dianne Tidball [our Baptist Regional Minister] read a reflection. Father John Joe, the Catholic priest, led the service, and various people from other local churches [including Bob] took part.

Sue [our Churches Together Secretary] had asked me to take some pictures for the C.T. archive. I couldn't take photos during the service - but immediately afterwards I climbed up to the balcony to get some shots of the congregation leaving.

Then when I came downstairs again, I discovered they had put chains across the stairway, and I was very nearly trapped!!

The refreshments were splendid and the Catholic Ladies had worked very hard. We all enjoyed further fellowship over the buffet supper.

I looked around for clergy to photograph, but they had all gone to disrobe- apart from this one [who had not been robed in the first place]

I said to my friend that it reminded me of a story my Dad used to tell, about a Civic Parade he was once involved in. All the clergy were walking together, and the Baptist Pastor was just wearing a suit, not vestments. A child in the crowd called out "look Mummy, a Real Man!"

Anyway they all came back in eventually, and I got some pictures of them in their ordinary clothes!

Here is one of a Baptist, a Catholic and an Anglican.

That sounds like the beginning of a bad joke!

And here is the Bishop

I got a great shot of Dianne with Father John Joe as they enjoyed the food.

I think Bob is going to put that one on his Facebook page!

A good time was had by all. We brought our passengers back to the village, then called in at Rock Solid [our Sunday night youth group at church]

You can tell by the overcoats that the weather is quite cold this evening - although it has not been as bad as the forecasts suggested yesterday.

Oh, I forgot to say, the Bishop preached on the Corinthian passage about being reconciled, and God entrusting us with the Ministry of Reconciliation.

But we are back home, and now it is time to relax. I love Sundays, but I am glad when they are over and we can wind down a bit!!