A SPECIAL SUNDAY

I was singing in the Worship Group today and we had a bootful of groceries to be delivered to the storeroom at the Church, so we were there quite early.  I managed to get round and take a few photographs before the service, including one of Luke and Stewart, who are both part of the Visual Team - both smiling in these shots, but there were a few technical hitches, so I’m not sure if they were smiling all the way through the service!  Apparently, the service was unable to be streamed today, so the Visual Team apologised, but said that our YouTube channel will have the service uploaded in a few days.

You can also see the inimitable Meg, who obviously has designs today to be a “Trolley Dolly”!  Fortunately, there were some strong, younger lads who helped to unload the car and then Meg and Mr. HCB sorted out all the goods into the store room, which they do every week, so that it’s easier for those making up the Bags of Hope during the week. 

It was a great sermon, and first of all Clive walked in to the music from the film, “Mission Impossible”.  We were all encouraged by him to take hold of the Ministry we have all been given - and we have all been given it - no matter who we are - so we are all missionaries.  He told us that we - and he - should be chatting about God, about how we got to know God and encouraging others to get to know God - in our daily Christian walk.  Seems a big “ask” but no matter who we are, and whether or not we are mocked for doing it, we need to keep on sowing seeds and then what we are doing will become “MISSION IMPOSSIBLE”!  Wow - a real challenge for us all this coming week and beyond.

At the end of the service, which included Holy Communion, all the men were given a jigsaw puzzle piece, on this Father’s Day, on which was written “Part of God’s Family” - and it is good to know that this includes everyone, not just the men.  In fact, I was given a piece by one of the little girls, but after we had finished the service, she came and took it back and gave it to her Daddy - but I know I am part of that BIG family. 

You may be wondering about the shot at the bottom left - two of our young girls were “sitting on invisible chairs” against the Church wall before the service when Gary came to join them.  It looked really painful, but they were determined to get to 5 minutes of “invisible chair sitting” and they all managed it - such tenacity!

You can see the cross at the middle right, with the bricks around it - those that were made a couple of weeks ago and then there are shots of us with our lovely God-given Daughter, Louise, who was treating us to a meal for Father’s Day at a hotel in Old Town.  We had a great time together and if you are wondering, yes, Mr. HCB managed to eat ALL his very large lunch but we were all far too full to eat dessert!

When we got home, having received messages earlier in the morning from our younger son in Vietnam for Father’s Day, bearing in mind that they are 6 hours ahead, Mr. HCB received a package via our next door neighbour, from our older son who lives near Bournemouth.  Apparently, this should have been delivered on Friday, but wasn’t!  He also had a call from the same son, who apologised that it hadn’t been delivered on Friday as he had requested, because he knew we would be out at Church today - but all’s well that ends well.  

We were about to unlock the back door when we got home when I spotted the little heart on our doormat - thinking someone had left it, I picked it up and realised it was a rose petal - how lovely is that!  

Hope you have all had a good day and have a great week.  Love to you all M xx 

P.S.  I forgot to say that Louise gave John a lovely box of Thornton's Chocolates - knowing I am a chocoholic, he did tell me very politely to "keep my hands off"!