AFTER THE FORMAL SERVICE YESTERDAY...

...today’s service was much less formal - except of course that we had Madam Mayor and her Consort with us - but there was no fanfare and they just joined in as part of the congregation.

Unfortunately, Madam Mayor was unable to be with us yesterday for the official Induction Service, so they thought they would come today instead - how great is that?  I did ask permission to take their photograph - and of course, they are used to this during their year of office so I thought it would be good to record this on our Minister’s first official day with us.

In fact, Fay, Madam Mayor and her husband, are both Christians, and from my position on the stage, where I was singing this morning, I could see that they very much entered into the spirit of the service as did Brad, the Mace Bearer!

I do have a confession to make though - the shot at the bottom left of my collage of our new Minister, Mick, and the one at the bottom right, the beautiful flowers that were so beautifully arranged, were taken yesterday - so I hope that having confessed, I will be forgiven!  All the others were taken today, following the ethos of Blip.

The top left shows three of our men with the Mace Bearer, the man with the beard, and it just so happens, he is a Baptist too, and attends Rodbourne Cheney Baptist Church.  They were all quite happy to have their photograph taken but I’m not sure they gave their permission for it to be on Blip, but I will sort that out with them later!  

The shot next to that is of Francine and her beautiful daughter, Grace - and it was so lovely to see them in Church again this morning - so having taken one of just them, she wanted one of all of us, so we duly posed together, although we had to be quick, because Grace wanted to be running around! 

There were lots of cakes left over after yesterday’s service, so when we went out for coffee and more cake, I took the shot at the top right, obviously part of the Kidzone class this morning.  

The shot at the bottom right, next to the flowers, is the acronym GO TO - as Mick said, lots of people use the one ACTS - which I use myself every day - which stands for “Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving and Supplication” but he suggested GO TO which stands for “God, Ourselves, Thanks and Others” - just another way of remember how and who to pray for.

The last shot is because one of our ladies is, even as I type, doing the Great North Run - which is an amazing thing to do - and I wanted to do a “Shout Out” to Norja - “Come on, You can Do This!!”

We are now going out for lunch - so I wish you all a very happy Sunday - be blessed this week and remember, as the Silly Saturday Gang would tell you, “BE KIND”.  M xx 

P.S.  By the way, our new Minister was great this morning!