Three months on from our visit in January, we were due to spend another weekend in Leicester. Of course, we knew we'd be welcome at Springfield. But I needed to put myself in Richard's path, at Narrow Way, so we could have a leisurely catch-up.
Saturday afternoon brought the first bright and warm weather of the year. The only hiccup on the drive down was when I took the wrong turn of Narborough Road into a one-way street. Smitten with sunstroke, Mary forbore to chastise me.
You've got to hand it to the saints there, they've got simplicity well evident. The uncluttered downstairs reception rooms displayed a restrained and tasteful set of framed pictures. The spotless brothers' bathroom offered one tube of toothpaste and one shampoo bottle. It's interesting how the prophetic naming of our community houses works out.
Members and friends arrived for tea, and set up a buzz of conversation. Afterwards groups purposefully set off for the evening's events. Mary went to Springfield for the craft activity. Richard headed for the outdoor exercise equipment in some local park. I stayed around and chatted. There was a promise of evangelism later on, and I'd come prepared with some extra layers of clothing. However, as folks drifted back home, I realised it would be silly to head off out when everyone had finally regathered.
We got onto the inevitable issue of how we're going to transition to the rising generation taking over the church and community. I explained how I'd tried to equip our congregation to identify biblical foundations for our practices. (Without obvious success, I fear. So now I have the challenge to overhaul my style of communication.) Leicester is solidly on the list of cities for our intended new-style "Tesco Express" Jesus Centres. We talked about the prevailing spiritual atmosphere. We tried to imagine how it would all work out.
Sunday morning I was up early to finish of some preparation for the morning's teaching that Richard had asked me to take. I wandered into the kitchen to get some toast. There was no marmalade in the kitchen "spreads" cupboard. Simplicity indeed. But, ha!, there was a large tub of chocolate covered Brazil nuts disguised as margarine. Bonus!
Since our last weekend, the congregation's move to a new community centre for Sunday mornings. "It's going to be acoustic." Richard had announced. I took my guitar. The band weren't sure what "acoustic" entailed. My experience is that instruments keeping in time and a decent vocal lead for any chosen songs are essential. That was all I could offer.
Just before the "off", already past the 11.30 deadline on giving out teas and coffees, Clive popped up. "Keep if brief, chief. We've got to be cleared up and gone by 1.30." Oh, great. There were four brother over from Norway, too, and introductions were due. I didn't take out the copies of my notes. I shared about our times of prayer and finding a bit more the the Holy Spirit moving back home. Everything had bounced along okay.
At lunch Jan poked me some questions about our businesses and why I hadn't quite managed to retire. Then Mary and I found our way over to Springfield. Teatime included some special jams and cakes from the visitors. Dave came for an update on J Generation activities.
Everyone gathered for a time of worship, and to pray for the four Norwegian brothers. Their church is in Lothen, about two hours' drive from Oslo. They have a mission work in Romania, and are considering community: quite a plateful. They like Multiply, too. Marius told me, "The country is beautiful. But in winter we have two hours of sunlight, from 2pm to 4pm." Hmmm. Thanks, but no thanks.
Back home everybody but Barrie had already gone to bed. We'd missed Harriet's birthday. I noticed how cluttered our house is.
Saturday afternoon brought the first bright and warm weather of the year. The only hiccup on the drive down was when I took the wrong turn of Narborough Road into a one-way street. Smitten with sunstroke, Mary forbore to chastise me.
Members and friends arrived for tea, and set up a buzz of conversation. Afterwards groups purposefully set off for the evening's events. Mary went to Springfield for the craft activity. Richard headed for the outdoor exercise equipment in some local park. I stayed around and chatted. There was a promise of evangelism later on, and I'd come prepared with some extra layers of clothing. However, as folks drifted back home, I realised it would be silly to head off out when everyone had finally regathered.
We got onto the inevitable issue of how we're going to transition to the rising generation taking over the church and community. I explained how I'd tried to equip our congregation to identify biblical foundations for our practices. (Without obvious success, I fear. So now I have the challenge to overhaul my style of communication.) Leicester is solidly on the list of cities for our intended new-style "Tesco Express" Jesus Centres. We talked about the prevailing spiritual atmosphere. We tried to imagine how it would all work out.
Sunday morning I was up early to finish of some preparation for the morning's teaching that Richard had asked me to take. I wandered into the kitchen to get some toast. There was no marmalade in the kitchen "spreads" cupboard. Simplicity indeed. But, ha!, there was a large tub of chocolate covered Brazil nuts disguised as margarine. Bonus!
Since our last weekend, the congregation's move to a new community centre for Sunday mornings. "It's going to be acoustic." Richard had announced. I took my guitar. The band weren't sure what "acoustic" entailed. My experience is that instruments keeping in time and a decent vocal lead for any chosen songs are essential. That was all I could offer.
Just before the "off", already past the 11.30 deadline on giving out teas and coffees, Clive popped up. "Keep if brief, chief. We've got to be cleared up and gone by 1.30." Oh, great. There were four brother over from Norway, too, and introductions were due. I didn't take out the copies of my notes. I shared about our times of prayer and finding a bit more the the Holy Spirit moving back home. Everything had bounced along okay.
At lunch Jan poked me some questions about our businesses and why I hadn't quite managed to retire. Then Mary and I found our way over to Springfield. Teatime included some special jams and cakes from the visitors. Dave came for an update on J Generation activities.
Everyone gathered for a time of worship, and to pray for the four Norwegian brothers. Their church is in Lothen, about two hours' drive from Oslo. They have a mission work in Romania, and are considering community: quite a plateful. They like Multiply, too. Marius told me, "The country is beautiful. But in winter we have two hours of sunlight, from 2pm to 4pm." Hmmm. Thanks, but no thanks.
Back home everybody but Barrie had already gone to bed. We'd missed Harriet's birthday. I noticed how cluttered our house is.
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