Sat 12th May : Day 3
The third day of the Journey began where it left off last night – at Lee Abbey London… We awoke refreshed and ready for the day ahead.
We reflect on the difficult work undertaken by the Community here. The students who stay in this accommodation
are young. Many are international, and faith isn’t generally so high on their agenda. When we join the Community for morning prayers we pray for the Spirit of God to fall anew on this place, supporting the Community in their valuable Kingdom work. As ever, we are hugely grateful for the hospitality we’ve been shown.
We reach Oxford, and join a church plant sale at St James’ Church, Cowley. We’re made to feel very welcome, and enjoy conversations about the Journey with many who are there. Paul’s former barrow-boy skills are soon in evidence, and we’re impressed by how easily he had the punters eating out of his hands – queuing up for chili plants, rhubarb and other garden delights.
Having become slightly obsessed by the amount of baggage we have, my plea for us not to fall for anything in the sale is quickly forgotten in the excitement. Firstly by PK as he succumbs to an unreasonably large jigsaw, and then by me as I find myself in possession of an old fashioned hand drill – all within the first five minutes of the sale. More luggage!
As the day winds down, we enjoy prayer time in the vicarage, and plan our involvement in Sunday’s church services. Despite the impending rain clouds, some go out in search of the largest ice cream they can find – and find it…
We are hugely grateful to our various hosts for their hospitality this evening… Before close of day we reflect on what we have each learned so far on the Journey. Highlights are:
· Community is not a place – it’s a people. We are reminded of the vastness and variety of God’s people. Members of both Scargill and Lee Abbey can work together in a ministry of reconciliation between God and fallen humanity.
· The importance of simply being with people where they are – sitting alongside and listening.
· The importance of being in the present moment, which is where God will always be found.
· The power to bless. The people that we visit are changed by us coming and being with them and blessing them. We can make a difference to people and their situations just by being God’s people and presence there.
· That we should set aside our own agendas and trust that the Lord has gone ahead of us on this Journey and then fall into step with the way He has planned for us.
Tomorrow we will spend time talking about our Journey at a number of different churches, culminating at our new destination in the locality of Wellsbourne and Kineton.