Sunday 20 July 2008

Warminster for breakfast


I had a great morning with the folk at Warminster Baptist Church this morning. It began with breakfast which, if anyone else reads this, is always a good way to get a regional minister on your side! More about breakfast though – apart from the fact I really enjoyed my sausage, bacon, eggs, beans, toast. I counted up to 35 there for breakfast and about 60/70 there for the morning service. Apparently that’s a typical number. They started having breakfast for a few of the kids who were beginning to get fed up being dragged along with their parents on a Sunday morning. Apparently, most people were sceptical. However, the fruit of what’s happened was very apparent to me.  Not only do the kids they aimed at still come along, but so do parents and a variety of other adults. It provides a great environment to chat over food and coffee. It’s very natural and neutral – I doubt anyone unused to Christian groups would have felt uncomfortable by the subjects discussed on the table I was on. The spin off for corporate worship was clear too – from the beginning there was a relaxed feel to the whole thing – the variety of comments shouted out during the notices from the Church Secretary (horror of horrors for some of a gentle disposition and/or awe = silence when were in the religious building) would, I think, communicate this a pretty normal bunch of people to most people. These it seems are all by-products from what was originally intended, but really important things for them to hang  onto. Clare, who we prayed with before she goes off to India this week with a BMS Action Team took the picture for me on her phone, as I didn't have my camera with me - thanks Clare!

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