I have met the family who is so graciously hosting me. They are wonderful and only home for a few hours. They flew in from the Canary Islands and fly to Budapest on Thursday. I have a full day on Wednesday so we will have to get better acquainted when they come home for a bit longer.
Tonight the city of Oxford had fun as their football (soccer) team did something amazing yesterday at Wimberly but I don't quite know what it was. As I was leaving the city there were people of all ages coming in the Oxford team yellow and gold scarves, shirts, hats and such for a
big parade of sorts that I did not really need to see. So, I went the other way and had a salmon salad and a pint of the Oxford Gold beer before heading home. I tried to eat at the Eagle and Child because Toliken and C.S. Lewis used to drink there but… there were no seats and I didn't want to drink a beer alone and then try and make the bus so…. Perhaps, no, I will do it another day and toast to all my friends who are much bigger Toliken fans than I.
For my Methodist friends – I have been to Lincoln college where Wesley was a Fellow and have seen the Methodist church in town. Here was the place, the town and the very hallowed halls where the Wesley brothers were moved by the Holy Spirit. I hope that same Spirit is in full
force here this week as the sermons have to flow. Carla wants to help me move forward in my ability to preach and this is a challenge to get up to speed with a congregation fast enough to preach a sermon that will meet their needs, challenge them and provide support and encouragement to live out the Good News . We will see what happens.
May 19 – Risa's Birthday
Early morning for a Newsletter meeting but thankfully right in the home I am staying in. I learned of two new rooms that I didn't know even existed. One was a beautiful study overlooking the back garden and the other a large closet room that houses the ironing board. Now my clothes are all wrinkle free from the suitcase I am free to wear what I want. The newsletter meeting was for the Cumnor congregation which is highly organized and has people who will do what is asked in a timely manner – amazing! The tasks were divided and some of the articles and layout are already done and it won't go to print until the end of the month. From there a bus trip into the City Center to the St. Columba's Welcome Wednesdays that they co-host with Archway (a supportive center). This is a time for people who suffer from loneliness to come in and have tea and cake and company. It is an interesting group of volunteers who age up to 90 something along with 'guests' who are mostly middle aged and many have some mental or social issues. The conversations were interesting and I really had to listen hard because of my hearing and the accents in an old room with vaulted ceilings. Thankfully I don't have to repeat the conversations so I could just listen and pick up what I could. This is an ongoing ministry/ partnership of the congregation so I will probably go most weeks I am here. After that was another bus ride up the hill to the actual Cumnor church building for Wednesday prayers. This is a small group with shared leadership for a mid-week time of devotion and prayer. I hope to prepare the prayer time in August. After that Rev. Stopps and his wife gave me a ride back to the house.
I worked a bit on the sermon for Sunday – looming already – and then Richard Dewar picked me up for the 4:30 meeting back at St. Columba's. This was my site committee meeting. The folks on it will be supportive and provide guidance and correction when possible. I will put the entire service learning contract together for Sunday. We will meet after worship – where I preach – and after the cream tea in the afternoon. I wish I were done for the day but – alas I have more meetings tonight at the Cumnor parish. It is Elder's meeting night. We shall see how it goes. I am still figuring out internet – I have to be brave and ask the home owner if they have it and if I can use it.
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