An Enjoyable Week

Apart from those times when the set subject for a school assembly is bizarre taking assemblies is a real treat. Last Monday at Lubenham the set passage was on John the Baptist.  This provided an opportunity to tell the children a little more about my own faith journey.  The children sat with their coats on in a cold hall and you could have heard a pin drop!  It was my last assembly there this year.  I have one other duty to perform there providing Rudolph and team can get me there on time!

Thursday I travelled to Winchester to make my presentation and be interviewed related to an application to do a part time MPhil research degree.  The  aim is to undertake a critical examination of how the task of evangelization is understood and practised in rural Britain, with particular attention to the need for appropriate contextualisation.  I was complemented on my presentation, asked several challenging questions and then received a positive response.  The work will start in February.  If anyone wants to know more details please feel free to contact me.  All rail connections worked with uncanny perfect timing almost as if they had been scheduled around my movements!  That's a first!

The YP raised enough for 31 goats in just two hours!

On Friday Doreen and I went to Yelvertoft to prepare for this weekend's events.  Then this morning an early start got us to Yelvertoft ready to support our YP who were running a Fund Fare to purchase goats for needy families in Malawi.  This is being done in association with Torch Trust for the Blind.  There are high numbers of people blind or partially sighted and a pair of goats can become a big step towards self-sufficiency.  The YP raised just short of £200 through various activities with a further £300 plus coming as donations prompted by this event.  We had a lot of fun for a really good cause.


Dr Gordon Temple, CEO of Torch Trust, is a member of my ministry team at Yelvertoft and was scheduled to take the service on 12th December.  However, while he was abroad in Malawi we had to reschedule this weekend's activities.  Instead of a normal Sunday meeting we have a special "Christmas Warmer" with generous hospitality and chosen favourite carols combined with a "Toy Service" with toys going to families in Malawi affected by blindness.  With immaculate timing Gordon - not knowing what was planned - asked if he could show a video of his recent visit to Malawi!  I love it when God's plan comes together!


One sad item this week is that my 1997 Astra is poorly.  It might just be a cold but could be far worse.  Returning from Yelvertoft on Friday it developed symptoms of a computer failure.  On the way back from Scotland the previous week I had been telling her how amazingly fit she was despite having 110,000 miles on the clock.  She will be admitted to "hospital" on Monday when I hope for a diagnosis and prognosis.


Typically in this period before Christmas engagements are fewer.  The only special items are Tuesday's final practice for the prison Christmas Concert which takes place on Wednesday evening.  The next Sunday it will be Theddingworth's Christmas Special in the evening.


Thanks as always for your prayers and support.  Both are appreciated and we thank God for those whom he moves to stand with us in our ministry.  If you would like to see this year's Christmas reflection it is on my other blog at barryosborne.blogspot.com.

The Weekly News

Well, we made it back home OK last Wednesday from Scotland.  It took Douglas and me two hours of hard work just to clear enough of the snow from the driveway to get the car out.  The journey home took longer than normal because of the road conditions but there were no mishaps.  It was amazing to see large well established trees bending low under the weight of snow.  I wish I had some pictures to share.

The few days we had spent with our friends in Falkirk were precious indeed and had a feel of completeness about them as we had recorded 21 songs.  I am often asked for CDs after performances so this provides an opportunity.  The plan is to produce perhaps two CDs, the first being called "Treasured Gospel Songs".  Willie Munro provided the accompaniment.  You can hear a sample by going to my facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?ref=profile&id=696458192) provided you have speakers connected or your sound switched on.  Technically it is not perfect but I enjoyed myself!

On the Saturday (day we arrived) Doreen and I joined Willie and another friend, Ina, at a Gospel Praise Meeting.  It is many years since we attended such an event and we both thoroughly enjoyed it.  There were songs to clap along to, congregational praise items, and various musical items by invited guests where we could join in.  Doreen sang heartily and I enjoyed adding either bass or tenor lines.

On Sunday we were snowed in and meetings were cancelled.  We started the recordings and also enjoyed time with Douglas and Marlyn (Willie's son and daughter in law).

The last few days we have spent preparing for the decorators who come on Monday to redecorate the kitchen and dining room after the chip pan fire a few weeks ago (did I tell you about that?  Nothing too serious.)  In the process I have had to throw away a quantity of old correspondence and other documents recording some of my ministry activity since 1988.  I am not very good at parting with such items as I am aterrible hoarder.  It was encouraging to find so many warm messages of thanks from churches across the denominations - especially those that followed away-days.

This coming week
Sunday 5th December - Yelvertoft Congregational Church

Monday 6th December - School Assembly, Lubenham, Leicestershire

Tuesday 7th December - Gartree Prison (one week to the Christmas concert).  In the evening Doreen and I will enjoy the Torch Trust Christmas Dinner for staff and volunteers.

Thursday 9th December -  Presentation of my Research Proposal at Winchester University.  Please pary for wisdom to be given me.

Saturday 11th December - the YP at Yelvertoft are holding an event to raise money to buy goats for very poor families in Malawi affected by blindness or partial sight loss.  £36 buys two goats.

Sunday 12th December - Yelvertoft Conversational Church holds an informal Christmas Warmer service heavy on hospitality.  Please pray for other folk from the village to join us.

As always thanks for your prayers and practical support.