This week has had a musical slant, though there were other interesting aspects.
On Monday I was required to undergo an afternoon of security training related to my involvement with Gartree Prison. So I was in prison twice this week.
On Tuesday I was down to do the school assembly at Yelvertoft and the theme was "love". This theme will run over several weeks and had started the week before. As I prayerfully pondered what to do I felt drawn to talk about the constancy of God's love for us - even when we let him down. I also thought I should sing a Marilyn Baker song, "All I ever do is love you". This was a challenge to try out a grown up song on key stage 1 & 2 children. However, it worked very well and I had more conversations with the children after assembly than ever before.
In the afternoon I was back at prison for my regular "day off" (well it makes a change from other activities!). The small staff choir was even more diminished with only two women turning up. But this turned out to be a great time. One of the women who four weeks ago could not sing any note I played on the piano has developed a lovely voice and now, with a little coaching from me, plans to sing "Love changes everything" to the man she loves on Valentine's Day. Both of the women are new to community singing and plan to carry it on outside prison.
Immediately after this comes the prisoner's male voice choir. We are getting stuck in preparing for a Spring Concert. It's a mixture of Christian and secular songs. It produces a great interface with the gospel. Then in the evening I was speaking at a local Women's Fellowship on some of my experiences in rural evangelism. I worked in two songs. As I was about to pack up one of the leaders asked if I had recorded any CDs - if not I ought to do so. I told them of the Treasured Gospel Songs and immediately had ten more orders!
Wednesday morning I set off for Cardiff for the Inter-Church Board of the Congregational Federation. We welcomed the Rev Aled Edwards from Cytun (Churches Together in Wales). We had a busy and productive schedule with working meals included until lunch time on Thursday.
Friday was dedicated to the research degree work until the evening when we joined friends at Theddingworth setting up the Village Hall for a Valentine Supper. As a small congregation we gave as a gift to the community a pleasant evening with an excellent main course. Deserts were brought by us and others, and people brought their own drinks. It was a very happy time (more gospel interface) and as I was leaving I was asked to sing. Fortunately I had a backing track for "Love changes everything" with me. It seemed to go down well.
One piece of personal news: we have acquired an electric motorised shopping scooter for Doreen as she anticipates giving up driving at the end of this month. We found a specialist shop had opened just around the corner from our home. They had a couple of used models and we selected one which we hoped would fit down the passage between our home and our neighbours. The question was would it be able to turn 90 degrees at the end into our back entrance. Doreen hopped on and drove it perfectly into its new home!
We sent out a news letter via post to our friends without internet access. I am grateful for several enquiries that might lead to possible help sharing blogged information through a monthly posted newsletter. I am very grateful. I need to talk this through with those who are willing to help.
I face a relatively quiet week which should enable me to catch up with a few reports I need to write and to do more early stage work for the research programme. I have to establish an appropriate reading schedule and get some research skills training. I will keep you informed how this begins to develop.
Thanks again for your support.
Barry
On Monday I was required to undergo an afternoon of security training related to my involvement with Gartree Prison. So I was in prison twice this week.
On Tuesday I was down to do the school assembly at Yelvertoft and the theme was "love". This theme will run over several weeks and had started the week before. As I prayerfully pondered what to do I felt drawn to talk about the constancy of God's love for us - even when we let him down. I also thought I should sing a Marilyn Baker song, "All I ever do is love you". This was a challenge to try out a grown up song on key stage 1 & 2 children. However, it worked very well and I had more conversations with the children after assembly than ever before.
In the afternoon I was back at prison for my regular "day off" (well it makes a change from other activities!). The small staff choir was even more diminished with only two women turning up. But this turned out to be a great time. One of the women who four weeks ago could not sing any note I played on the piano has developed a lovely voice and now, with a little coaching from me, plans to sing "Love changes everything" to the man she loves on Valentine's Day. Both of the women are new to community singing and plan to carry it on outside prison.
Immediately after this comes the prisoner's male voice choir. We are getting stuck in preparing for a Spring Concert. It's a mixture of Christian and secular songs. It produces a great interface with the gospel. Then in the evening I was speaking at a local Women's Fellowship on some of my experiences in rural evangelism. I worked in two songs. As I was about to pack up one of the leaders asked if I had recorded any CDs - if not I ought to do so. I told them of the Treasured Gospel Songs and immediately had ten more orders!
Wednesday morning I set off for Cardiff for the Inter-Church Board of the Congregational Federation. We welcomed the Rev Aled Edwards from Cytun (Churches Together in Wales). We had a busy and productive schedule with working meals included until lunch time on Thursday.
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| The Theddingworth Valentine Party |
One piece of personal news: we have acquired an electric motorised shopping scooter for Doreen as she anticipates giving up driving at the end of this month. We found a specialist shop had opened just around the corner from our home. They had a couple of used models and we selected one which we hoped would fit down the passage between our home and our neighbours. The question was would it be able to turn 90 degrees at the end into our back entrance. Doreen hopped on and drove it perfectly into its new home!
We sent out a news letter via post to our friends without internet access. I am grateful for several enquiries that might lead to possible help sharing blogged information through a monthly posted newsletter. I am very grateful. I need to talk this through with those who are willing to help.
I face a relatively quiet week which should enable me to catch up with a few reports I need to write and to do more early stage work for the research programme. I have to establish an appropriate reading schedule and get some research skills training. I will keep you informed how this begins to develop.
Thanks again for your support.
Barry
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