In a previous Praise and Prayer, having mentioned about how Doreen was taken ill I mentioned that she had gone on her mobility scooter to the doctor after we had spent a day at hospital. Several friends have since commented that I should have told you the outcome, and one person took me to task for letting her go on her own. So here is the latest news.
I took Doreen for a CT scan last Wednesday and we are awaiting hearing the results. There has been no further recurrence of the heavy bleeding but we await the results of the scan to see if any cause can be found. Meanwhile in most other respects Doreen is well, though unable to walk far because of her peripheral neuropathy condition. It is this condition that has already limited her activities (she hated having to give up driving) and she values her independence, and I certainly won't take that from her. In many ways she supports me in my ministry while continuing to exercise a valued ministry of her own. Thank you for your concern and prayers for her.
Prayer is so important and I have been continuing encouraging a greater awareness of this. It was our theme last Sunday at Yelvertoft.
On Monday the Bible Discussion Group met at Yelvertoft and studied the opening verses of 1 Corinthians 12. It was a useful time. Afterwards I met with Peter Couling and his son Paul. Peter is 90 and a wonderful Christian at Yelvertoft. His wife, Mille had developed Alzheimers but retained a wonderful sweetness. Her smile would light up a room and her loving concern for the welfare of others was amazing. For the past year Millie has been in care, and recently slipped into the presence of the Saviour she loved. Together, Peter, Paul and I planned the service of thanksgiving for her life which will take place this Monday morning.
Until I came to Yelvertoft and met Peter seeking opportunities to say a word for Jesus to others walking down the High Street I had never heard of the Bible Students, a Christian fellowship to which Peter and Millie belonged. It was therefore all the more amazing to find out that the father of a very good friend in Hastings was an honoured speaker years ago in the Bible Students, and that she knew Peter and Millie well. Two other friends from Hastings had camped on Peter's farm in their younger days. Millie was well known and loved in the village so please pray that her testimony of faith in Jesus will shine through the service on Monday,
Following the regular visit to Gartree Prison on Tuesday I had the privilege of speaking at the SASRA conference in Northampton that evening. SASRA is a Christian ministry that works in a forces context with soldiers and air force personnel. See www.sasra.org.uk/ for more information. Alf Lavender, with whom I had the privilege of working for 25 years came to faith through the work of SASRA in Singapore and I found many remembered the named of the men Alf met there. My talk on rural evangelism was well received.
Once Doreen was back home and we were both sure all was well I set off for Cornwall with some concern regarding the weather. It proved well founded as a stretch of the M5 was closed due to flooding. The detour route was congested making driving all the more difficult on top of the heavy rain and road spray. Accommodation had been arranged for me at Launceston on the border of Devon and Cornwall, and I was grateful that I didn't have to drive further.
Thursday morning I pressed on through more rain to Chacewater, a village near Truro, where despite the high winds and torrential rain, a good number had gathered for a rural mission consultation. My friend and colleague, Gordon Banks, was unable to join me as we had planned as railway lines into Cornwall had closed because of flooding and land slips. So I had to deputise for him in addition to my own presentation. But it seemed a good day with many expressions of appreciation.
It's only a two hour drive from there back to Feniton, near Exeter, but it took me longer. Many sections of road were flooded and I had become so exhausted that I had to break the journey twice to sleep for a while. Danny Beavan (of Rural Expressions) and his wife Helen made me welcome and I slept well. It was good to wake to sunshine on Friday and I had a reasonable 45 minute drive to Crediton where few friends met in the area with me for coffee. Then it should have been no more than a three hour drive home. We were by then experiencing more heavy rain making driving difficult and I arrived home exhausted more than five hours later.
This morning (Saturday) we held the first two of four interviews for the position of Children and Families Worker for the East Midlands Area of the Congregational Federation. Two more interviews will be conducted this Tuesday evening. Immediately after the interviews I drove to Hothorpe Hall to conduct a Marriage Blessing Service for a young couple following their civil ceremony. These are precious gospel opportunities.
I am grateful for a free morning tomorrow as John Harris, a retired Methodist Minister, will take the meeting at Yelvertoft. In the evening I will be speaking at Market Harboorough Congregational Church.
Monday - Millie's Service of Thanksgiving.
Tuesday I will be taking a school assembly in Yelvertoft and making my regular visit to Gartree Prison. In the evening there are two interviews at Narborough, Leicestershire.
Thursday I am teaching in the Salvation Army Training College on the pastoral care of those who have suffered sexual abuse.
Please remember all these activities in your prayers. Join me in giving thanks for the Lord's protection in hazardous driving conditions, and the kind hospitality received,
I pray the Lord will abundantly bless you.
Barry
I took Doreen for a CT scan last Wednesday and we are awaiting hearing the results. There has been no further recurrence of the heavy bleeding but we await the results of the scan to see if any cause can be found. Meanwhile in most other respects Doreen is well, though unable to walk far because of her peripheral neuropathy condition. It is this condition that has already limited her activities (she hated having to give up driving) and she values her independence, and I certainly won't take that from her. In many ways she supports me in my ministry while continuing to exercise a valued ministry of her own. Thank you for your concern and prayers for her.
Prayer is so important and I have been continuing encouraging a greater awareness of this. It was our theme last Sunday at Yelvertoft.
On Monday the Bible Discussion Group met at Yelvertoft and studied the opening verses of 1 Corinthians 12. It was a useful time. Afterwards I met with Peter Couling and his son Paul. Peter is 90 and a wonderful Christian at Yelvertoft. His wife, Mille had developed Alzheimers but retained a wonderful sweetness. Her smile would light up a room and her loving concern for the welfare of others was amazing. For the past year Millie has been in care, and recently slipped into the presence of the Saviour she loved. Together, Peter, Paul and I planned the service of thanksgiving for her life which will take place this Monday morning.
Until I came to Yelvertoft and met Peter seeking opportunities to say a word for Jesus to others walking down the High Street I had never heard of the Bible Students, a Christian fellowship to which Peter and Millie belonged. It was therefore all the more amazing to find out that the father of a very good friend in Hastings was an honoured speaker years ago in the Bible Students, and that she knew Peter and Millie well. Two other friends from Hastings had camped on Peter's farm in their younger days. Millie was well known and loved in the village so please pray that her testimony of faith in Jesus will shine through the service on Monday,
Following the regular visit to Gartree Prison on Tuesday I had the privilege of speaking at the SASRA conference in Northampton that evening. SASRA is a Christian ministry that works in a forces context with soldiers and air force personnel. See www.sasra.org.uk/ for more information. Alf Lavender, with whom I had the privilege of working for 25 years came to faith through the work of SASRA in Singapore and I found many remembered the named of the men Alf met there. My talk on rural evangelism was well received.
Once Doreen was back home and we were both sure all was well I set off for Cornwall with some concern regarding the weather. It proved well founded as a stretch of the M5 was closed due to flooding. The detour route was congested making driving all the more difficult on top of the heavy rain and road spray. Accommodation had been arranged for me at Launceston on the border of Devon and Cornwall, and I was grateful that I didn't have to drive further.
Thursday morning I pressed on through more rain to Chacewater, a village near Truro, where despite the high winds and torrential rain, a good number had gathered for a rural mission consultation. My friend and colleague, Gordon Banks, was unable to join me as we had planned as railway lines into Cornwall had closed because of flooding and land slips. So I had to deputise for him in addition to my own presentation. But it seemed a good day with many expressions of appreciation.
It's only a two hour drive from there back to Feniton, near Exeter, but it took me longer. Many sections of road were flooded and I had become so exhausted that I had to break the journey twice to sleep for a while. Danny Beavan (of Rural Expressions) and his wife Helen made me welcome and I slept well. It was good to wake to sunshine on Friday and I had a reasonable 45 minute drive to Crediton where few friends met in the area with me for coffee. Then it should have been no more than a three hour drive home. We were by then experiencing more heavy rain making driving difficult and I arrived home exhausted more than five hours later.
This morning (Saturday) we held the first two of four interviews for the position of Children and Families Worker for the East Midlands Area of the Congregational Federation. Two more interviews will be conducted this Tuesday evening. Immediately after the interviews I drove to Hothorpe Hall to conduct a Marriage Blessing Service for a young couple following their civil ceremony. These are precious gospel opportunities.
I am grateful for a free morning tomorrow as John Harris, a retired Methodist Minister, will take the meeting at Yelvertoft. In the evening I will be speaking at Market Harboorough Congregational Church.
Monday - Millie's Service of Thanksgiving.
Tuesday I will be taking a school assembly in Yelvertoft and making my regular visit to Gartree Prison. In the evening there are two interviews at Narborough, Leicestershire.
Thursday I am teaching in the Salvation Army Training College on the pastoral care of those who have suffered sexual abuse.
Please remember all these activities in your prayers. Join me in giving thanks for the Lord's protection in hazardous driving conditions, and the kind hospitality received,
I pray the Lord will abundantly bless you.
Barry
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