Tuesday 25 November 2008

What a glorious day - playing on steam trains!




What a glorious day I had on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway along with the Chair of District, Stephen Burgess. I am aware that a large number of ministers are fanatical about steam railways but it has never been a passion of mine........but after this day out I have seen it all in a new light!!



It began with three men from the same community who have a love of steam trains. Nigel Hardwick, the District Property secretary; Peter Bowes, the priest in charge of St Michael's and Tim Bywater who is the Roman Catholic Ecumenical Officer.

They have 'days out on the train' from time to time and it is doing wonders for ecumecial reraltionships...perhaps a model for more of us to follow! This was their gift to the President of the Methodist Conference - thank you.



We had a scrumptious packed lunch on the Richmond to Grosmont leg and I was then invited to travel on the footplate for the return journey and now understand what an honour this was.


The train driver, anxious to get a photo of a Church leader doing sdoemnw ork, invited me to stoke up the fire..........remind you of anything?






1 comment:

Anonymous said...

you know -it struck me that this enthusiasm could become a fresh-expression of evangelism or of church

:)

LOVE the photos