Back Home 3!

Spent all of the Friday at Southwell. Meeting the circuit leadership team and then after lunch some of the members of the church. Once again we had a good conversation together how this growing congregation can continue to witness to the love of Christ.

They are of course in the 'shadow' of the Minster and I was delighted to be invited by the Dean to preach at their evening prayers (the choir had been given the night off after a busy Ash Wednesday!)

The following day I was able to visit the new Pearson Centre in Beeston. This is the new BB and GB suite of premises after finally closing down the old Beeston Lads Club which had been the home of the 17th Nottingham BB Company I had been involved in for many years. This new centre is brilliant with halls, recording studios, dance studio, gym and much more. A quick photio with wendy, the full-time BB captain and youth officer and some boys arrivign for a games competition.



then off to my home Church at Queens Road which was the venue for a District World Church Day entitled, 'Many Nations - One Church' and hosted by the Korean congregation. They led worship (bad photo of some of the children dancing)

and then i was invited to share some stories from around the World Church. then a wonderful lunch, again proivided by the Koreran congregation and lots of entertainment and testimonies.



We next went off to find Gedling Road Methodist Church where there was a community day for people to come and look at their refurbishment - which was excellent and I was also excited to hear of the chaplaincy that the minister, Louise Grosberg, is developing with the NHS Trust who share the same car park as the church.

a quick photo shoot

but on closer inspection can be seen the lovely face painting images...the things you do as President!

The visit ended on the Sunday. A packed Chilwell Road Church for aNottingham Trent Valley circuit service felt like a home coming as there were so many people there from my past....those who knew me before I was even born! to those who were at school with me, in the BB and my home church...people who were my Sunday School teachers, past Presidents, and so many who knew my dad........I was so busy talking I didn't get any photos...but they are in my memory. Then later on to a circuit service at Mickleover where a good number of people came to sing and share the story of God's grace.

This has been a special time, as is perhaps obvious by the comments above. It isn't always easy going back home....but I was made to feel so welcome and once again thank all those people who encouraged and shaped me in my early years.