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My first appointment as a Methodist Minister saw me based in St Ives Cambridgeshire where I had pastoral charge of five churches. The Ecumen...

Wednesday, 2 September 2015

Welcome service



Last night I travelled to Lincoln to be present at the welcome service for Eric, Mary and family my hosts in Ghana. They have now come to serve in the UK.
Richard our Minister from our Family Worship Centre congregation travelled with me. The service  was at St Giles Methodist   Church which will be one of Eric's churches .


What a joy to see them all and receive cuddles from the younger children. My amusement increased as I walked into the church with the children to be greeted with 'you must be Eric' Now I know I have caught the sun on holiday but not to that  extent ! 


Good to meet Alan  the super once again and to find myself sitting next to Sylvia Jill's auntie. So a chance to catch up on family news. Then to my surprise another lady looked at me with recognition and the penny dropped. Margaret a retired minister who had been super in the Peak  circuit when I first came to Sheffield. Yes Methodism is a small world. So we too caught up on news. 


The service was led by Alan the super and the chair of district preached and led the formal welcome to Eric. 
Then time for refreshments in true Methodist style.


Mary with a very sleepy Jehu





Richard and I went back to the manse  which has been furnished partly through generosity of folk in Sheffield. So a chance to see them all settled into their new home. Time for me to pray for their new life here and home before a return to Sheffield. It should have been a reasonable journey home, but no a diversion which was not well sign posted so we did not get home till midnight.

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