Packed Funeral

The Church was crowded for Gwen's funeral. People who could not get in were standing shoulder to shoulder in the welcome area. About a hundred of Gwen's colleagues from Tesco were there, together with relatives, friends, and people from Church. The bowls placed near the exit for Gwen's charity were piled high with notes.

Sad News

We were told that Gwen had passed away early this morning. She is very well known in the church, where she has served together with her husband R in many capacities for many years. Until a few months ago she was very well known as the customer service manager at Tesco.

Church Meeting

Diana led us in three hymns, interspersed throughout the meeting. I entered, a couple of minutes late, into a thunderous rendition of 'What a friend we have in Jesus.' In a round table discussion we considered what main challenges faced us and what successes and growth areas we had had as a church in the last year. We heard that after Revd Malcolm leaves next July.

Angels

Revd Malcolm described people being like angels. He had once set out on a long bike ride to Rome. A pious friend at the start had written in his diary something about an angel would help and protect him. This sounded very unpractical. Only a little way out, lost in a deserted industrial part of town, he was faced with a T junction. His map only showed the main roads. He was near to tears. Then a lady with a car full of children stopped and asked, 'Can I help you?' She was like an angel. Often in life, just at the right moment people have appeared to him like angels to help. Malcolm asked people to consider what God might be guiding them to do.

Good Friday

We joined all the churches in town for a service in the market place. There we twenty woodern crosses held up for people to see. We sang:

• There is a Green Hill
• When I survey
• Were you there
• No Scenes of Kingly Majesty
• Meekness and Majesty

Revd Malcolm spoke , comparing tortured and powerless Iraqis with Jesus on the cross, subjugated by the Roman Power Scheme. We all stood in the sunshine.

Lent Giving

The Oxford Homeless Medical Fund have send me a Lent Calendar for 2003. They are trying to raise funds to extend the Luther Street Medical Center. It provides medical help for homeless people. Yesterday's entry Ash Wednesday's entry said 'Homeless can mean having nowhere to stay day or night... Thank God for your own home.' Today's entry says '... or it can mean twilight accomodation, probably an unheated room without cooking or washing facilities... Give 10p for every fire in your house and 50p if you have central heating.' So I owe them 60p so far.

The remedial group

The evening Service was quite informal. We had the Story of Samuel hearing God's voice in the temple. Then in two small groups we discussed 'How do we know we are doing God's Will, and how do we listen to God.' After the group discussion we presented out findings. The lot over the other side including Diana and Edna had lots of experiences to relate. But our side was more quiet. One of our group said, 'We are the remedial group over here.'