A quick purr

I have a couple of possibly worthwhile posts brewing, but in the meantime I do need to share a delight from today. It's NOT about the numbers but..................
At our 10.00 Eucharist, the congregation numbered SIXTEEN (an increase of about 50% on the habitual attendance during the vacancy) of whom 12 stayed for coffee and chat afterwards.
I love this group...Their love for one another and for God is absolutely evident, so that worshipping with them is pure delight...and somehow, when I find myself confronted with the lections of the day, it is easy to find the theme that we need to explore together, the words that need to be said. Three weeks ago I suggested that this service might benefit from the social dimension. This week I spent all of coffee time hearing the sort of difficult stuff that will simply not make its way through to me on a busy Sunday when I have to bolt from Valley to Hill without so much as a backward glance.
It's good to have services like this, that confirm exactly why parish ministry can still "work" on a good day.,