Advent in Great Britain

Isaiah 9:6

Dear Reader: Here is an accounting of my most recent trip to my adopted country of Great Britain. Again, the only thing I ask is for you to have an open heart and mind. This is actually Chapter five of my book. Chapter three is written, but because of the nature of the subject, most people will not read it till after my passing and chapter four is a work in progress, the events involved are still on going.

Back in November of 2006 after the Libera website was redesigned, an announcement was made that on Tuesday, the 12 of December 2006, Libera would be appearing in concert with Jose Carraras in the Royal Albert Hall. Upon reading this, I quickly spread the word and there was quite a bit of enthusiasm at first. It soon became apparent that at best, Libera might appear for maybe 10 to 15 minutes of the total time of the concert. One of my friends wrote me an email explaining the trip and all of the cost involved would not be worth it, however, another friend suggested he might be able to get very reasonably priced tickets for this event.

I had started checking airfares and found several very good deals offered. However, it got to the point where I couldn’t wait and because of the doubt of the availability of the tickets to the Jose Carraras concert and the fact nobody could help me out with accommodations this time, I had to make my own arrangements. I bought a plane ticket for a five-day weekend. This “deal” turned out to be a disaster because, the one air carrier failed to get me to Boston on time for a connection and it cost me 220.00 dollars to rebook my flight to London.

I finally arrived in LHR airport and after going through the Immigration and Customs service; I was on the tube to my host home in Forest Hill. My first instinct was to go to London Victoria and transfer to a surface line. I had missed a necessary change over on the tube due to bad directions and wound up taking the tube to Leicester Square where I had to do a number of changes to get to Forest Hill. In the future, I will follow my own gut feeling on how to get around London. I might point out here there were many frustrating moments. There was a time when the air around me would have been somewhat blue with many colorful metaphors coupled with a lot of anger. Instead, I now just take pause, say a small prayer and the door to my problem would be opened for me in a short period of time. Don’t ever try and tell me the power of prayer doesn’t work. I know for a fact, it does.

I finally arrived at my host home where the lady of the house very kindly made me some soup and toast. She also allowed me to install the Yahoo Messenger on her computer which this of course, made communication with friends easier and cheaper than using a telephone. After some rest, I walked about Forest Hill making mental notes of shortcuts for walking to the train station as well as places to eat. After I had a bite to eat, I went back to my host home, emailed my wife and friends and then retired for the night. As you might expect, I was exhausted from the travel and the change in time zones.

The next morning, I went to London Victoria to meet with my friend from Cobham, Kent. After some wait at the Starbucks in the South East Rail Terminal, my friend finally showed up and in a very untypical British manner greeted me with open arms and a very modest hug. I will admit that tears came to my eyes. It was great to see him again and I was very thankful we were given the chance to spend time together. After some tea, we went to visit the Imperial War Museum. The Imperial War Museum has many displays in it showing the machinery that was used in WW1 and WW2. The displays now have a degree of fascination to them, but in all honesty, it is a brutal reminder of just how horrible wars are; of the pain and suffering that we as people inflict on each other; usually over land [money] and power.

After some time there, we went to the Southwark Cathedral for a midday service of Lessons and Carols. This particular cathedral has 31 of these services during the Advent Season. I didn’t know it at the time, but this service was supposed to be a corporate “party”’ and it seems we gate crashed. However, in the true Christian spirit we were allowed to stay and participate. The service was very nice with excellent music provided by Price Waterhouse Coopers Choir. We then left the Cathedral and had some lunch and went back to the Cathedral so I could get some photographs.

After a bit of a rest, we then went to St. Bartholomew’s the great Church founded in 1123 as a Priory of Augustinian Canons. The church has had several uses over the centuries and it hasn’t been till 1923 that it has been in total use as a house of worship. The reason I wanted to see this particular church is it was used as a set for a performance of Libera in a Songs of Praise episode. The history of the church is very interesting and the visit not only gave me more insight as to how the current Great Britain was brought to being, but it also gave me a chance to make votive offerings and have a period of prayer as well.

We then went to a pub for a pint and wound up talking to a gentleman from Ireland who was a tad on the tipsy side. The people in the pub were a younger working class crowd and I found all them to be delightful to talk to. I consider it interesting that the only real difference in us is the name of the country we are from.

The hour started getting late and we had to return to London Victoria so my friend could get home. We had a farewell handshake he went his way and I, mine. I had wanted to attend mass at the Westminster cathedral that night but that was not to be. It seems that same night the feast to St. Lucia was being held and the attendance was by invitation only. So somewhat chagrined, I had a bite to eat and returned to Forest Hill for the night. I had stopped at an Internet Café in Streatham Hill on the way to Forest Hill to have my Camera downloaded and the pictures burned onto a CD. I found out about the “Café” during my Easter visit and I was satisfied their work was trustworthy.

The Next day, I first went to Norbury; I had wanted to pay my respects to Canon Washington, The Vicar of St. Philips. I was a bit put out in that the Washington’s were not home. This is a case of shame on me, I didn’t call first and I got exactly what I asked for, disappointment. I decided to stay around for a while to see if they were just out shopping and to pass some time, I went to the small park that is atop Pollards Hill. The clouds were lifting from the previous nights rain and the day was looking very promising for good weather. I took several photos over looking Croydon, Merton and Surrey as well as the Geo Marker. After a while, I decided to proceed with the sight seeing I had planned for the day.

I went to London Victoria, had a bite to eat and proceeded to the London Eye. I had asked for directions and was told to go to Buckingham Palace then walk through St James Park. From St. James Park, The Eye is visible, but what I didn’t know, it was actually quite a distance away. I was later to find out, I could have taken a much shorter walk or about a 10-minute ride on the tube. I’m glad I took the walk, it was a nice sunny day and fairly warm for the time of year. It seems the park is also a wild animal refuge and I was able to see many waterfowl, especially Pelicans who are unusually tame; Tame to the point you can actually touch them. There was also the usual assortment of squirrels. I had one very weird thing occur. Whilst I was walking, a flock of pigeons alit and started flying right for me. I thought for a minute they were going to fly right into me, but at the last second, they would veer off. To me, this was something right out of the late Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “The Birds”. I finally came to the Horse Guards Parade, took a few photos and proceeded to walk down the Victoria Embankment towards the Eye. By the time I got to the bridge to cross over the river to get to it, it was too late. I was supposed to meet a friend in London Victoria. I took a few photos of Big Ben and returned to London Victoria very disappointed I didn’t get a chance to ride on the London Eye. After about an hours wait with this person being a no show, I went to Westminster Cathedral for some sight seeing. Again I had a photo opportunity and was also able to make more votive offerings and have a fairly long period of prayer.

After my self-guided tour of Westminster Cathedral, I went back to London Victoria and whilst I was waiting for my train, I went over to a group of people who were singing Christmas Carols. I had asked a young man who they were and he told me they were the “One Nation Church” which meets in London Victoria. He also told me of how he had found the peace of the Lord through this church. I then told him of my return to the Lord that was influenced by the music of a group of South London schoolboys. He was mildly surprised and he said he never knew of the existence of Libera. He then told me he had witnessed a number of miracles in the past six weeks. My comment to him was “and the first miracle was you finding the peace that passes all understanding”. I’m not exactly sure why, but he almost immediately started to cry and thanked me for my words. I had only meant my words to be congratulatory, nothing more. After he regained his composure, we shook hands and departed company. It’s truly amazing how a few simple words of kindness can have more power than all of the war machinery I saw in the Imperial War Museum.

I finally boarded my train for Streatham Hill and when I got there; I had my camera taken care of. I then took a bus to Wetherspoons in Norbury for a nice supper of Fish and Chips. One thing I will say for the bus ride from Streatham Hill to Norbury, It was a real adventure. Talk about cowboy driving, I thought sure we were going to ram the bus in front of us more than once. But fortunately, that never came to pass. After supper, I returned to Forest Hill for the night.

Sunday Morning finally arrived. This was the day I was to meet my new friends for the first time face to face. I arrived at St. Philips and was surprised to see no choir. I was told they were doing a radio show interview with Aled Jones that morning but would be there for the Lessons and Carol’s service that evening. I went into the church and saw the one new friend sitting with another man whom I did not recognise. I knew the one man from photos we had sent each other. The other man turned out to be another American from Texas. Whilst I was waiting outside for the service to begin, a parishioner came and said to me “Hi Terry! Welcome back” this of course made me feel as if I belong there. Very heart warming, indeed.

The service started with a small choir made up of the older alumni of the boys choir. The hymns we sang from the Songs of praise Hymnal were as follows. 39-Tell out my soul, 30-Come thou long expected Jesus, 48-I cannot tell and 35- O come, O come Emmanuel. Sadly, I don’t have a record of what the choir sang that morning for an anthem, but rest assured, it was very well done.

After the service, we had the normal tea social where not only was I able to talk with my new friends, but was able to speak with people who I already know. It was great to see them as always and after a bit, it felt as though I had never left at Easter.

Towards the end of the tea, I gave out some Christmas gifts that I had brought with me. My friend from Hoddesdon regretted he had nothing for me. I told him not to worry, for he; the friend from Westbury as well as my friend from Cobham had already given me a gift that was priceless. They had been behind me 100% in the struggles that I had recently been through and the gift they had given me was their friendship and love. No one, In my opinion, could ever hope to have any greater gift from another person.

We went to Wetherspoons for lunch and had a very nice time getting to know each other and yes, this was a period of male bonding. After lunch, we proceeded to St Paul’s Cathedral for their evensong. We had hoped to hear their boys choir, however, this was not to be.

We arrived at St. Paul’s and I was awed by the magnificence of the building. This is a Christopher Wren designed church that was erected about 1660. The man who had been there before told us not to look up till after we were seated. After we were seated we looked up and I will say, three jaw dropped open a once when we saw the inside of the “Whispering Dome”. The reason the dome has been given this name is one can be in the gallery that is located in the dome and whisper. These words can be heard plain as day on the main floor. The acoustics are interesting in that the building has an 11 second reverberation time. It was all very nice and I hope someday to hear an evensong with the boy’s choir.

After the Evensong at St. Paul’s, we went back to Norbury for the Evensong at St. Philips. After we arrived, I had time to chat with members of the congregation and some of the parents I had met at Easter. It was good to see them, as I have said before, while I am in Great Britain, St. Philips is indeed my home church and I have been made to feel very welcome there.

The service started with Canon Washington welcoming all of the attendees. The service started with a soloist singing “Creator of the Starry Night”, a traditional song followed by all singing the hymn “Once in David’s Royal City”. Canon Washington then gave the formal introduction and Bidding Prayer where we also recited the Lords Prayer. The choir then sang “Angel Tidings” another traditional song and then the first lesson from Genesis 3 was read. The choir then sang “Dormi Jesu” by Rutter after which the second lesson was read from Genesis 22. Next was the “Shepherds Pipe Carol” again by Rutter. The congregation and choir then sang the hymn “O Little Town of Bethlehem”. Lesson Three was then read from Isaiah 9. The choir then did “Wolcum” by Britten and “O Holy Night” by Adam? The fourth lesson was again from Isaiah 9, followed with the choir singing “A Maiden most gentle” a traditional song by Carter. We then sang the hymn “Silent Night”. I might point out here, the congregation held back because we wanted to hear the boys sing it to the arraignment that was done for their new CD, “Angel Voices” and as you might expect, we were not disappointed with what we heard. The fifth lesson was read from Luke 1. The choir then did “And the Glory of the Lord” by G.F. Handel along with “Lully Lullah” by Leighton. Lesson six was read from Matthew 1 after which we sang the hymn “While Shepherds watched their Flock”. The seventh lesson was from Luke 2 and the choir then did “There shall be a Star” by Mendelssohn. The eighth lesson was read from Matthew 2 with the choir then singing “Mary’s Lullaby,” another piece by Rutter. The ninth lesson was read from John 1 with the final hymn being “O come All Ye Faithful” after which Canon Washington gave the Blessing. There was an Organ Voluntary afterwards with refreshments being served in the fellowship hall.

It was at his time I had a chance to speak with Robert and thank him for the wonderful music we were treated to that night and I was also fortunate to get some of the boys autographs on the insert for my copy of “Angel Voices” I also had a chance to chat more with my acquaintances there and have a word of prayer with a parishioner who is a cancer survivor like myself [she is in paradise now]. As the evening came to a close, I had the opportunity to pray with my friends individually before they left. Whilst I was outside chatting with one of my friends, one of the parents came to me and wished me a Merry Christmas and inquired if I would be around for Christmas Eve. I explained it would not be possible this year and his reply was “ That’s a shame, we would have loved to have had you here”.

I will admit I almost lost it at those words. All of a sudden, all of the hardships of an torn Meniscus in my left knee and the extra expense I endured for the cost of my flight became moot. Like I have said before, its what you get out of an expense that matters and what I had just been given was priceless. After the final farewells, my friend from Cobham took me to my room let in Forest Hill. Before I got out of his car, I had a period of Prayer with him. It is my sincere prayer, hope and wish that I would someday escort this very dear friend of mine to the Communion Rail at St. Philips.

Again, I consider it amazing, how one simple word could have so much impact on not only my life, but those around me as well. The best part is, a 12-year-old choir member who was just there for the music and no other reason sang it. To me, this is indeed the Holy Spirit at work.

As always, you are in my Prayers.

Yours in Christ,

Terry 

 Canon Washinton and his wife are now in paradise +

Gospel for the week Luke 16:1-13

 

Luke 16:1-13

New King James Version

The Parable of the Unjust Steward

16 He also said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was ^[a]wasting his goods. ² So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’

³ “Then the steward said within himself, ‘What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. ⁴ I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.’

⁵ “So he called every one of his master’s debtors to him, and said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ ⁶ And he said, ‘A hundred ^[b]measures of oil.’ So he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ ⁷ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ So he said, ‘A hundred ^[c]measures of wheat.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ ⁸ So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.

⁹ “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous ^[d]mammon, that when ^[e]you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. ¹⁰ He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. ¹¹ Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? ¹² And if you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?

¹³ “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

May you, the reader be blessed by these words.

Terry 

Lesson for the week 1 Timothy 2:1-7

 

1 Timothy 2:1-7

New King James Version

Pray for All Men

2 Therefore I ^[a]exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, ² for kings and all who are in ^[b]authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and ^[c]reverence. ³ For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, ⁴ who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time, ⁷ for which I was appointed a preacher and an apostle—I am speaking the truth ^[d]in Christ and not lying—a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth.

May you, the reader, be blessed by these words.

Terry 

Gospel for the week Luke 15:1-10

 

Luke 15:1-10

New King James Version

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

15 Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. ² And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This Man ^[a]receives sinners and eats with them.” ³ So He spoke this parable to them, saying:

⁴ “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? ⁵ And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ ⁷ I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine ^[b]just persons who need no repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

⁸ “Or what woman, having ten silver ^[c]coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ ¹⁰ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

 May you, the reader, be blessed by these words.

Terry 

Lesson for the week 1 Timothy 1:12-17

 

1 Timothy 1:12-17

New King James Version

Glory to God for His Grace

¹² And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, ¹³ although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an ^[a]insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. ¹⁴ And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. ¹⁶ However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. ¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to ^[b]God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

 May you, the reader, be blessed by these words.

Terry  

The Gospel for the week Luke 14:25-33

 

Luke 14:25-33

Now large crowds were traveling with Jesus; and he turned and said to them, "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, `This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions."

May you, the reader be blesed by these words.

Terry 

Lesson for the week Philemon 1-21

 

Philemon 1-21

Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus, and Timothy our brother,

To Philemon our dear friend and co-worker, to Apphia our sister, to Archippus our fellow soldier, and to the church in your house:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

When I remember you in my prayers, I always thank my God because I hear of your love for all the saints and your faith toward the Lord Jesus. I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective when you perceive all the good that we may do for Christ. I have indeed received much joy and encouragement from your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, my brother.

For this reason, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do your duty, yet I would rather appeal to you on the basis of love-- and I, Paul, do this as an old man, and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. I am appealing to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I have become during my imprisonment. Formerly he was useless to you, but now he is indeed useful both to you and to me. I am sending him, that is, my own heart, back to you. I wanted to keep him with me, so that he might be of service to me in your place during my imprisonment for the gospel; but I preferred to do nothing without your consent, in order that your good deed might be voluntary and not something forced. Perhaps this is the reason he was separated from you for a while, so that you might have him back forever, no longer as a slave but more than a slave, a beloved brother-- especially to me but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.

So if you consider me your partner, welcome him as you would welcome me. If he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand: I will repay it. I say nothing about your owing me even your own self. Yes, brother, let me have this benefit from you in the Lord! Refresh my heart in Christ. Confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.

May you, the reader, be blessed by these words.

Terry 

Easter in Great Britian

Easter in Great Britain 

 

John 3:16 

 

Dear reader: I am presenting to you an accounting of my Easter in Great Britain. Again, all I ask of you is, when you read this, please do so with an open heart and mind. 

 I had hoped to celebrate Easter in the U.K. since I had left there in November of 2005, however the economics were looking somewhat grim at the time for this to happen. While on the Yahoo instant chat one Sunday afternoon, I was told the Men’s/Boy’s choir of St. Philips in Norbury would be singing the Rutter “Requiem” on Good Friday night. When I “heard” this, I started looking for possible airfares again and I found one that I could afford in the time frame I needed. To me, a prayer had been answered. I bought the ticket and made the other plans immediately. Luckily, there were no hassles about passports or any of that other nonsense I went thru for my trip in November of 2005. 

 Finally, the day of departure came and even though we were over an hour late leaving, we arrived in London, Gatwick airport only half an hour late. I will always fly non-stop whenever possible. After getting thru the British immigration and customs, I was able to get a train ticket to my friends place in Cobham, Kent. I had first stopped In Norbury to pay my respects to the Vicar of St. Philips and have a cup of tea with him. 

 One thing I would like to point out at this time is while although we have many desirable attributes in America, the British have a charm that I find very compelling. True enough, I will never give up my U.S. citizenship at my stage in life, but I would like to live and work in Britain for a while just to see what it is like. I have lived in Britain, but only as a tourist. If I ever did such a thing, I would like to live near St. Philips Church in Norbury. A church I have been very graciously allowed to call “My home church” while I am there. 

I finally arrived in Cobham where my friend and his wife very warmly greeted me. I had a bite to eat and was finally able to get some rest, a nap that I guess lasted about four hours, after which I had another bite to eat and then went to bed. As you might expect, I was exhausted from the travel with a touch of “jet-lag”. 

 The next morning, I went to Norbury to take part in a “Witness March”. It seems the Church’s in the Norbury and other areas of London get together and have these marches on Good Friday. This was the first time I had ever participated in such an event and wouldn’t you know it, we were rained on in spite of the weather forecast. The march started at Norbury Park, just north of the train station and proceeded south on the A23, London Road. There were four stages and at each stage, a passage of scripture was read followed by a hymn and a prayer. Each stage was held at a different location along the A23, hence, the “March”. Stage one was Mark14: 32-52 followed by the hymn “My song is love unknown”. Stage two was Mark 14: 53-72 followed by the hymn “Why, what has my Lord done”, however, I’m not sure if this is the correct title. Stage three was Mark 15: 16-23 followed by the hymn “When I survey the wondrous cross”. Stage four was Mark 15: 33-47 followed by the hymn “There is a green hill far away”. We then proceeded to the Norbury Methodist Church for a service of Music and Meditation. I found this to be an interesting form of witness and I had the blessing of meeting many very nice people. One of them was The Rev. Hazel Ratcliffe, a very kind and devoted lady. When this event was over with I returned to Cobham by train where I was given the opportunity to witness to a young man.

 Good Friday night, my friends in Cobham and myself went to Norbury to hear the St. Philips Men’s/Boy’s Choir perform the Rutter “Requiem”. I might point out the choir of St. Philips is comprised of many boys between the ages of eight to sixteen as well as adult men. These boys also do recordings as the vocal group “Libera”. 

 The service started with an introduction and opening sentence by the Vicar, The Rev. Canon Patrick Washington. We then sang the hymn ”My song is love unknown” followed by a prayer for the evening of Good Friday. The choir then proceeded with their rendition of the Rutter “Requiem”. The Requiem is comprised of the following sections, Requiem Aeternam, Out of the deep, Pie Jesu, Sanctus, Agnus Dei; The Lord is my Shepard and Lux Aeterna. The performance of the choir that night was outstanding; there were two priceless times with the performances of a treble soloist, doing the “Pie Jesu” and another treble soloist, doing the solo part of “Lux Aeterna”. At the end, there was applause and a freewill offering with a younger choir member standing by the Baptismal Font with a collection plate in his hands. It was nice to see the amount of generosity exhibited and in my opinion, this group should get all the help it can. If I were a man of means, I would have gladly underwritten the performance with a cheerful heart. 

 After the performance, I went with another friend to his home in Hoddesdon. This person and myself had never met before and as you would expect, there was a great deal of trust on both our parts to keep each other’s company in such a manner. We had a number of soul bearing conversations on the Yahoo messenger and we felt we knew each other well enough to take this kind of step. I am very glad I did this for I was able to meet many more wonderful people. The next day, my host took me to see a sailing club where he is a member. We had also stopped at the Waltham Abby at my request. This turned out to be a spiritual time for me, not only did I get a lesson in the history of Britain, I also had the opportunity to make a number of votive offerings and have a period of prayer while we were there. Many of the people I have met in Britain are secular, but the nice thing is, they have always respected my beliefs and wish’s. I am saddened by their lack of knowledge, but it has given me a chance to witness to them as I have done to others. That night, my host and his friends had a supper where I was the guest of honour. Another compelling thing about the British is those I have met have accepted me as I am; The same way Jesus has accepted me. 

 The next morning, Easter Sunday, We drove to Norbury for a wonderful, spiritually uplifting service. We sang hymns from The Songs of Praise Hymnal. The hymns we sang were as follows. 107-“Jesus Christ is risen today”, 105-“Good Christians all”, 193-“Lord enthroned” and 114-“Thine be the glory” from “Judas Maccabaeus” by G.F. Handel. The choir treated us to a wonderful rendition of the “Hallelujah” chorus from Handel’s “Messiah” and I was in awe of the beauty of what I had heard. The one thing I find very compelling about the Anglican Church is, the Eucharist is served every Sunday, not just once a month like many churches in America. After the service, there is a tea social, this is when I was able to meet and talk with members I had made friends with last November. It was good to see them, young and old alike, for they are indeed my church family in Great Britain. 

 That afternoon we just knocked about giving ourselves a local tour of the area and we ate locally as well. We eventually wound up on top of Pollards Hill where I found the view to be quite interesting for what can be seen. We also did a driving tour of areas north of Norbury to check out hotels and Bed and Breakfast establishments. There may come a time when nobody will be in a position to host me, so I considered it time well spent learning where these places are and what they are like. I also noted the rents tend to be a lot cheaper than in London. For the budget minded traveler like me, this is always a concern. There was no point in traveling back and forth to Hoddesdon because of the time and distance involved. 

 Evening finally rolled around and we were glad for that. It was time for Evensong. The Evensong comprised of the following music. We sang from the Hymnal, “Ancient and Modern, New Standard”. 77-Jesus Christ is risen today, 83-“Loves redeeming work is done” and 80-“Aleluia”. The Psalm was “This joyful Eastertide” with the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis being done to a setting by Dyson in D. The Anthem was “Ye choirs of Jerusalem” by Stanford. This was all very nicely done and I really appreciated the effort. After the Evensong, I had the opportunity to meet and talk with a number of the parents of the younger choir members. They are all very lovely, kind people and when I had mentioned the possibility of coming back for the Harvest Festival in September, I was told, “Please do”. You have no idea how good this made me feel and it also made the amount I spent for the weekend worth it. I know it seems like a lot of money for a four-day weekend, but it’s what you get out of it that matters. 

Afterwards we went back to Hoddesdon and collapsed, it had been a very eventful day and we were both exhausted. The next morning I had something of an emotional collapse as I realised the weekend was over with. My host had offered me many words of encouragement that helped me get a grip on things so I could get on with my departure. My host took me to the Tottenham Tube Station and after a warm farewell I departed for LGW airport. I had nearly missed my plane, but that was mostly me, lollygagging around London Victoria taking in the sights and sounds of London, not wanting to leave.

 When the plane took off, I looked Northward towards Norbury and yes, I cried for a bit. It is heart wrenching for me to leave the people there I have grown to like and love very much. However, it wasn’t as bad this time as I am now reasonably confident I will be able to come back for many times to come, Lord willing. 

I still believe, to this day, with all my heart, it was the Holy Spirit working through a group of South London Schoolboys who can sing and their music, that gave me the kick in the head I needed to get off dead center spiritually. I consider it truly amazing how one word, sweetly sung, was able to push me “over the edge” and dramatically change my life for the better and forever.

 

 “Sanctus”

As always, you are in my prayers. 

Terry …….

PS: This happened in 2006  

The Gospel for the week: Luke 14:1, 7-14

 

Luke 14:1, 7-14

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.

When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, `Give this person your place,' and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, `Friend, move up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

 May you, the reader be blessed by these words,

Terry 

Lesson for the Week: Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

 

Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16

Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." So we can say with confidence,

"The Lord is my helper;
I will not be afraid.

What can anyone do to me?"

Remember your leaders, those who spoke the word of God to you; consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Through him, then, let us continually offer a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.

 May you, the reader, be blessed by these words.

Terry 

 Dear All: 

The tragedy that has happened in Minneapolis has made me heart sick to the point where I have been in tears grieving for the families of those involved, especially the two childeren that have lost their lives to a person that was mentally ill.

 Lets be honest, we have to stop affiming the notion that a person can undo what nature has wroght and change their sex.This is a biological impossibility with humans. What we are seeing here is a Mental Illness brought on by and idelogy that is very much Anti-Christ. 

It is time for the governments of all nations to come together and enact laws and reopen mental insitutions  in an effort to stamp out "Transgenderisim" and properly treat those affected by it. 

There is no such thing in nature!

I know from personal experiance that some of the drugs used for "Transitioning" are also used for Prostate Cancer Treatment. I can safely tell you that these drugs do indeed cause chronic depression and wreck havoc with a persons ability to properly process thought. Of course, the makers of these drugs will poo-poo my statements but baloney. Ask any man who has gone the drug- radiation seeding treatment for Prostate Cancer. 

We KNOW! 

In short, we must pray for a return to the Lord. If we don't, we will end up like Isreal did in the book of Isaiah.

Terry 

The Gospel for the Week Luke 13:10-17

Luke 13:10-17 Now Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment." When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day." But the Lord answered him and said, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?" When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing. May you, the reader be blessed by these words. 

Terry

Lesson for the week Hebrews 12:18-29

Hebrews 12:18-29 You have not come to something that can be touched, a blazing fire, and darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, and the sound of a trumpet, and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that not another word be spoken to them. (For they could not endure the order that was given, "If even an animal touches the mountain, it shall be stoned to death." Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, "I tremble with fear.") But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. See that you do not refuse the one who is speaking; for if they did not escape when they refused the one who warned them on earth, how much less will we escape if we reject the one who warns from heaven! At that time his voice shook the earth; but now he has promised, "Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heaven." This phrase, "Yet once more," indicates the removal of what is shaken-- that is, created things-- so that what cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us give thanks, by which we offer to God an acceptable worship with reverence and awe; for indeed our God is a consuming fire. May you, the reader, be blessed by these words. Terry

The Gospel for this week : Luke 12:49-56

Luke 12:49-56 Jesus said, "I came to bring fire to the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what stress I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law." He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you immediately say, `It is going to rain'; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, `There will be scorching heat'; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?" May you, the reader, be blessed by these words. Terry

The Epistle for this week: Hebrews 11:29-12:2

Hebrews 11:29-12:2 By faith the people passed through the Red Sea as if it were dry land, but when the Egyptians attempted to do so they were drowned. By faith the walls of Jericho fell after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had received the spies in peace. And what more should I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets-- who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched raging fire, escaped the edge of the sword, won strength out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received their dead by resurrection. Others were tortured, refusing to accept release, in order to obtain a better resurrection. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned to death, they were sawn in two, they were killed by the sword; they went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, persecuted, tormented-- of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground. Yet all these, though they were commended for their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better so that they would not, apart from us, be made perfect. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. May you, the reader, be blessed by these words. Terry

A Weekend with Friends

 A story of something that happened to me in 2009:

 

A weekend with friends

Romans 13:9

Dear Reader: Here is an accounting of a weekend I recently spent in North Carolina with friends in Christ. I try to visit these people at least once a year. These people are true friends and have stayed with me in my struggles over the past two and a half years.
Normally these letters are of my trips to England but I thought I would write about something that happened here in America.
Sometime ago I had asked when would be a good time to visit and it was finally decided the weekend starting the 17^th of July 2009. I was asked if I could help teach a Sunday School Class that Sunday to my friend’s first grade class. I consented and he sent me some material I had to learn because I was the one who would be reading it to the class.

 Finally Friday the 17th rolled around and I was off at 05:30 in the morning. I know this sounds like a rather early departure but please remember I had to go through Baltimore and Washington D.C. and I really didn’t want to get jacked up in the horrendous traffic in that area on I-95.

 I arrived at about three thirty in the afternoon and after I unpacked and freshened up a bit, we went to his church. They were having activities and a sleepover for those who are going to be in the first grade in their Sunday school. This is a sort of “rite of passage” for these youngsters. I was very flattered and honoured that I as an outsider would be allowed to participate in an event like this with five to seven year olds. There were some older kids but this was actually open to all grade schoolers. Earlier in the day the group had gone to a pottery mill to learn how clay pottery is made. The place where they went makes all of their goods by hand and has been in business since the late 1700's. After a lunch in the mill’s picnic grove, they returned to the church. They had activities planned by a young lady who is working on a degree for teaching. This young lady not only developed the curriculum but executed it as well. When we arrived, she was in the middle of reading a Dr. Seuss story to them. The story was Bartholomew and the Oobleck (1959), which the kids seemed to enjoy very much. Afterwards, the kids went to tables that were set up out side with some kitchen utensils and bowls on them. There was water, cornstarch and green food coloring provided. The kids were instructed on how to mix the ingredients and went to it. The idea here was to make an Oobleck like substance as well as teach the kids the differences between solids, semi solids and liquids. I feel the most important thing taught here was teamwork. This is perhaps one of the most important lessons that can be taught a child and in my humble opinion; this is an excellent age to do it.

After they were done with the Oobleck, they went back inside to a critique of what they had learned and then went to supper. Supper consisted of Pizza, Pop Corn and “Bug Juice” 

When  supper was over, we had arts and crafts like activities as well as a game of “Bible Jingo”. The arts activities consisted of making our own “stained glass” figures of the fish symbol with a cross inside it [Icthus]. Some of the results were very nice as you can see.

No, I am not going to tell you which one is mine . There was another thing the kids were supposed to paint but by that time most had lost interest in painting. This is when the Minister of Education took over and held a game of “Bible Jingo”. The game is something like bingo only the prizes are not monetary. The game works like this.

The answers are on the boards that are given out. The caller asks a question and if the answer is on your board, you get to place a marker on it. The rest of Bingo rules apply for winning.

After this, it was time to get the kids ready for bed. This is where I had to leave. Since I am not a member of this church, the rules say this is one function I cannot participate in. This church, like most others has a “Safe Church” policy in effect. I returned to my host home for the night and enjoyed a quiet evening with his wife and son.

The next morning I went back to the church to have breakfast with my host and the kids. However breakfast was late in arriving and we had to get going, as we had to be in Raleigh for a show at the I MAX Theater. We stopped at Mc Donald’s and picked up Egg Mc Muffins and Hash Browns and went to his home for breakfast.

We arrived in Raleigh and went to the I MAX for a show that was one of their own productions. I had never been in an I MAX before so this was a real treat for me. I will say the realism is terrific and there is no comparison to the original 3 D movies we had when I was a kid. Afterwards we went to an “Olive Garden” for lunch. This is one of the nicer ones I have been in. The service was very prompt and courteous and the portions generous, generous enough for us to take part of our meals home with us .

We arrived home after a Cooks tour of Raleigh and just kicked back for the rest of the day. I went out and did some shopping and afterwards helped my host with some of the preparation for his Sunday school class the next day.

Sunday dawned mostly sunny and cool for the time of year. After we had a big cooked breakfast, my host had to get going early to set up the classroom and I soon followed to help with this. I also had to mind the room for kids coming in since all of the teachers had an emergency meeting. This classroom is equipped with a computer and the kids can take turns playing interactive Bible games. The favourite seems to be puzzles of different kinds.

After the meeting and a good many of the kids had arrived [some of whom remembered me from previous visits], we started the class. The day’s lesson was on Romans 13:9. There were a number of interactive games devised by my host as well as a monologue done by me. I was dressed in some stage props to look like the Roman Centurion Cornelius. I read the story to the kids of how Cornelius met Peter and then answered some questions afterwards. In all it was a very successful class with 12 students being in attendance.

After the class, I had gone out into the hallway to talk to the Minister of Education and ran into a 10 year old boy who has sent shock waves through the church. I had met this boy last year and in a way, I helped my host mentor him. The real shock to the congregation came when this past spring, he came forward at an alter call during a revival meeting and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Saviour. The shock here is he has been the youngest to ever do this with out parental support!

This boy saw and greeted me with “Hello Mr. Terry, how are you” coupled with a handshake and a very surprising but modest hug. Needless to say, I was very touched by this act.

Afterwards, we went to the sanctuary for service and while we were waiting for the service to start, this very same boy had taken a piece of paper and made a paper boat out of it. He then turned to me and said, “here Mr. Terry, I made this for you”. I tell you truly, this is one of the most precious gifts I have ever been given by anybody and I have it at a place of honour on my computer monitor where it will serve as a reminder of just how awesome God is.

After the service we went home for lunch and just plain chilled for a while. It was a lazy afternoon and that was fine with me. I’m not one of those people that need some kind of constant activity, I am perfectly happy to just kick back and relax .

After a bit, we went back to the church for the evening activities. This church doesn’t have any organised activities as such during the summer vacation season but it has things like movies for the kids in the evenings. This night we were treated to a movie complete with munchies like popcorn, cake and bug juice. I also took this time to take some photos of the new Sunday school wing.

After the movie it was time to say farewell to my friends there. I met the boy from that morning in the hallway, shook his hand and wished him a goodbye, he in turn did the same to me then he hugged me again and said, “Mr. Terry, Please come back as soon as you can”. In all honesty, I almost lost it right there. I went outside and said my farewell to the adults that were kibitzing in the parking lot and went back to my host home. We had some supper and before I went to bed, I bade his wife and son goodbye as I knew by the time they got up I would be long gone. The next morning I was up and gone by 06:10 and drove a rather uneventful 500 mile trip home.

Some things I wish to point out here. Before meals, grace is always said. Each person in the circle [yes, we hold hands and make a circle] offers the prayer at least once. I usually offer the prayer on Saturday evenings. Also, I have for two years gone to the alter call and have renewed my dedication to the Lord Jesus Christ. This may seem like a lot to some, but it never hurts to let Jesus know you’re still committed to him. Also, I was very blessed this past trip. I was allowed to participate in a children’s Sunday school class even though I am not a member of that church. The trust here came from my host say so. I was also very blessed by the presence of a ten-year-old boy who opened his heart to me and allowed the light of Christ to shine through him. Not only did he give me a precious physical gift, also, more importantly, he freely gave me his love. I was very humbled by this act. This is a good example of Romans 13:9 “Love one another as yourself” ; I am a very rich man for what has been given me.

As always, you are in my prayers.

Terry

I might point out the children shown here are now adults in their early 20's.

 Sorry for the poor line spacing but this is a case of Google fixing something that wasn't broke :( 

 

 A Gospel Reading:

 

Luke 12:32-40

Jesus said to his disciples, "Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

"Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes; truly I tell you, he will fasten his belt and have them sit down to eat, and he will come and serve them. If he comes during the middle of the night, or near dawn, and finds them so, blessed are those slaves.

"But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour."

 

May you, the reader, be blessed by these words.

 

Terry 

 

 Lesson for the week:

 

Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Indeed, by faith our ancestors received approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was made from things that are not visible.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. By faith he received power of procreation, even though he was too old-- and Sarah herself was barren-- because he considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one person, and this one as good as dead, descendants were born, "as many as the stars of heaven and as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore."

All of these died in faith without having received the promises, but from a distance they saw and greeted them. They confessed that they were strangers and foreigners on the earth, for people who speak in this way make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of the land that they had left behind, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; indeed, he has prepared a city for them.

 

May you, the reader, be blessed by these words.

 

Terry 

 

The Holy Spirit using Music

 Dear All:

On October 30th, 2024 my wife of 43 years passed on to Glory. While I am a believer, I was still pretty much down in the dumps and feeling sorry for myself with a "Woe is me" attitude.

One night this past February, I came across a posting on Facebook about Polish Christmas music. The music was presented by a famous Polish Highland Band. I had watched quite a few of their videos that night. I came across one in particular where a youngster who was apparently a bit bored or just being playful was clowning around on stage. I will admit, the actions did make me laugh a bit since in many ways, I was reminded of myself at that age. The one thing I did take note of was the energy and joy of the Polish Christmas Music. 

The next morning, after a good nights sleep which is rare for me, I was eating breakfast and it occured to me I had to stop whining abut the loss of Ida and get on with my life as I know Ida would have wanted me to. 

Fast forward. I now listen to a lot of this Polish Highland Bands music. Coupled with this, I have also studied about Poland and her people and learned of a Poland I never knew existed. I say that in a good way. While I am not fluent in Polish outside of some questionable language, I still enjoy the music. What makes it easy is I am able to download the lyrics with English translations :)

Since then, I have pretty much fallen in Love with Poland and her people for indeed, they have stolen my heart. I also like the food, my waistline is showing it 😉

In summation, this makes the second time in 20 years where the Holy Spirit used the power of music and  a child to deliver a message to get me to get off dead center. I will be forever greatful for what that young person unwittingly has done for me. In this case, the child did basically nothing ouside of being a child. I think the words of Isaiah 11:6 might apply here “And a little child shall lead them” .

Terry 

 

Note: I NEVER  use names in my post, especially minors. Do not ask me for details, I will respect the privacy of all concerned and keep any information I may have private! This is not negotiable!

 

Colossians 3:1-11

New King James Version

Not Carnality but Christ

3 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. ³ For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

⁵ Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, ⁷ in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

⁸ But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, ¹⁰ and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, ¹¹ where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.