Visiting.
On Saturday we had a couple of families over to add to the resident families (ours and the one in the cabin) and the children all had a wonderful time. Some of them experienced the bitter disappointment of having to go to bed (eventually) when all one wants to do is going on having fun. Richard was busy in the kitchen much of the time, producing massive quantities of flap-jack much of which was consumed by the assembled throng throughout the afternoon. The crumbs on the carpet outside the kitchen were almost ankle deep (: - ) ) and belied the fact that most people took their first bite as they stepped out of the kitchen. 50% of the people continued on into the lounge before taking their second bite! Praise the Lord for a hoover which works!
on Sunday Esther and I took our respective children to the C of E in Virginia Water. A place to which I have been longing to go for a few years now. It is interesting to analyse ones impressions - negetive aspects of which were modified by the end of the service. First, the carpark was full (and in the night I wondered WHERE was the ancient grave-yard....). Second, we were not facing east(!!!) - the church had had to be extended so we faced south instead (it is only when I am in a C of E that I can confidently assert which way I am facing - so this was a disappointment). Third, the book-stall was extensive and included a copy of Piper's Biblical Manhood and Womanhood. I didn't count but the impression I got was that if the male/female distribution was not 50/50 it was slightly in the favour of the men!

They have 4 services on a Sunday because there are so many folks who want to go there. The conversations that Esther and I had (independently) with various church-folk were all about the meat of the service and how the sermon applies. This was the first time in a long while I have sat in church and felt uncomfortable (on the subject of loving our enemies) and it was about time.
Shame about the singing - if it were not for the music group at the front (which, in its defence was not composed of teenage 'posers' as so often is the case) we couldnt' have sung the things at all. Mind you if there were no music group perhaps we would have had to have tunes which were accessible and structured, rather than rambling and aimless... Anyway, there is not such thing as a perfect church (as one needs to remind oneself so VERY often) and the folks certainly didn't hold to heresy and, more important to God, they showed the love of Christ to one another and to visitors - and that HAS to be a pleasing aroma to the Lord.