Sunday mornings

Huw Williams | 16:05, Sunday, 18 December 2011

It's all hands on deck for the small team of volunteers (always Patrick and Felicia, always Stephen) who turn up early to help, congregating around our store cupboard to collect armfuls of soft toys and carpets for the crèche. Then there's the big box of Bibles ("no Ali, that's too heavy for a lady in your condition") not to mention the music equipment. Erica is already here, making sure the PowerPoint slides are all in order, before she starts rehearsing with the other musicians. Notice sheets out on the welcome desk.

By now more people are arriving, maybe a visitor or two. Welcomes are made. There may be some last-minute news or items for prayer, which we need to include in our prayer time.

And before you know it, it's 10.30 and time to start. It can often seem like quite a breathless start to the morning. But there's almost always 'a moment'. 

Sometimes it's in the kids' talk when you see children of all ages engaging with the message. Sometimes it's when you hear the way people sing. Sometimes it's in a time of open prayer when you hear one different accent after another speaking to God. Sometimes it's when you see the sheer joy on even one face when someone gets the message of God's word. Sometimes it's something else.

Sunday mornings can feel a little hectic, but in those moments you know you wouldn't have it any other way.