Occasionally in life, you come across those moments when you just feel complete and utter happiness, like life couldn't get any better, you're with your great friends, you feel completely comfortable, and it's just like, wow. That was yesterday.
It was one of the annual baptism and confirmation services over at Northcourt, and it was spaceband's turn to lead. Now there are two very good things about that; firstly, it means that numerous people have reached a point in their relationship with God that they have decided to make a public statement to live their lives for him. Secondly, it means there's a large number in the congregation.
Unfortunately, it means that as half of the front of the church is taken up by the baptism pool, we have the squeeze the band into a singularity. And the stress that was in the air when this was all being arranged was so thick it was almost visible. Fortunately, about half an hour and 3 popped stess balls later, the band managed to fit in, and I got to sit next to a radiator.
Another thing, is that when you've led worship before, you then appreciate how well other people do it and how difficult it can be. Ed was the worship leader of the evening, and honestly, credit where it's due, he did an absolutely fantastic job! He managed to organise the band, fit the instruments into a packed space and do a run through of around 7 songs in about an hour and a quarter! And on top of that he managed to bring the band together prefectly and make it sound amazing!
And on the baptism/confirmation side of things, there was this absolutely amazing testimony that struck me to the absolute core, and I think most of the people in the church probably felt the same way. it was of a woman who had fallen pretty much rock-bottom, and when they went to a friend's baptism, they were sruck by God's love so powerfully that she was left weeping on the foor. I just find those things amazing. And what was even better was that I got to spend these few hours with one of my best friends, and whose sister was getting baptised and confirmed, which was also amazing!
There were so many good things about the service but I feel I must move on to space. It was just a social evening, with no particular aim, but they can be some of the best kinds. The amazing special thing about this space session was that my friend who I hadn't seen in over 2 months was coming along! So I got to spend the evening with him which was amazing. And at some point in the evening, about half an hour before the end, a little group of us were standing in the kitchen area, and out of the corner of my eye I spotted a challenge. I reckoned that I had it in me to limbo underneath the kitchen door hatch majigger thing. It turns out that I didn't, and in not being able to do so, I ended up causing a bit of a scene, and people crowded around...
That turned into a half an hour - odd limbo competition.
This is going on a bit now, the point is, I had an amazing day!
I'll let you go.
