1990

Two Georges

   10.37pm. We have just returned from Wells, where we went to hear Bishop George [George Carey] speak on “Is God Green?” at the Town Hall. We took Frank and Irene [Booth] with us.

   Before breakfast this morning I printed the notes on Ephesians 5 for distribution after tomorrow’s meeting. After breakfast Freda phoned Let’s Go Travel, Frome, to enquire their address, and we decided to go there to book our flight to the USA on 23rd April, D.V.

   Our Community Charge (Poll Tax) document came this morning. I wanted to change our arrangement for paying so we decided to call in at the council offices in Cannards Grave Road, Shepton Mallet, on our way, which we did.

   On our way out we called at Frank and Irene’s [24 Hill Head Close] to take them a copy of the Bible Study notes, and a tape of Sir George’s talk [at Summerlands last Sunday on The Challenge of Poetry]. I offered to take them to Wells tonight. Frank didn’t think they could come, and Irene phoned just after 6pm to say they would like to go.

   We parked the car at King Street, Frome, at 11.02am and went to Let’s Go Travel, where we saw Stephanie and booked our tickets, even to being allocated seat numbers 7E and 7F on the Dallas-Shreveport flight. The tickets were £428 each, including £10 airport taxes.

   We were there for over an hour. I had to move the car at 11.22am and put it behind the shop, and to move it again when we left. This time we left it, at 11.55am, outside St John’s Church.

   We had lunch of mushroom soup and bread and butter at the Settle, then had a look inside the church before driving home. We came indoors for only a few minutes, then went to Street to do the shopping at Tesco, also to look at refrigerators, so it was 3.30pm or thereabouts by the time returned home.

   We had a cup of tea and Chelsea buns bought in Frome, then we both went to sleep.

   We collected Frank and Irene at ten past seven. The meeting was not until 8.00pm but we wanted to get a good seat. Freda and I sat on the front row with Frank and Irene behind us. There were plenty of empty seats though. Only about 70 people came. Maureen Porch was there, also Marjorie Coles, and Liz Shepherd from Warminster. Jim Nagel was the only other person from St John’s, so far as I know.

   An amazing thing happened before the meeting. I had my back turned, talking to Frank and Irene about the meeting we went to at Williton, when George came over to me, and apologised for breaking up our conversation, at which point I told him what we were talking about. “Oh, were you there?” he asked. “By the way, I have been meaning to ask you, would you be free for the Mission to Midsummer Norton in July?” “Yes,” I said, and showed him my big desk diary which I had taken along to rest on while writing some notes on Ephesians 6. I had already got the mission written down and was keeping it free.

   This is an extraordinary thing to have happened, and is a real answer to prayer as I had specially asked James (Revd James Turnbull) and Frank & Irene to pray for us at this time when I am feeling somewhat unsettled. I forgot to record yesterday that James phoned in the morning and that we arranged to meet next Tuesday D.V.

   Freda felt very ill when we got home; she was sick and went straight to bed. I took her a cup of tea, and am now going up too, as it is now 11.25pm.

The Notes on Ephesians were later printed in book form under the title Encounter Ephesians — Where is the True Church? (ISBN 0 902785 35 4).