17-2

Late on Monday night our eldest son arrived back at The Manse after ‘running the line’ at a local football match.  It was a game between Amersham Town and the local Tesco Team.  Apparently, the town won by 17 goals to 2! 

He told us that by the end of the second half Amersham players were pleading with him, as a linesman, not to call off side just so Tesco could score a goal or two!!  Even though I’m not the greatest football fan I would have loved to have been there!

The truth is I was slightly put off of sport at school when the rugby coach told my class: ‘The taller they are, the harder they fall’.  As the tallest in my year I was the player one every one ‘felled’ for the rest of my time there!

For all that I have huge respect for the teamwork and camaraderie of the ‘sporting kind’!  I see similar qualities in every choir I have ever sung in – although it has to be said we have usually only been in competition with ourselves.

Last Sunday Rachel went into London to watch a colleague run the Marathon.  So many keen and enthusiastic runners, all doing their best to raise money for various charities – surely a wonderful example of humanity at its very best.

I joined her later in the day – in time for Evensong at St Paul’s (typical of the fact that music always wins over sport with me) and to join many of the runners, now limping, on their way home via the Tube.

This week many churches who use the Lectionary will be taking readings from Acts and 1 Peter.  It’s really ‘Peter Sunday’ as we hear part of his sermon from Acts 2 and a passage in which he talks about having ‘affection towards your fellow Christians and loving one another wholeheartedly’ in the reading from 1 Peter.

Peter is such a unique individual.  A ‘big’ character in the New Testament.  Yet he seems to recognise that Christianity and faith is something we do ‘together’ – as a united and co-operative team, with affection for one another.

I think that’s a super picture of The Church – at times maybe it’s aspirational, but when we do experience that ‘togetherness’ in our fellowship and service I think we come a little closer to being The Body of Christ we are meant to be.

Oh – I almost forgot!  Apparently, everyone went home happy from Monday night’s football match because of the buffet enjoyed afterwards – provided, of course, by Tesco!!