It is peaceful again today (Saturday)! Yesterday the church was heaving with congregations! To get to my room you have to go through one of the meeting rooms, so I knew that I had to be up and about early, so as to be breakfasted before the first congregation arrived. I then walked down the corridor past the three large meeting rooms on the top floor, the first had people getting ready for a service, and second a had a few people praying quietly, and the third was jam packed with people and had a man shouting into a mircophone at the front. I was please not to be in there, though those I could see of the congregation looked very enthusiastic.
I went down to the main church where Steve was getting ready for Communion. The PA system was playing up a bit (same the world over!), but Royston the wonderful caretaker seemed to manage to sort it out. Steve explained that it is a very good system, he just has not had time to read the instructions - I am with him on that, five years is not long for something as tedious as reading instructions!!
Worship was led by an electic keyboard / organ (it could make both sounds) with a small informal choir. The words of the service and hymns were projected onto four screens around the church - no expenses spared! - and this worked well. Steve is creative and sparing in his use of liturgy.
Sitting near the front I was not able to count the congration, but it felt like getting on for a hundred. In the picture above, the core of the congregation are having a drink at the back of church, but they were less than half who had been in the service. As you can see it is an eclectic mix of nationalities!
In the service we heard from a visiting priest from South Africa who told us of her work amongst very needy people, many of who are suffering from AIDS - which is supported by the congregation here. Steve also preached, urging us to look forward to our celebration of the the coming of God's Holy Spirit.
I enjoyed chatting to people afterwards. One man lives in Dubia but works in Saudi Arabia as a chemical engineer. He prefers to commute as he can at least come to church. In Saudi it is even against the law for Christians to meet as a house group - they did so, but always in fear of the authorities.
Steve is a busy man - after the serive he was bombarded with questions, while trying to get ready for weddings at 12.00 and 1.00 - he had already taken two earlier in the week! I stayed for the first in which a German man married a Chinese woman. Steve coped with considerable international chaos with remarkably good humour and spoke passionately about the need for us all to carry on expressing love to one another in our marriages.
After the wedding I found a second service blocking access to my room, but eventually I got in and could make my lunch! - but did not have much time before service 3 and 4! I invited myself over to Steve's house and later drove Steve, Jo, Stephen (16) and Betty (12) to a gathering at a church member's home some miles away. This worked well, as Steve was able to coach me on the perils of Dubai driving (including an experience of a 14 lane motorway!) and he could have a glass of wine at the party (driving with any alcohol in you system is against the law!).
It was lovely to sit out late in to the evening, though I did go into the house to cool off for a while!
No comments:
Post a Comment