The final weekend and home

Saturday was Diocesan Council day. I was up early to finalise the sermon, which was about the Kingdom and its values, and the intercessions which +Steve had agreed that I might write to fit the theme. The Council was to have two main sessions – one on finances and the other on Safeguarding. The diocese is working very hard to sort the former, but is not helped by parishes failing to send in their monthly Assessments – familiar story!! The Safeguarding session was led by the Professional officer in charge of the issue. There was a very good number of people present and the session was a good one. I stayed for the finances and then went home, ostensibly to pack, but I just could not find the heart to do it!

Sunday, the day of Pentecost, I was back at the Cathedral to preach and preside. Saturday I’d had the Dean by my side as he’d not seen me preside before, but on Sunday he sat back and let me do the service with the two Cathedral deacons. None of the clergy there that day had heard me preside before this weekend and they were amazed how much Setswana I can do. It was good to be in what is my spiritual home in Matlosane, with a congregation that know me. After the service I went for a quick coffee with Ritha Menyatso, who I’d not seen this visit as they are having mega work done on their home, and life has been busy.

The doors - covered in their plastic to 

protect them till they can build a porch

Inside the church: 

note the ceiling and the cornices

Then it was off to Matlwang. Last year I left some money towards new doors for the church and I was going to hand over the keys to the churchwardens. Everyone came outside and then Psalm 24 was read. I used the Thomas Ken prayer about the doors being wide enough to let everyone in and narrow enough to keep evil out, and then opened the doors to let people in. A tearful moment – almost! Once everyone was in there was a thank you speech from them, to which I responded, outlining my links with the church. I was asked to pray over the food and give the final blessing. Such a joy!

Wardens with the new keys

Dean Chris with the father of the two young

people who showed me the church last time, 

and son of the lady in white in the picture above.

She and her husband were the first family I met in Matlwang.

After that it was home, with no escape from the packing this time. +Steve and I left around 08.15 Monday for the airport and I got back to the flat around 11.30 Tuesday. Not a good weather welcome home. The three and a half weeks went so quickly, yet seemed so long. I feel at home the moment I arrive. People now greet me by name, even in the Mall. With the aid of google maps I can get myself around with comparative ease. I even imagined, fleetingly, having my own home there! Thank you to all of you who have read this blog, and for your prayers. I certainly needed them as I worked out what to say on the teaching day and in each sermon, with no books to fall back on! Till next time ……….