I was preaching last Lord's Day to the Grace Baptist Church down in Portsmouth. I can't remember exactly how this date came about and the church there wasn't really on my mental map before. They are a small largely elderly congregation that formed about 8 years ago and use the above building. They are actively pursuing the call of a pastor and who ever comes there will find a faithful people willing to reach out.
I have met Donald Cox and his wife, a retired minister, before and I had a lovely day with them. I have met them before and they remember the wife of one of my deacons. She was a teenager in an FIEC church in Portsmouth that Mr Cox used to pastor. He is now 83 and has held several pastorates as well as doing other Christian work so he was fascinating to talk to.
There were other links with people in the congregation but I'd not met anyone else before. It was good to feel so at home therefore. I preached on the rich young ruler from Mark 10 and that fascinating passage in Hebrew 12:18-24 about Mount Sinai and Mount Zion. Richard Raven from LTS preached here. They had a good day too I understand.
Oh yes, the sunny day began and ended with rain and on the way home God was reminded of his promise never to flood the earth again and I was glad to see the sign in the sky!
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