Saturday was a bit different. One of my Nigerian members was celebrating her sixtieth birthday and recent remarriage. We had a service in church and then a do at a church hall up in Edgware. Occasions like these drive home the cultural differences. We started things half an hour later than advertised and the offering for the church was a swaying very public affair. Most had clothing provided by our hosts. The hymns were all good English ones but we sang a Tsekiri chorus. Later the food was all Nigerian (Tsekeri some of it in particular), many of the garments were the same as was the music (bit too loud for me). Oh yes, and there were gifts for everyone with the occasion recorded on a tag inside (which is a change, they used to put it on the outside; for many years we had a toilet brush holder marking the death of this lady's father!) With so many diverse traditions I get fearful sometimes but it more or less works and the gospel keeps us together. (The pics show at the top my friend first with her son then with her new husband).
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