Re-reading yesterday’s post today I realise how quickly I slipped out of ‘thankful’ mode into ‘appraisal’ mode. Thursday’s post was a ‘thank you’ letter, that came from a place of gratitude and shone a light on the people who had given their time and effort to serve me. Friday’s post was more of an appraisal, coming from a place of evaluation, revealing the attitude of a consumer reviewing the products she had purchased.
So I want to put that right if I can.
Here’s a heartfelt thanks to everyone at Bearpark for welcoming me into their community, and teaching me about ministry in the hard places; here’s a heartfelt thanks to all the permanent congregation and staff at St Nick’s, for letting this uncommitted student participate irregularly in the ongoing life and worship of the church without contributing beyond joining in the hymns; here’s a heartfelt thanks to the staff and particularly the Youth for Christ team at Tubingen Baptist Church and Barbara Black, who ensured there was somewhere I could continue to grow in faith while a long way from home; here’s a heartfelt thanks to the team of Russian Baptists who had the courage to witness to the gospel in the face of ideological opposition; here’s a heartfelt thanks to the priests of the Russian Orthodox Church who kept the rumour of God alive in an atheist nation.
Thank you, anyone who reads this, for a second chance at getting this piece right.
More of the Russian Orthodox Church tomorrow!