A great weekend in London!  Another great weekend in London, I should say.  My second in three weeks.  Loved it!  And it was hot and sunny, totally unexpected.  Just check out these photos, taken on Sunday, above is Westminster Abbey, and below is Trafalgar Square and St. Martin-in-the-Fields Church… 

This weekend was planned around the 80th birthday celebration (and book launch) of good friend and amazing hymnwriter, Rev. Christopher Idle, who has just published his third volume of collected hymns, this one called, ‘Trees Along The River’. The event was held at St. Mark’s Church, Kennington, near the Oval.  Wonderful to see so many old friends, including some I knew long ago in Tanzania and haven’t seen since.  And some I once met in Taizé and haven’t seen for several years.  Anyway, this is Christopher and his oldest son, Tim and youngest grandson.  Such a lovely family.  The cake was incredible too, reflecting Christopher’s love of hymns, Arsenal and cricket at the Oval.  Many congratulations to him! 

The following day was a Sunday off.  A Sunday off in London.  Wow!  What an opportunity!  I wanted to visit the biggest churches I could find. Not the biggest church buildings, but the largest congregations. So I found myself at 11:00 am at Hillsong, which meets in the Dominian Theatre in central London, and seats over 2,000; it was totally full! 

In the evening I went to the service at 7:00 pm at Holy Trinity, Brompton, famous for its Alpha Courses.  Loved it!  But there was a notice saying not to take photos.  And it was dark. So I took heed, and had a break from photos… 🤔🤔 (that’s me, deep in thought!)

And in-between those 2 services? Well, I arranged to meet up with 3 very lovely Taiwan students who I know from Taiwan, and who have all just arrived in London to study. One is studying MA in Art & Christianity at King’s College, another is studying fashion and the other design, all at famous London universities.  They didn’t know each other directly, but for 2 of them, their parents are colleagues from St. John’s University, Taiwan. Of those, one is a member of Dazhi Presbyterian Church, Taipei, one is a member of Good Shepherd Church, Taipei, and the third is a member at St. John’s Cathedral, Taipei.

We found ourselves joining the 54th anniversary celebrations of the St. Martin-in-the-Fields Chinese congregation 聖馬田中文堂  led by Rev. Paul Lau (with us in the photo below).  We were very warmly welcomed by the church leaders, and after the service, we enjoyed the most delicious Chinese food at a celebration meal in a room downstairs.  So moving, cos we hadn’t realized it was to be a special anniversary service, and with a wonderful meal provided too!

And afterwards, it was so sunny outside that we walked outside to see the church (see top photos), and then on around London.  How can you NOT walk around London on such a beautiful September Sunday afternoon?

And my final church of the weekend to show you – though it was actually the first one I visited on Friday afternoon en route to elsewhere. It’s a former Anglican Church now converted to be St. Andrew’s Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Kentish Town. This is it!  So ordinary outside, but oh so stunning inside!  Do go and visit! 

And the last amazing place I went to, not a church nor a cathedral, and I was only there a few minutes, was the British Museum. This is the view inside.

Check out the Tennyson quote on the bottom right of the above photo… this is it:

And in fact this is where most people (well, tourists anyway) were going on Sunday morning, not to all the churches, but to the British Museum. The entrance was completely packed out!

So thanks be to God for a great weekend in London!  Almost churched-out (!), but not quite.  Really enjoyed the variety of worship and all the different buildings and people.  And many thanks to all the kind friends who welcomed me for meals and coffee and cake and more.  Much appreciated.

Now saying goodbye to the great capital and heading off to East Anglia tomorrow.  In fact off to visit the very place where my family and Christopher Idle’s family knew each other 20+ years ago. Neighbouring parishes in sunny Suffolk. So, guys, just watch this space, and thanks for your prayers!