Angels take many forms

[revanne]

As most of you know I'm a priest in the church of England (without the imagination to choose a different user name!). The Parish where I minister and live is a fairly tough area of social housing in the north of England. I've been there now for twelve years and in the early days it was a bit exciting - groups of kids invading our garden, stones through the house window, many many attempts to steal my car and regularly being sworn at. I have to admit to having prayed hard to St Michael the Archangel on many occasions, thinking that someone with a sword would come in handy. Over the years as relationships have built up it has all become very different and DH and I very much feel that we are protected not only by angels's wings but by the community at large.

So last Sunday night DH was away, my elderly father had taken himself off to bed and unusually I was preaching at another Church. Various crises ensued ( my life generally consists of fielding crises) meaning I rushed out on the last minute, arms full of robes trailing, and clearly failed to lock the inner porch door properly. A couple of hours later I came back to find a member of our local alcoholic community, who I've got to know quite well, sitting on the floor of the porch looking very worried. He had found the door open and bless him, had sat himself on the floor of the porch for over an hour guarding the door in case anyone came into the house.

[Elkhound]

What a nice thing!  Goes to show that Mother Anne has made herself a part of the community.

[Evie]

That right there speaks to relational ministry. People who come to realize they are genuinely loved will tend to respond in kind to the best of their ability. 

... in the early days it was a bit exciting

I love the British talent for understatement!  Reminds me of one of our neighbors many years ago who was telling my parents about his years serving in the RAF.  "We would be sitting in the mess (dining area) of an evening, and the enemy would lob their artillery over our heads right around tea time. A jolly nuisance that was...." 

[DesertRose]

That's great, revanne.  It sort of sounds like you got initiated at first and now you're an accepted member of the community there. 

[Jerusha]

Definitely a "good news" story.   

[Elkhound]

I love the British talent for understatement!  Reminds me of one of our neighbors many years ago who was telling my parents about his years serving in the RAF.  "We would be sitting in the mess (dining area) of an evening, and the enemy would lob their artillery over our heads right around tea time. A jolly nuisance that was...." 

Or talking of WWII as "the late unpleasantness."

[revanne]

Or indeed thirty years of virtual civil war in Northern Ireland as "The Troubles". And I can't imagine anywhere else where the expression "It's not half bad" could be a compliment.