To Hull and back (in a day)

I've just got back from the trip of a lifetime. And it was to Hull.

I went looking for history, and I found it round every corner. I went looking for architecture and it hit me from every direction. But it was not those memories I came away with at the end of the day, but the friendly attitude of the people there.

I don't think I have met such friendly and helpful people in any other city in the world. And I've been to quite a few. In fact the unfriendliness of the people is the only thing I remember about Detroit, Michigan. But that's another story.

This story concerns Hull. I went there because I kept asking myself "What is it about Hull?" By this I meant, why does that city have such an independent spirit. Why does it have its own train service? Why does it have its own communications company? How did it produce such a character as Wilberforce who thought so differently to most people of his generation? Why do the planes use it as a turning point when flying to Holland?

I went with those questions in mind and I discovered a few more when I got there. How could they afford such amazing buildings? Why are the people so friendly? What is it about Hull?

As I was coming away on the train at the end of a day walking the streets of Hull I wondered if it's because the place is so isolated. It's out on a limb. It's miles from anywhere and yet it has been a borough for over 700 years. It has looked Eastward to the sea for its income and not Westward to the land. It is cosmopolitan in that it has had influences from Scandinavia, the Baltic and the Low Countries. And yet I saw very few ethnic faces there. What a place.

Take my advice. Take a look at Hull. You won't be disappointed.

Amazing Preston

An amazing thing happened yesterday.

I had to wait at Preston for a train so I went to the Local History Library. There I asked about a man grew up in Ingleton and became a vicar in Preston in the 19th century. He is mentioned in my first booklet, Ingleton's Dickensian Characters

Well, I was shown a book which described everything about him AND it was written by someone who went to school with him in Ingleton.

Amazing!

Voices of Old Ingleton Weekend

The Voices of Old Ingleton (VOI) Weekend went pretty well.

About 70 people turned up on Friday night to watch a slide show given by Malcolm Culshaw. He showed pictures of old Ingleton, including St. Mary's as it was before it was rebuilt in the mid 1880s, and more up to date ones like the building of Ingleborough Park. Ingleton National School featured quite heavily and I was able to give a brief explanation of how it came into being.

On Saturday morning I launched my VOI book at St. Mary's Church and showed people round looking at plaques and furniture, explaining which people were remembered in them.

On Sunday morning at Ingleton Methodist Church (IMC) I talked about three men who signed the Trustee Deeds for our church in February 1845. They were each from different social classes and from that I talked about the need to reach out to the poorer people of our community. I also pointed out that those who wrote about our founders all used the word "earnest" to describe them, so I talked about the importance of being earnest.

I think the whole weekend can be construed as a success. I already have ideas for next year.

A step in the right direction

I went for a walk with Audrey this morning, or should I say a trudge. I think she got fed up of my going so slowly and marched on ahead to get her sandwiches ready for work.

I on the other hand kept up my even pace telling myself that one day I would be as fit as she is and able to go at her cracking pace. I'm overweight, you see.

I've been feeling rather uncomfortable round the middle for a couple of weeks and took the highly unusual step of weighing myself. The dial told me that I am half a stone (7 lbs) over what I usually am, so I'd better eat less and get more exercise.

At breakfast I didn't have my usual Golden Syrup on the toast and when Audrey said she was going for a walk I told her to wait for me. As it turned out she had to wait for me all the way round. Never mind. It's a step in the right direction.

I'll be there

I was a bit disappointed yesterday because yet another person said they would not be around for the special service at IMC on Sunday morning. Discouraged is a better word to describe my feelings than disappointed.

As I was going to bed last night I said to the Lord "You know, Lord, I am discouraged by how many people won't be there on Sunday morning." And a voice in my head said "I'll be there." That made me feel a lot better.

Back again

Sorry to you if you're a regular reader but I haven't been blogging for a couple of weeks.

I could make excuses: I've been so busy getting the next Brook House Booklet ready for the printer; I've been so busy reading a book about the railways; I've been so busy preaching at Eastburn and leading the Shepherd's Choir at Grange-over-Sands; but they're all excuses really.

The truth is I've been so fed up I haven't felt like it. But today I have come back. I still feel fed up but I'm going to do it anyway.

Next weekend sees the Voices of Old Ingleton weekend. We're having a slide show at IMC on Friday evening, a book launch at St. Mary's on Saturday morning and a special service called Building Good Foundations at IMC on Sunday morning. It will be the second anniversary of our going back into the rebuilt chapel. I have a video to show and I hope a sketch might happen too.

Do come if you can.

They should have read my blog

The radio today has stolen a march over the papers by telling the world that Hilary Clinton has been Obama in the New Hampshire Primaries. This was totally unexpected because the polls and pundits had been predicting a huge win by Obama.

Well, they should have read my blog (5 January)!

On a more spiritual note, we held a fellowship meal at IMC last night when the new shape of housegroups was announced. We also had a time of sharing good news stories and that was quite remarkable. A lot of things have been happening.

The Fuel group, aged 10 - 14 organised a children's party, complete with Santa's Grotto. The worship group headed up the Community Carol Services at the Church of England, the Young People's Housegroup (early 20's) took Christmas Dinner to a poor family who don't usually have one and then a lot of the people who don't come to church did come to the Nativity Service because they'd had such a good time at the children's party.

This was so uplifting. Thank God for it and may 2008 continue in the way it has begun.