God incidences or Co-incidences

We visited Ringwood Methodist / URC Church last Sunday, which is going through amalgamation, as they appear to be selling the Methodist Church building in a prime position in the High Street. We were obviously meant to go as we met with the Methodist minister from Verwood who started his introduction to the service with a statement that this was his first ministry at the Ringwood church, although he has been into schools in Ringwood. Dressed in casuals he led a nice and relaxed All Age Worship with well known hymns on the screen, and with a worship band doing three newer songs, of which we knew only one and the congregation didn't appear to know at all!

We introduced ourselves at the end of the service to Rev Ralph Ward, and said that this was also our first attendance, and this meeting led us to travel from 5 miles northeast of Salisbury to Verwood, a distance of 28 miles for the 10:45 service at the Methodist Church. The Church building is light and airy and would be similiar in size to Union Street Church without the balcony, or the Crowborough Church where Marie-Anne was stationed.

The reception given to us was friendly but not pushy. They have a service at 9:00 lead by the lay members followed by coffee which some people participate in before the main planned service. The hymns, mostly H&P which the young pianist said he only new 1 of before the service, were displayed on a screen and Margery was pleased to see some banners in the church - there were none at Ringwood!
After the service we had coffee and chatted to members and found that we had a lot in common with them. The senior steward and his wife just happen to be the Assistant County Commissioner for Fellowship in the Scout movement in East Dorset and also Chairman of Brownsea Island National Fellowship. We left the church almost the last one's, at 12:50, so nothing changes. The church has a young peoples service once a month at 7:30pm called Live it Loud at which it is stated that between 200 and 300 young people attend. This is the ministry of Rev Ralph Ward, who has been at Verwood for 1 year! WOW!

So, it seems nothing changes. We will be taking the caravan to Sherbourne in June for Simon to use from 20th June and we are house sitting until their return on 1st July. LIL is on the 4th Sunday and so we just might be spending the day and evening in Verwood! SOF seems to be the hymn book most used and comments from some other people we met who had done the same thing as us 6 years earlier said that there are two alive churches in Verwood (and we just happened to find it first time)!

We have found it!

Well, we hope so anyway! Offer accepted on a beautiful bungalow as previously described! - perhaps it looked even better on 2nd viewing! Lots of space - loads of ideas for garden - just got to wait to get in!

Lots of room for visitors - smaller ones can even go up into the loft room away from Mum and Dad!! ( did I really say that!!!!!?) Loads of space for the things we love doing ie garden! and patio/ covered verandah for barbeques! there may even be space for my hot tub.....we'll have to wait and see!

So, the meanderings are on hold at the moment - we're back in Larkfield for a while - well, until we go to house sit, while Simon borrows the caravan, that is! We'll be here for a couple of weeks then.. who knows!