I love lunch club days; they are frenetic, hard work but our members love it so much that it is all worth while.

Today was no different from any other month except that John (not his real name) was having problems with his false leg and we had to lift him on and off the coach to get him to the restaurant.  Not dignified, not safe - not good enough.  So we booked a wheelchair friendly taxi to take him home afterwards.

There were definitely some comedy moments as I walked along, pushing the wheelchair with John's leg tucked under my arm.  Thankfully, he is a man with genuine good humour and saw the comedy value for himself. 

WWJD?  Well, there are no stories of miraculous regrowth of amputated limbs, so it's an interesting one isn't it?  I'd like to think he might have had to call a taxi too!  

So today's Baptist news esweep brings to my attention two very different articles, one that encourages and one that dismays.

On the one hand we have Rick Warren trying to encourage ministers, even if his cookie making analogy is not the greatest, recognising that life includes some pretty grotty stuff and saying that 'God never wastes experiences – good or bad. He wants to use your experiences to make you a more effective minister.'  Then we have a Nigerian Archbishop reportedly telling us of the evils of multiculturalism and inclusivity, and warning newly trained ministers about the evil world beyond the safe confines of the seminary: 'the “consequences” of multiculturalism were “grave. We end up with what looks like Church but in reality is not.” '

As I've thinking about leading services on 'grace' and 'mercy' and re-reading a little book called 'Our God has No Favourites' with its focus on accounts of Jesus inclusivity in a multicultural milieu (scandalous!) the words of the venerable gentleman make me very sad indeed.  The archbishop is probably right in saying we can end up with what looks like church but isn't really - I'm just not sure I'd define 'right' the same way as he does.  And if that makes apostate or a heretic bound for eternal damnation, well, hey, I reckon I'll be in pretty good company!