Yesterday our new midweek Bible study group met for the first time.  We were a disaparate group - in age, theology, nationality - but it seemed to gel.  We are using the Nick Fawcett guide Women of Faith: What They Can Teach Us and the first study was on Ruth, the voice of an outsider.  Our conversations seemed natural and flowed quite well.  We ended with tea/coffee and Waitrose cupcakes - it seemed fitting to mark our first meeting with a special treat.  One person was surprised we were ending with cakes - but seemed reassured when I told her I'm sure Jesus would have had cupcakes if they'd had such things in his day.

I think people enjoyed the afternoon together.  Someone suggested we take it in turn to bring the cakes.  Someone else was inspired to go home and read the rest of Ruth.  Someone else was free to admit aloud that there are bits of the Bible she doesn't understand.  Everyone shared something of herself.  We are not a 'women's' Bible study group but yesterday we were all women meeting to share and to listen and to pray.  That was good.