Yesterday's morning service was very special for all of us at the Gathering Place.  We were full as ever, with extra seats needed to accommodate family and friends of the baby we were welcoming.  Our choir was back after a month's well earned break and in great voice.

What a joy and privilege it is hold in your arms a young child, made in God's image and likeness, and pray God's blessing on him at the beginning of his life.  What an assurance for the family to have their church stand with them and say 'yes, we'll help you the best we can' in caring for your child.  What a sense of oneness as we 'gently applauded' this little one.

Sharing around the Lord's Table is always special - even for a stubborn memorialist like me!  Imagining how Jesus felt on that night, and uniting our hearts to be together for the days ahead were important for us yesterday.  Did my hands tremble a little as I broke the bread?  Quite probably.  Certainly they did as I lifted the chalice.  It didn't matter, we were together in the remembering and anticipating.

It's quite normal for me to feel tired even a bit drained, after leading worship.  Yesterday I was wrung out.  But in a good way.  As we stood together, singing of God's promises, sharing life in its highs and its lows, there was a sense that this is as good as it gets, that this church in its incredible ethnic and theological diversity is, for me, simply the best place on earth right now.