This Sunday we say farewell to a lot of folk - many of them lovely African stduents who have enriched our lives greatly whilst they have been with us.  It is humbling to read their 'thank you' emails to me and to us, expressing their gratitude for the welcome they've received and the opportunities we have afforded them.  How do we express what they have given us - beaming smiles, deep spirituality, generous hearts, willing service.

This Sunday we have a "Yoruba Bash" when we will sing once more the songs they've shared with us, I will pray for them (and for a couple of longer-standing folk leaving for a new life in Luxemburg) and we will be saying 'fare thee well'

I am really not a fan of the song 'blessed be the tie that binds' but I have chosen it for Sunday because it expresses something appropriate to this service.

Hopefully many of our home students will be back with us after their summer away, and in a week or so a fresh group of home and overseas students will find their way to this wonderful, crazy-in-a-good-way, open, welcoming, generous church we call home.