It's the beginning of summer.  A lot of people were away from church today.  So many that our congregation was scattered with big gaps, and after the Sunday School, Bible Class and creche had left we really were very depleted.  We were also a Communion server down.  So, during the offering (immediately before Communion) I did a quick head count and made a decision...

Instead of going out to serve the twenty or so folk scattered among sixty chairs (around a dozen folk had gone out), I decided to invite everyone to gather around the table in a "circle".  We passed bread in four directions, we passed wine in two.  We giggled when I had no 'holy words' at the end for 'you can now go back to your seats.'  And it was really special.  Unplanned - unplannable even - it was 'in and of the moment.' 

The old hymn says, 'sometimes a light surprises the Christian when he (sic) sings'... it was a bit like that this morning, a surprise that brightened the day.