The last few weeks have been more than a tad manic. If I've been working "illegal" hours, then some of the Gatherers have been doing double that, selflessly devoting themselves to ensuring our Glasgow 2014 events were a success, as well as working full time, caring for others, doing their usual church volunteering and so forth. I hope that as many as possible of them are resting today.
Yesterday's live stream event of the cycle road races meant that the first person (me plus my poor overnight guest!) arrived at church at 7:30 a.m. to set up the projection equipment, by 8 a.m. the other tea members had arrived and begun to set cups and cakes, to put cloths and flowers on tables and prepare for... well who could guess? A few strategic tip-offs to Police and Event Officials (no one ever mentions G4S when they get it right...) and we were guaranteed at least some customers.
I headed off to the netball final with my guest, mildly anxious in case no-one came and it would be "all my fault". I was so relieved to arrive back mid-afternoon to find the place buzzing, bin sacks stuffed with useed paper cups, and the resort to 'biscuits as they've eaten all the cake". The atmosphere was electric for the final couple of laps of the men's road race, with heart-stopping moments as the leader suffered a puncture and needed an agonsingly slow wheel change. With almost everyone on their feet, the spontaneous applause and cheer as he crossed the line was amazing.
Then a gear change, we mopped the floor (people had come in dripping with liquid sunshine), rearranged the chairs and waited to see who, if anyone would come for the Songs of Praise service. I suggested we put out 40 chairs with the option to put out more if needed... in the end there were 50-60 folk there, The singing was absolutely amazing, the readers clear and with great emotional intelligence. There was a calmness and sense of oneness, perhaps epitomised by singing Cwm Rhonda for which we had both Welsh and English words; if you listen carefully to the recording, you can hear a lovely Welsh-language soprano blending with the English-language of Nigerian, Canadian, Chinese, Northern Irish, Scots, English, and undoubtedly others.
Then, job done, we all went home, very tired and very happy. I like to think Jesus, who probably popped in wearing a hi-viz jacket, or as the mother of a small soggy child, smiled and fwlr welcome in our Gathering Place.
We don't know how many people passed through our doors yesterday, but maybe as many as 200 all told. Our friends at the Church of Scotland down the road who were literally on the race route estimated they had around 400 watching their live stream. I reckon that's a good job!
