“Why don’t we go to the All Souls midnight service?” And so, after family calls, a car trip from Hatfield to the London’s West End, we find the very last parking – bravo to Gordon’s driving!
Perched on our usual pew on the balcony, even from that vantage point, we have to look UP to the tip of the festively decorated Christmas Tree.
To the strings of a guitar and the background rhythm of the drums, we lift our good and mediocre voices and worship the King all glorious above and gratefully sing his power and love – less than an hour of the last year is left.
We children of dust, feeble and frail, in our King, our Maker, our Defender our Redeemer and Friend we trust, for He never fails. His mercies, how tender, how firm to the end!As the year closes, in the presence of hundreds of international believers we confess our sins and look to His pardon for every attitude and act that defies His Kingly rule.
At 12 sharp, the 12 chimes of Big Ben, just up the road from where we are, are relayed. Donnnnnnnnnnng - Donnnnnnggggg – it is 2011!!! Kisses and hugs and blessings and wishes – what a buzz!!
Then to the tune of Auld Lang Sine – hundreds of voices and one guitar blend as we lift up our hearts to the Jesus who by His power hold all things together and together we sing:
“We worship God in harmony with hearts in full accord; we share one spirit, hope and faith, one Father and one Lord!”
As the service ended, Gordon and I end this post with a blessing to our far-away children and grandchildren, to our far-away family and friends and to any reader of this blog:
For 2011 and the rest of the year and the rest of our life-spans,
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you and remain with you from this day, 1 January 2011, and forever more.
