Fifty Acts 25. Ten Thirty

 "So, have you been baptised by the Holy Spirit?"
"oh yes." says I

"I didn't think there were many who had been born again in the Church of Scotland...  Are there many like us training?"

"I'm sure there's about a hundred or so, at varying stages..." says I.

So there we were, the last song is being played by one of the most skilled musicians I have heard on this trip, and my pew mate leaned across and asked his question.  As I'm a visitor at this independent congregation, I'm not really wanting to cause a big stooshie over the merits of infant versus believers baptism.  What I do know is that there's a lot of people who believe that the infant baptism I received some time in 1976 probably isn't that valid, and if I want to be a REAL CHRISTIAN™ then I've got to be baptised again.  Not me.  The first time was good enough.

And I didn't want to debate the validity of the baptism of my fellow candidates.  I'm sure they are all fine.

But back to the start.  There's a few congregations I want to visit, and they all seem to start their service at 10.30, which leaves me little time to get a brew down my neck after the 9.30 in the City Centre.  So yet again, I received a warm welcome at the door, and was led inside to be introduced to a number of people including my new pewmate.  The music was excellent, all new tunes to me, but the band really knew how to play, although from out of nowhere, somewhere in the middle of the congregation, a tambourine appeared.  Are they still officially banned in the CofS on grounds of taste and decency?

But it was the practical help that the community offered that really got me.  While many congregations may offer prayers for someone who was in vulnerable accommodation getting a new council flat, they went the extra mile and asked if anyone could help transport a washing machine, lift it up the stairs, and if anyone knew how to plumb one in, then even better.  It's wee things like that which could make a congregation a community.

And you have just got to sing Happy Birthday to the birthday children.  It's the law.