A message from Andy Dallas

Visit to Porthcawl and Aberavon
Thursday July 13th
The Leadership Team plan to visit and pray at the above coastal locations in the evening of that day and would be encouraged if you can join them.
We are continuing to respond to what we believe God is saying to us – that is, we are to pray at various coastal sites to the east and west of Swansea (as well as the Bay itself) believing that it’s just a part of what God is doing in Wales today.
We know it’s a mystery and not easy to explain, but some of the Bible stories e.g. Joshua and the Jericho wall collapse, involved acts of faith and a sense of mystery so we shouldn’t be too surprised!
You cannot fail to notice that any visiting speaker from abroad who comes to Wales (with just an ounce of the prophetic within her/him) feels really stirred about what God is planning to do through and in this Nation.
We are excited about that vision and want to be involved. Hope you can make it on that day.
If you want to know more speak to one of the Leadership Team (Andy, Chris, Janet, Phil or Tim).

Another week over

Seven days have passed since this blog was started properly. Seven days in which not a lot has happened.

It's been a quiet week. I've only had one email from Janet in Tenerife with work for me to do. She's been away 10 days so that's not bad.

I think I might use this space to have a little rant about rotas. Does it happen everywhere or is it only in Linden that rotas are, almost without exception, a great idea but a complete waste of energy?

First there's the effort involved in creating a rota in the first place. Then there are the reminders that have to be sent out, quickly followed by the urgent phone round to find a replacement for the person who had forgotten and can't do it.

The first two bits could be cut out and we could go straight to the phone round on Friday to find someone who can do welcoming/music/kids work/prison. In fact as it's mostly the same people who are on all the rotas, one phone call could cover everything.

That's probably part of the problem: that people who volunteer volunteer and those who don't don't. So it's a small group that does everything and the pressure is bound to tell.
'Sorry, but I seem to be doing welcoming and prison and kids work on Sunday; could you suggest someone who could do at least one of those for me?'

On the other hand there are a number of people who don't do anything. Don't get me wrong: it's not compulsory or a condition of getting to heaven, but I do wonder why that is.

Enough of your meanderings, Lucy, tell the people what's happening this Sunday.

We have the lovely Ben Brown speaking to us in the morning, followed by Heather's baptism at Caswell, followed by fun, games and a barbecue (I'm told). That all starts at 2 pm.

Our regular Sunday meeting is at 11.00 am prompt.

Next Saturday, 8th July, there's a dance class for adults at Linden from 10.00 am to 12 noon. Lannie is running it in response to popular demand so if you fancy yourself as the next Pan's Person speak to her or go along. If you don't know what a Pan's People is, count yourself blessed. And young.

The first result

Congratulations to Tim Tudor on his first class Honours degree!

You heard it first here.

Let us have any results you get so we can all be jolly and celebratory with you.

Reigning Champion

Rachel Percival is declared to be Office Champion of cherry-stone spitting.

If you want to challenge her, we need witnessed and certified proof that you have spat five cherry-stones consecutively into a wastepaper-bin.

Rules:
Wastepaper-bin to be of BSI UK standard size and shape.
You are to be no closer than 2 metres in a sitting position.
In the event of your challenge being accepted, you will be required to take on the champion at a time and place of our arranging for the best of 13.
You will have to agree to publicity shots.
This is an amateur competition. No monies or gifts are to be exchanged - unless it is a gift of chocolate to the blog administrator.

The great debate

The great debate in Linden isn't about women bishops or the virgin birth or gay priests; it's about how you make gravy.

The evangelicals (including moi) swear by the Bible according to Mrs Beeton and by the methods passed down by generations of grannies. That means using the fat of the roast meat, a little flour and stock, preferably home-made. I have to confess to not being a purist and using a stock cube, and even a little gravy browning on occasion.

The post-modernists (including Chris) make their gravy ... from a packet. I can hardly bring myself to write such heresy.

Which side of the gravy-boat do you stand?

An explanation

For those of you new to blogging, the list of Lindenites on the right provides links to personal blogs belonging to people who are or have been part of Linden Church at some time.

Anything else I should explain?

Alun is currently working out how to fly the skull and crossbones from a large cardboard pole. And he calls it work.

This Sunday, in the time normally reserved for reverent worship and sombre teaching, we have the first performance of Shiver Me Timbers, in which Cap'n, first mate Humphrey (the camel), Daisy the cook, and Treasure the cabin boy try to find out who's stealing their gold.

Come and join them for the adventure of a lifetime (or it might just feel like a lifetime!)

Next week it's Ben Brown speaking in the morning and Heather's baptism in the sea at Caswell in the afternoon.

Welcome to life in Linden

A quiet morning apart from the hum of the quilters downstairs.

Alun has disappeared; Janet is in Tenerife; and I am alone and feeling unloved. Who am I? Do I hear you ask? No? Never mind, I will tell you anyway.

My name's Lucy Letters - it was nearly Lucy Lastic but this is a church blog - and I am the administrator of Linden Church.

Linden has never been a conventional sort of church although I fear the leaders may be regressing. (Chris has asked for a liturgy - or is it litany? - as part of the Harvest service; I am supposed to be writing it so I guess I should find out what it is.)

But my printer is taking unconventionality to the extreme. This morning it has printed 22 blank sheets of paper for me. I ask it very nicely to print out a rota and it gurgles, shakes, rattles, chuckles to itself and churns out another blank sheet.

Of course, when Alun wants to print something then it is as good as gold.

Is it the manly timbre of his authoritative voice when he says, 'you will print for me,' that does it? Can it sense my inferiority and my lack of self-confidence in dealing with it? They say you should never let them see your weakness; it has seen, walked in and stamped on my weakness.

No wonder I am feeling unloved.

Things aren't helped by the message that comes up every time I switch on my computer. 'This is a counterfeit version of Windows. Big Brother is watching you. You will be dealt with.'

But, honestly, this version came with the computer. It's not my fault. I am part of the blameless society.

Perhaps it's this room. It locked Janet in the other day.