April Portnall and Eric Hilton met in town on Sunday Morning and walked to the Church together and he introduced her to a few people then stayed with her until he had to go and do his thing.
Afterwards
when the congregants had gathered at the
rear of the church and shared the peace April asked
“Is
it always like that?”
“Sometimes
it’s even better” He replied “I take it that you enjoyed it”
“Very
much”
“Well
if you liked that then you’ll love Christingle, the Carol Service, Midnight
Mass and the Christmas Morning Service”
“Can
we go to all of them?” she asked innocently
“Oh
yes” he replied
“Together
I mean” she said
“So
did I” he retorted and put his arm around her.
For Reverend Cheryl Mackender
the Sunday Service and the lighting of the second candle of Advent went as
smooth as silk but the following week was to be a test of endurance with the
approach of the special St Lucy’s day celebration on Wednesday.
But after another success,
with the morning service going off without a hitch there was just time for a
light lunch before she was off again.
“Now it’s your turn”
“You and Max” Sarah said
“There isn’t any me and Max” Ava said
“There could be if you said yes the next time, he asks
you out” Sarah pointed out
“He probably won’t ask again” Ava said
“Well, when he does you must say yes,” said Sarah
After lunch Verger Lee
Barnaby walked down to St Joan of Arc Church with Church Warden Guy Millar, and
he was surprised to see Cheryl outside the Church engaged in conversation with
church committee members Eric Hilton and Sally Swift.
“It’s just one thing after
another” Cheryl was saying
“It’s St Lucy’s day on
Wednesday and next weekend we have the Carol Concert and Christingle”
“What’s the matter? Is life
testing your patience Vicar?”
Guy asked cheerfully
“No, it’s testing my faith,”
she replied without humour and went inside.
“Now look what you’ve done”
Lee said and followed in the Vicars footsteps.
Sally just looked at him and
tutted and followed Lee.
“What’s wrong Cheryl?” Lee
asked once inside the Church
“The sound system and the
visual displays have packed up” she replied
“How bad?” he asked
“Bad enough, and hardly any
time to get it fixed” she replied glumly
“That’s why it’s a disaster”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” he
said
“Really?” she asked
doubtfully
“Really” he said and taking
out his mobile phone he got up his contacts list, scrolled down and hit dial
“Steve? What are you doing
tomorrow?”
Cheryl burst into tears when
Lee told her that Steve was coming to the island first thing on Monday to fix
the system
“It’s divine providence” she
sobbed “I prayed for a solution and here you are” then she hugged him and
continued to hug him far longer than was necessary.
When Lee went home, he
reflected that it had been a bit of an eventful day for a Sunday, and if Sunday
had been an eventful day, then it merely heralded the beginning of an even more
eventful week to come.
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