Monday night Soirée Internationale
Last night the programme was in English - that is to say, the only difference was that I read the Bible passages and delivered the short comment at the end. It was a nice evening and there were several visitors that we had not met before - or that we thought we had not met before...
One couple are moving into the area and were staying at the centre while they look for a house, so we chatted about the different suburbs of Bordeaux and about prices etc. They're teachers.
Some folks were, I think, from the Villenave church, including one elderly lady who joined in with the French carols. To begin with I thought it was an effect of the acoustics, or difference tones, or that one of the lads' voices had changed suddenly - then I saw her lips move.
The biggest surprise was one young couple who came in - he's the son and step-son of one of our couples. He and his partner came in and said to me, "Do you remember us ?"
I had to admit I didn't.
"You did a survey with us on campus a couple of weeks back."
Then I remembered this pleasant young couple who were sat under the trees eating their lunch when I was doing surveys. It was really nice to meet them again, and interesting to contemplate the ways of God when there are, after all, 100,000 students in Bordeaux.
I am not sure that there were any folks there last night who would have much interest in an International English language work. So we won't be beginning monthly evening services for a while yet ! However, there could well be logistical reasons for that, too - the centre is hard to find and inaccessible by public transport. 7 pm is a bad starting time in France, just when you are about to sit and eat. Things need to be start later. Next thing we do - whether it is a Christmas thing or something for Easter - we'll need to do on a Sunday evening in the centre of town somehow.
The choir were tired. Add together jet-lag and a strenuous visit to the Dune de Pylat, and you'll understand why.
One couple are moving into the area and were staying at the centre while they look for a house, so we chatted about the different suburbs of Bordeaux and about prices etc. They're teachers.
Some folks were, I think, from the Villenave church, including one elderly lady who joined in with the French carols. To begin with I thought it was an effect of the acoustics, or difference tones, or that one of the lads' voices had changed suddenly - then I saw her lips move.
The biggest surprise was one young couple who came in - he's the son and step-son of one of our couples. He and his partner came in and said to me, "Do you remember us ?"
I had to admit I didn't.
"You did a survey with us on campus a couple of weeks back."
Then I remembered this pleasant young couple who were sat under the trees eating their lunch when I was doing surveys. It was really nice to meet them again, and interesting to contemplate the ways of God when there are, after all, 100,000 students in Bordeaux.
I am not sure that there were any folks there last night who would have much interest in an International English language work. So we won't be beginning monthly evening services for a while yet ! However, there could well be logistical reasons for that, too - the centre is hard to find and inaccessible by public transport. 7 pm is a bad starting time in France, just when you are about to sit and eat. Things need to be start later. Next thing we do - whether it is a Christmas thing or something for Easter - we'll need to do on a Sunday evening in the centre of town somehow.
The choir were tired. Add together jet-lag and a strenuous visit to the Dune de Pylat, and you'll understand why.
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