Service at Knollcombes

We had a combined service at Knollcombes at 2.30 this afternoon. It’s so nice having a combined service – Nick only has to preach once, and I’ve got him the rest of the day. Being Father’s Day, Nick could finally open his presents from the boys – amazingly they kept it a secret for about four days, and Caleb only said the wrong thing this morning just before Nick was to open it. Nick was very pleased with the presents, although apparently he was expecting pyjamas. We had a very relaxed morning, sort of mucking about and doing the bulletins, and then we took a walk down to the docks to throw rocks. We noticed some oil drums spewing forth stuff into the sea, so went closer to investigate. Seems to be that sea sand is being pumped out off the seabed, and dumped onto the shore, and then the water drains off it, leaving the sand, which presumably gets used for building. Quite a good way of dredging sand, really.

Nick did a full communion service, preaching on the Lord’s Supper, which was an excellent sermon. He first covered the few wrong views of the Lord’s Supper – ie the Catholic’s view that the bread and wine actually become Jesus’ body and blood (transubstantiation), or Luther’s view (consubstantiation) that Jesus’ literal body is with the bread, like water in a sponge, or of course our view that the tokens are symbolic. The second part was the Biblical truths about it, who it’s for, and so on. It was a very challenging message, that we should prepare our hearts beforehand to take the Lord’s Supper, and encouraging, in that our sins are forgiven.

Despite all my complaining about the island and its shortcomings, I know that the Lord has a plan for us here (Nick’s plan is fairly straightforward, mine might need a bit more searching out), and I know that He is gracious and is teaching me a lot of things about my walk with Him. I suppose there are fewer distractions here, and I can learn to be content in ALL circumstances (yes, even having to cook EVERY night, and not be able to go shopping properly)! Every phase of life, or every situation, should be seen as a tool to grow us as Christians. I can definitely give God thanks for so many blessings here.