First Presbyterian Church Huntsville .... Sophia has memories to last a lifetime
12th September.2010 - Left Austin, Texas at 6.45am [the very crack of dawn for me]. Arrived at Huntsville via Atlanta at 11 am. Waiting for me there was Heidi Meadows. After 10 minutes in her company I knew she was the kindest, friendliest and most loving human being I had ever met. We had lunch with a couple of other people and then she took me to meet my hosts for the first few days, Bunny and Kim HOVATER.
I was privileged to spent the first two nights in Huntsville in their beautiful home and a quick change and shower and we were off to Grace Presbyterian Church for the 10th Anniversary of the Partnership in Christ. I had no inkling of what was in store for me. No expectations could ever have prepared me for that service. 10 choirs, the ministers from the Alabama North Presbytery and it looked like all their congregants as well.
The church was packed. I have no idea how many people there were, but it must have been 1 000 or more.
Norman Mangena's heavy load was remembered in Huntsville ... there was his empty chair.
Everything was beautifully done. To remind everybody of the problems Norman Mangema had with his Visa application and then the tragic death of his father a chair was placed on the platform with a large placard with Norman's' name name on it.That was enough to make me want to cry.
Then the South Africans walked in singing Uyai Mose [Come all ye people, come and praise your maker] a Zimbabwean gathering song. with all the right movements and clapping so very South African and I was so, so proud.
Then the service. Glorious, beautiful, spiritually moving and that was just the singing. At the end all the choir members moved down the sides of the church and also at the back. I think only two choirs stayed on the stage. When they then started to sing the sound surrounded the people and it sounded like thunder and rain and angels and I never wanted it to end. I had goose flesh and went cold. It was a wonderful spiritual experience.
I could have come back home there and then Nothing could be better than that service. I praise and thank God for the privilege of having been there.
Monday morning 13.9.2010 I met the Presbyterian Women of First Presbyterian church in Huntsville I sat in on their first planning meeting of the year. Their year starts in September and ends June or July. After that short meeting they had tea and then the actual meeting started.
The speaker was their minister and I am very sorry to have to admit that I did not write down his name. But this I know he is one of the best speakers I ever heard . At the end of the meeting I was given time to address the ladies. I talked about our WA . The problems we encounter at present to collect funds.. ..At times the cupboard is quite bare. The meeting was then closed and somebody asked if she could give me a cheque for our feeding scheme. A number of ladies gave me cheques before they walked out. Much later when I had a chance to add up these cheques I was over the moon when I realized how very generous these ladies were. For the near future we do not have to worry about how to feed the people who come knocking on our door or the window of my office.
Thank you Huntsville First Presbyterian Women.
Blessings,
Sophia Williamson
NB: We will have more from Sophia's diaries tomorrow.
.
I was privileged to spent the first two nights in Huntsville in their beautiful home and a quick change and shower and we were off to Grace Presbyterian Church for the 10th Anniversary of the Partnership in Christ. I had no inkling of what was in store for me. No expectations could ever have prepared me for that service. 10 choirs, the ministers from the Alabama North Presbytery and it looked like all their congregants as well.
The church was packed. I have no idea how many people there were, but it must have been 1 000 or more.
Everything was beautifully done. To remind everybody of the problems Norman Mangema had with his Visa application and then the tragic death of his father a chair was placed on the platform with a large placard with Norman's' name name on it.That was enough to make me want to cry.
Then the South Africans walked in singing Uyai Mose [Come all ye people, come and praise your maker] a Zimbabwean gathering song. with all the right movements and clapping so very South African and I was so, so proud.
Then the service. Glorious, beautiful, spiritually moving and that was just the singing. At the end all the choir members moved down the sides of the church and also at the back. I think only two choirs stayed on the stage. When they then started to sing the sound surrounded the people and it sounded like thunder and rain and angels and I never wanted it to end. I had goose flesh and went cold. It was a wonderful spiritual experience.
I could have come back home there and then Nothing could be better than that service. I praise and thank God for the privilege of having been there.
Monday morning 13.9.2010 I met the Presbyterian Women of First Presbyterian church in Huntsville I sat in on their first planning meeting of the year. Their year starts in September and ends June or July. After that short meeting they had tea and then the actual meeting started.
The speaker was their minister and I am very sorry to have to admit that I did not write down his name. But this I know he is one of the best speakers I ever heard . At the end of the meeting I was given time to address the ladies. I talked about our WA . The problems we encounter at present to collect funds.. ..At times the cupboard is quite bare. The meeting was then closed and somebody asked if she could give me a cheque for our feeding scheme. A number of ladies gave me cheques before they walked out. Much later when I had a chance to add up these cheques I was over the moon when I realized how very generous these ladies were. For the near future we do not have to worry about how to feed the people who come knocking on our door or the window of my office.
Thank you Huntsville First Presbyterian Women.
Blessings,
Sophia Williamson
NB: We will have more from Sophia's diaries tomorrow.
.
Sophia thank you so much for sharing your incredible journey with us. And blessings to Huntsville for honoring Norman.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sophia for your marvellous report and for being such a wonderful ambassador for St Mark's.
ReplyDelete