Stratford!!

Now, tell me, is it really is Friday 30^th Jan??. Man alive, these days are racing by! It was a long journey, Caz and John shared the driving, Carl helped with the slightly flat tyre and Rachel started penning a song!!! I tell you, the talent is flowing!. Lionel and Stevie kept us company in tunes, even gave the opportunity for Carl to release his voice. The great thing about these journeys has been the ‘adding to our friendship’ conversations, sharing our lives, the highs and the lows has added more colour to our team, our little community.

London town greeted us with sunshine. It was as if it knew we needed a little burst as the energy levels were lowering!. Set up was smooth, sound check swift, even allowed for some jamming, and chance for La Donna to show us her drumming beats. She’s good man! Even with them nails!!

Lady Latty had made the decision that tonight the hair was going even more funkee! The Afro was tamed by half, literally by La Donna’s fair hands. Looked fantastic! And tonight was the night her heels were back! Not a slip in sight! She says its her lovely sisters that have taught her all she knows about style, whilst this is very true, I think she has the eye for it and evenings like this tour has just given opportunity to let it out!

A crowd of people joined us tonight thanks to great advertising and numerous friends. It was obvious tonight that people came already to be part of the night, they were not going to sit and watch, no, they were right there boogieing on the 2^nd song!. This lifted the band to yet another level.

Our prayer each night has been that we would hear what Father God is already saying, already doing in each community we visit, so that we would join in with this. Lady Latty has a great God given ability to listen, and listen well. Those promptings even within the set seem to just catch what the Spirit is doing. ‘Father you are Holy’ served well in that place of sung worship. Geraldine led really well from this into ‘I love you Lord and I lift my voice’ – spontaneous, but just the right song that said what people wanted. That’s what makes these evenings different to a gig or concert where folk just watch and remain distant. Here we all joined together, the stage and band were leveled by the presence of God with us.

The other distinctiveness of these evenings is when Geraldine chats with a local person who is involved in a charity/project/community that is living out the good news, justice and loving their neighbours. Rowena from Alongside you (formerly Grandma’s) joined us tonight. She passionately yet genuinely shared about how this charity befriends families affected by HIV. The impact on such families was clearly conveyed.

The evening in Stratford closed with funkeeee dancing and much much energy! There was a buzz of partying in the presence of God! And as the good Lady Latty says, if we can’t party here then where can we party!