Sunday

Don't I have the most original titles?

So we almost were prepared for Sunday. I looked the church up online - Ely Christian Fellowship - and knew the address and start time. I also looked it up on the map and thought I knew where it was in relation to the cathedral and car parks. We figured we'd go through the cathedral after church (they have free admission on Sunday), so I also looked up places to eat in town. Didn't find much, so we brought a bag of chips to at least tide us over till lunch.

We made it to Ely in less than 30 minutes, and looked for the church. Bob went pretty much the opposite way from what I thought the map said, and right as we were both convinced we were utterly lost, there it was! Next step, parking spot. Two laps around the block, and we found a spot on the far side of the cathedral. With the babies in the stroller, the boys (as ever) in their rain coats, and Naysha carrying an umbrella "just in case," we were ready. It wasn't far to the church, and we found the door (it wasn't on the front of the building) and went on in. The back row was nearly empty, so we parked the stroller behind the chairs and took our seats.

It's a pretty big room - maybe 200 people (I'm a bad guesser). The worship wasn't bad. Riah was distracted by the flags hanging from the ceiling, and he was grumpy because he didn't know the song (the first song, which they sang several times). The music was good, and the lead singer - the pastor's wife - was talented, but I was slightly distracted by the bare midriff of the backup singer. There were lots of children in the room (some noisier than others). The service followed the order I am most used to: Sing, offering and announcements, sing, communion, sermon. Then the typical English tea and coffee after service. The children (not ours) were sent out for the preaching.

The sermon was titled "eat the fruit" and was a little hard to follow, as he talked about Adam and Eve as well as the fruits of the Spirit. It was mostly good, but Bob did have a few points to address on the way home, as he preached that you don't have to "try to be good." I understand the points:
1. Good works don't save you
2. You must be born again
3. Holy spirit indwells and equips.

I don't understand the conclusion:
4. So don't worry about doing "the right thing."

(Are we too critical?)

The people sitting near us visited with us after service, and no one tried to talk us into sending our children out of the service.

Anyway, when that was over we walked over to the Cathedral to look around. As the car was on the far side of it, we left the chips for another time.

Ely Cathedral is pretty impressive. It suffered very little in the reformation - instead of destroying the whole thing the reformers just tore up some of the statues/icons. The stained glass is in great shape, as is the structure itself. It was the first Christian presence in the area, established by St. Etheldreda in 670something. So we walked around and oohed and ahhed over various features from the windows to the ceiling to the tombs from 1220 and up (maybe earlier than that, even). We were getting pretty hungry, so we didn't go upstairs, but we did use the toilets 3 times. Something about young children...

We then went to Mildenhall for lunch at Taco bell (by the way, I know someone found my blog by googling "Mildenhall Taco Bell"). As we were leaving we saw a family that talked to us at church that morning. It was about 3, so we came on home.

Oh, I forgot to mention when I got up Sunday morning it was snowing. Not cold enough to stick on the ground, but it dusted the shrubs.

That afternoon I started some laundry, and the girls cleaned their room. They tend to leave dirty clothes out, and the room gets pretty stinky. eww.

Cedwryck stayed dry except for one accident. Another day of pull-ups and he will be in underwear. Yay!!!

By the way, Bob is on the list to deploy early next year for 4 months. Subject to change, of course. I say it's a pretty good time to go if he has to go. I'll be settled by then, he'll be home for the holidays and back by summer.

Guess that's it for now.