A Cambridge God Adventure* 62) Filling a gap and a serious shadow.

(*please skip if you have not been following this story).  It is no surprise for a city centre church like ours that one of the major gaps in our church family concerned the low number of children.  There were never more than 10-12 children in our main service and this had almost become accepted as normal.  With all the rest that was going on how could you possibly envisage developing a children's work where we were?

Of the many dates that stick in my memory I ring Sunday September 12 1987 because that was the day that one of our newish members, John Clark, helped to lead a family service.  He told us that we should pray for the Junior Church (as we called it) to grow up to 50 children within the coming year.  I remember experiencing such a thrill at hearing him and sensing the prayerful context for his vision.  How easy it is for enthusiasts to sound off with triumphalism.  But John was grounded in a calling and gifting to minister to children with loads of experience and dynamic personality.  Within a month 20 children were regularly attending...and so the number gradually grew to everyone's immense joy.  This serious gap was being filled and the front pews were being filled with youngsters. And the weekly 'Talk with the children' became a sweet spot!

While I was in the pew listening to John and witnessing his dynamism I was feeling increasingly unwell.  Beginning on holiday a few days before I began to find that my neck was twisting my head downwards towards my right shoulder and with an awkward loss of control came painful headaches.  My doctor (who became a personal friend) could not explain what was happening.  He prescribed various muscle relaxants and gave careful watch over the coming days.  We all hoped that this sudden problem would ease off.  But, particularly at night, when my head hit the pillow I knew that something weird was happening beyond my control as twisting and tremors and pain took over. Something strange and unfriendly was occurring.