Watford will never be the same again. As was plugged in last week’s blog, we enjoyed our first Sunday service in Watford yesterday.

We saw God bring 38 adults and 25 children to the Holywell Community Centre. Some were members of the family group, some were church members from far off lands – including one who travelled from South East London to bring a friend along from Dunstable. I think she gets the highest-mileage-of-the-day award!

By contrast, others walked to church.  Some who popped in were old friends, and others were strangers – at least until they came in and we discovered that they were, to adapt the Irish saying, friends we had never met before.

The singing was aided by joy-filled hearts and a generous acoustic.  Charl’s less-than-hardened guitar fingers just about lasted! The children enjoyed a spiritual and fun time in their class, while everyone else were treated to a lesson I taught from Matthew 6.25-34. In a less formal part of the sermon I asked some questions of the congregation, and I jest not when I say that the most insightful offering came from a young man who is not even a teenager as yet.  We thought hard, and laughed hard.

The service lasted just over an hour, and was topped off by a superb lunch. Mountains of food lay before us on tables that seemed barely able to bear the weight. We accepted the challenge and consumed what we could. Leftovers were duly despatched to diverse destinations.

After almost an hour-and-half of chatting and eating we were forced to cut short the time of fellowship and clear up. Everyone left asking, “When can we do this again?” Perhaps the most touching comment came from one attendee who said, “This has been the best day of the year for me so far.”

What have we learned from this venture? We pray God will make that clear in all its fullness, but for now, the following verse comes to mind.

“If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” (Luke 17:6 NIV11-GK)

God does a lot from a little. A little faith is all that’s needed. A small action is all it takes. I pray that what we saw yesterday will inspire me and all who were there that we have a mighty God. We’ve been given a glimpse of what a mustard seed moment looks like. Will we go on and see some more? I sincerely hope so! What might your next mustard seed moment be?

Let me know.

I hope you have a wonderful week, and God bless.

Malcolm Cox