031 - Chapter 31

  (Illustrations; St Michael le Belfrey, York)

I’ve encountered many excellent priests in my lifetime, but there’s one that stands head and shoulders above them all, in my opinion.

The late David Watson.

I admired him for so many different reasons; not only was he one of the finest, and most eloquent, teachers and preachers of our time, but he was also a ‘conductor’ when it came to an act of worship or outreach.

It was as if he had a baton in his hand, and was directing a sublime symphony, as he encouraged members of his congregation, (or his outreach team on missions), to offer their God-given ‘worship’ gifts of dance, drama and music.

If a member of his worship team or even one of  the congregation had a word of discernment or prophecy, they would first consult with him, and then, if he thought it appropriate, they would deliver the word to everyone. He encouraged those in his congregation with various gifts of healing, to minister to the sick and needy.

The congregation were also given free rein to blend their voices in tongues of praise, known as ‘singing in the spirit’ and it sounded like a heavenly chorus. It would begin with a solo voice, and the singing would rise to a beautiful crescendo, as more and more voices joined in. Then all the various melodies, which blended so well, would then then fall away softly and fade into a holy silence.

David was a vital part of worship, but not the kingpin, and most definitely not ‘a cork in the bottle’. Upon entering St Michael le Belfrey, in York, a visitor would be caught up in an atmosphere of praise, excitement and expectation.

And it was all done decently and in order. (1 Corinthians. 14.40)

Bob and I attended a service there one Easter Sunday. Before the service began, liturgical dancers were rehearsing a Resurrection themed dance, and there was drama after the readings where a captain of the guard was questioning two soldiers, demanding to know where the ‘body’ of Jesus was.

The worship was joyful and yet very moving, and after the final hymn, most of the congregation spilled out onto the courtyard outside, in the shadow of York Minster, and danced a beautiful circle dance, which certainly attracted the attention of those passing by.

I doubt we’ll ever see the likes of this kind of worship again, at least not in my lifetime.

But then again, why not? What happened at this church was unique!

And yet there was nothing offered here, that other church congregations couldn’t have offered themselves.

Bob began telling me about a friend of his at Benfield school, an RE teacher called Ian, who was familiar with the books of renewal that I’d been reading, and some of the authors and speakers I’d been mentioning to him. i.e David Pawson, Michael Harper, Ian Petit, most of them priests or pastors.

Ian invited Bob, and another friend, to his house for a meal one evening, on condition that they would accompany him and his wife to church afterwards; Jesmond Parish Church, where a well-known preacher was speaking. They extended that invitation to me too. Bob didn’t seem to mind going, it was a free meal, and he got on really well with Ian, so we went along.

I thought that when we got there, I might be called upon, during the meal, to defend my ‘charismatic movement’ views; but I was delighted that this couple had also experienced the fullness of the Holy Spirit, and it was Bob and his friend who were the ones who hadn’t.

We enjoyed our meal together and the chat afterwards, and then we all headed to church. Just before we left their house, Ian turned to me, and asked, “Sheila you’ve prayed for Bob to find faith again, haven’t you?” I replied, “Of course, I have!”

He advised me, “Then let go, and let God!”

Turns out it was very good advice!

The speaker was a priest called David Watson, from York, who was delivering a series of lectures over three evenings, with these headings:-

1)   Who is God?

2)   Why Jesus?

3)   Why the Hell?

When Ian pointed out the speaker to us, who was sitting quietly at the front that evening, my heart sank a little. I thought, “Oh no, Bob will be bored to tears”.

Even Bob admitted later that he had thought this guy looked rather stuffy and old fashioned. He wore a ‘Prince Charles style haircut and he was wearing a blue blazer and tie.  I think, at that point, Bob regretted agreeing to come.

We ought not to judge a book by its cover though!

The minute David Watson opened his mouth and spoke, the entire congregation was totally absorbed in what was being said. He was down to earth, he spoke with clarity and great confidence; an ordinary person in the street would have understood what he preached that evening. From time to time, he referred to various little anecdotes and funny stories, which he had stored in a little black book.

Bob and I were eager to return to Jesmond Parish church, to hear him the following night, and the next.

On the third and final evening of that mission, David closed the evening with a very simple prayer of commitment which he invited people to echo in their hearts.

It was rather like this one, called The Believer’s Prayer, with three parts to it: sorry, thank you and please.

“Lord Jesus Christ, I am sorry for the things I have done wrong in my life .

(take a few moments to ask his forgiveness,

 for anything particular that is on your conscience). 

Please forgive me. I now turn from everything that I know is wrong.

Thank you that you died on the cross for me, so that I could be forgiven and set free.

Thank you that you offer me forgiveness and the gift of your Spirit.

I now receive that gift.

Please come into my life by your Holy Spirit to be with me forever.

Thank you, Lord Jesus,

Amen.”

(Nicky Gumbel, “Why Jesus?”)

There was no pressure on anyone to respond, no call forward was given, only an invitation that when the proceedings were over, anyone who had echoed his prayer, should come and collect a booklet of instruction from him.

 (Unknown to me, Bob had said the prayer)

 I opened my eyes and suddenly realised, that Bob was not sitting beside me in the pew. I looked all around me, and there he was at the front of church chatting with David Watson!

That night he renewed his commitment to God! I was over the moon.

Now, we could be a Christian couple, beginning a new life together, with no more tense conversations or arguments anymore about faith.

God had moved in his own time, not mine.

At the time, I was still a Sunday School teacher and also a youth leader, at Station Road Methodist church, as I’ve already explained, but Bob told me that if he began to attend worship each Sunday, the church he would want, would have to be the Church of England,) which had a priest who was there for his parishioners every Sunday. The C of E was a church he was more familiar with, and had grown up in, and attended as a boy scout.

Now I had a very difficult choice to make, to continue worshipping on my own without him, at the Methodist church, or both together, in an Anglican church.

I decided that it was my duty to be a support for him, in the faith he had rediscovered; but in making this choice, I was really torn; for I knew I would be letting the young people down at church and at our Methodist youth club.

In those days, for some reason, church denominations were separate, and it wasn’t the ‘done’ thing then, to belong to two churches at the same time. You gave your time and energy to one, not two. So, it had to be one or the other.

Besides, one day Bob and I would hopefully bring up our children in the Christian faith, so my decision made sense.

I was so thankful to the folk at Station Road, who completely understood, and said they would pray for us. But I wonder if the youngsters understood me deserting them. Looking back, I wonder if I could have continued at the youth club? 

We began attending Jesmond Parish church, and got involved in church life there. They had a super folk-style music group, which drew upon modern songs of renewal by the Fisherfolk, from their books ‘Sounds of Living Waters, and ‘Fresh Sounds’.

There was also a prayer and Bible study group mid-week, which helped people to deepen their faith.

At times God nudges us to alter course, on our spiritual journey, and travel along different paths. This was the case with us.