Saturday, June 30, 2018

The changing world (148) Nov-Dec 88

Nov 6th Joe preached. Me in evening.
7th         Met with Costons ward Conservatives. I was selected as a candidate for 1990 elections eventually.
12th       Stocktaking. The 2nd and £rd secretaries from the Chinese embassy to dinner.
13th        I preached.
14th        Congregational meeting.
16th        Took David to consider 6th form options at Twyford.
20th         Elliott preached.
24th        Larry organised an PC Thanksgiving dinner.
25-26th   Presbytery. No longer synod as we have no church in Huemoz now. Ranald and Udo appeared to have fallen out over L'Abri leadership. I believe it was a question of who had inherited Schaeffer's mantle. Ranald thew IPC out od the Huemoz Chapel, owned by L'Abri. They took the name IPC Reformee with them and we were plain IPC and a presbytery in England only. Udo later moved to USA and Swiss IPC became no more.
27th          Preached. Stephens to lunch. He was a GP. She had survived the Cambodian killing fields.
29th          Alperton High School where I was appointed a community governor, my only such post. I failed to become a Tyford parent governor but from 1990-98 was a councillor governor in four different school, a boring job where I was at least once in a voting minority of one.
30th           Parents Action Group.
Dec 4th      Elliott morning Larry evening preacher.
10th           Presbyterian Association of England meeting.
11th           Elliott preached.
12th           To baroness Cox's House of Lords education issues meeting.
13th            Katy term finished.
14th            John with us.
15th            Larry preached. Carol service in the evening.
19th            My assistant on holiday to Ireland.
24th            Geoffrey and Sara with us.
25th            David Barnes preached.
26th            Idiot neighbour George Herbert banged on the garden fence as our water pipes were kicking. His favourite tactic was to play a recording of Welly barking back through the wall after evening service. One Christmas we had invited him to dinner. But Christmas eve morning there was horrendous noise from is stern. He had gone to work with it on full blast. I called the police who broke in and turned it off. They asked if he was strange for he has a mannequin dressed in women's underclothes in the house as well as top shelf magazines. He could be nice but on this occasion he was very angry and skipped Christmas dinner. Another time I banged my head on the low doorway of the garden shed and he said he hoped it might knock some sense into me. His mother had died with dementia. His brother had committed suicide. Elliott said he had personality disorder. In the end he was taken into care with dementia but on a good day he could be very pleasant though overpowering.
27th          Did a pastoral visit to Larry. Ate at Martins. George worse on our return.
28th           Yorkshire visitors left. To town. Westminster, St James Park, Royal Mews, Fell asleep in the Magician's Nephew.
29th            Pharmacy 8:30 am to 8pm. One was paid to be on duty during lunchtime and stead eating in the dispensary.
30th            Work 8am to 9pm reducing Christmas stock to half price.
31st            Sermon prep. Pot luck, games and watch night service.


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