Greetings from the British Methodist Church

I prevailed upon Jonathan to help me find a Methodist church near here and to get me there in time for the morning worship service.  He was going to attend with me, but then he suddenly got a bundle of urgent emails from work companions in a Middle Eastern country and realized he'd have to be answering email all during the service, so just dropped me off instead.

I walked in, was handed a songbook and bulletin by a friendly person, and told her, "I bring you greetings from the First UMC in Krum, Texas."  She smiled delightedly, welcomed me again, and told me to make myself comfortable.

I found a seat about four rows from the front, and sat down.  A moment later, a friendly woman stopped in front of my chair, proudly opened her jacket and displayed a T-shirt that displayed "TEXAS" in bright letters on it!  She had been to Houston several times to visit friends and wanted to greet me.  A few minutes later, the greeter herself seated herself right next to me, adding to the sense of welcome.

The service was very nice, with six songs interspersed with readings and short meditations.  Today is "Thomas Sunday" in the British Methodist Church and the topic was the move from doubt (as in Doubting Thomas) to belief as in, "My Lord and My God." 

The songbook had the words to hundreds of songs, but no notes, and most of the hymns were unfamiliar to me.  Fortunately, my companion, Kay, had a beautiful voice and sang out with joy as did many others (about 80 in attendance, mostly but certainly not all, elderly), making it relatively easy to find the tune. 

After worship and the dismissal, we all sat down for the postlude and began to chat a bit and then we're invited to "tea and biscuits" afterward.  Kay asked what I wanted, and I said "black tea."  I've learned quickly that otherwise my tea will be laced with milk.

Really blessed time.  So, greetings, my Texas friends!  I will miss you in worship but am also enjoying a lovely afternoon here after yet another extraordinarily healthy and perfectly cooked meal.