One person can make such a difference!

Today I led a brief worship service for residents of the aged care wing of the Queenstown Hospital.

I started out with three residents, two women and a man, all of whom claimed they couldn't sing, so I needn't bother giving them a song book (but I told them that they might like to follow the words along in the book even if they didn't sing- I had recorded music, so we had a full orchestra and choir to accompany us!). The man told me that he hoped it wouldn't take too long, as he wanted to get back to watching the cricket. (I promised him it would only be half an hour).

So, I started the service, and when I was giving the devotional story/homily after the Gospel reading, things were pretty unresponsive (although I did notice the man at least trying to rumble along a bit with the first hymn).

Then everything changed. A nurse brought another lady into the room, who apologised for being late.* This lady was quite bright and responsive, and giggled at a little joke I made in the homily... and it was as if her spirit had infected the others, who all suddenly seemed much more attentive and present to what was happening.

It was a lovely moment, and I thank God for the gift of that lady and her enthusiasm.

* she told me later that she'd had a shandy at lunchtime, and had needed to go to the toilet afterwards, which was what made her late ("I don't have them often, but gee it was nice" she said with a twinkle in her eye)