Last week was a time of contrasts. On the Wednesday, I buried one of our oldest members. On the Saturday, I was in The Hague marrying B and J, two university students who worshipped at Salem Chapel during their gap years. I wore the same black, three-piece suit for both, as is my custom; a black tie for the first, a silver for the second.
The church of St Mary-at-Hill in central London was described by John Betjeman:
This is the least spoiled and the most gorgeous interior in the City, all the more exciting by being hidden away among cobbled alleys, paved passages, brick walls, overhung by plane trees…
A rather ordinary-looking privet bush which grows at the chapel was briefly remarkable the other week. Its plain white flowers, which would not normally attract attention, were alive with bees and butterflies. Whatever they lack to our eye they compensate in nectar if the flying insect community is anything to go by.
Perhaps it was the grey skies and the autumnal detritus from the trees which were littering the lawns. Or was it the grim shutters over the windows and the peeling paint? Or the rather functional seventies or eighties architecture? The church building just did not match the incongruous name: Fountain of Hope Church.
I called at the Louwman Museum in South Holland last week. It was not cheap at 20 Euros, and I had only an hour or so to spare, but I am pleased that I went. The rather stylish building houses hundreds of vintage and unusual cars; its strapline is ‘Fine Art on Wheels’. I was keen to see its Rolls Royce Silver Ghost which was officially designated the 1913 Best Car in the World, below:
01282 540 562
pastor @ martintop. org .uk
Salem Chapel, Martin Top
near Rimington, Clitheroe BB7 4EG
Salem Congregational Chapel is a registered charity No. 252401 (England & Wales)
Sunday Worship 10.45am & 6.00pm