London Jesus Centre Volunteer Appreciation Day

“WHOEVER refreshes others will be refreshed.” (Proverbs 11:25)

Last year at our Volunteer Appreciation Day, that meant the refreshing downpour of summer rain that soaked people, gazebo and burger buns alike.

This year’s event brought us refreshment of a different kind.

The sun beat down on the lovely, lakeside grounds of a house to the west of London where some generous friends of the London Jesus Centre live.  People gathered in small groups: some in the shade, some around a three-seater garden swing and others around a huge bowl of icy punch with a decidedly Caribbean twist.

Before long we were battling away in pairs to win a Jesus Centre themed crossword competition while various guys did some impromptu carpentry and made a sun canopy next to the lake where the barbecue was being set up. Teamwork all the way in keeping with our Centre’s ethos!

Next up, thanks to a friend of a friend and some clever bartering, was a surprise narrow-boat trip. Half the volunteers took the first trip before lunch and the others followed in the afternoon. Nothing could be more relaxing and further removed from the hustle and bustle of central London than the leisurely pace of a narrow boat and the gentle rocking of a vessel on still water. Only a canopy of green leaves brought occasional shade; the rest of the time it was just us, the blue sky and the sunshine above.

A barbecue lunch gathered us all again, ready for a game of human bingo which brought laughs and bonding opportunities over questions such as “Do you prefer reading to watching TV?” or “Have you ever been to America?”

We were refreshed this year – not just by the food and punch, but by the generosity of our host couple, the unexpected boat trip and our restful surroundings. We were also refreshed seeing volunteers who first came to us as ‘Welcome’ (drop-in) visitors confidently using talents such as working the locks and cooking the chicken, but most of all by each other.

God has been good to us and this day was a small way of saying thank you to the good-heartedness of all our volunteers and helpers.

As for next year’s appreciation day...

…Maybe you’ll be there.