Welsh Baptists, Blackwell’s Oxford and Plum Tatin

My time with the English Speaking wing of the Baptist Union of
Wales at their annual Assembly was a great experience of cross fertilisation.
Ideas, new visions, evolving strategy, long perduring problems (why do we
insist on calling problems ‘challenges’, as if that made them easier to
solve!), tough decisions, balanced realism along with equally balanced
imaginative and hopeful faith – all these and many conversations with
ministers, church leaders and delegates.

My own ministry was warmly appreciated, something
that no amount of experience should ever take for granted. I’ve always found
such affirmation humbling, and important in supporting ministry by necessary
encouragement. For myself I greatly enjoyed developing some themes I’ve thought
about and wanted to preach.

The new President is Peter Dewi Richards whose
Presidential address was a crucial contribution in the life of English speaking
Welsh Baptists. Peter was for 15 years General Secretary and knows the
churches, the associations and many, many of the ministers and church leaders.
In his address he touched prophetically on such issues as the importance of
ever closer collaboration between the English and Welsh speaking Baptists; the
necessity for denominational distinctives to enrich and foster wider and more
generous ecumenical co-operation in a common bearing witness to Jesus and the
Gospel; and the Gospel imperative for Christians to be in conversation with
other faiths in a dialogue aimed at deeper more sympathetic understanding of
each other, and dialogue aimed at social and moral co-operation on matters of
national and global interest. The result was an address that spoke to Welsh
Baptist Experience locally, nationally and globally – and delivered with long
earned authority, unmistakable Gospel passion, and generosity of mind and heart
that was deeply moving to witness. I’ve never heard a better address to a
denominational assembly by a President, and it was a privilege to be there.

Following the Assembly we went over to the
vicinity of Oxford to share a
brief holiday with family who were in the area. This meant a visit to the place
where all Bibliophiles eventually come – Blackwell’s. Bought only three books –
two of them on my to get list anyway, the other a spur of the moment purchase
that now seems less must-have than it did before I paid for it. I’ll read it,
and say something about it – if it’s worth it! But much of the three days was spent in family conversation, hilarity and a determined effort to sample Tea Rooms and Pubs as places of refreshment and necessary replenishment. Thus Queens Tea Room in Stow on the Wold gets first vote for a superb, delicious, light gluten free double-decker Victoria sponge for one of our party that was devoured as very manna from heaven – I had the walnut and coffee cake accompanied by Cinnamon Chai tea – in the Cotswolds. The Swan is a pub by the riverside – only recently opened after flood damage that immersed the interior in 4 feet of local river – the only time in the history of a village dating back hundreds of years. The landlord a cheerful, philosophically inclined recently retired rock musician who reckoned the flood merely hastened the refurbishing process. The food was superb – apart from Cotswold Lamb done absolutely right, may I mention the open Plum Tatin with Pecan and Maple Ice cream – the plums caramelised with the blowtorch and scorched enough to make them bitter-sweet. One of those desserts you don’t want to finish and can’t wait to eat. .