Marcus came to church today...

I had a thought today. I wondered how many churches would today be charging a car battery for someone who lives in a car?
"...He was drunk enough to make the air intoxicating...."

I met Marcus on the walk to church this morning. He seemed pleased to see me and he came along to the service. He'd had too much to drink but he wasn't so drunk as not to remember that we had his car battery and that we'd promised to charge it up for him. He was drunk enough to give a an edge of uncertainty to the service. He was drunk enough to make the air intoxicating. Passive intoxication might not be on the political agenda but it was for us this morning, with two guys from the local detox centre we had to carefully police who sat where!

The service ended. Marcus made himself at home and people made him feel at home as he took many opportunities to tell people that he has been booked into a detox tomorrow. All the time his battery is charging.

The two guys from Grieg House Detox are leaving. Hamish who has more or less finished his detox programme grabs Marcus by the shoulder, looks him in the eye with a look of 'I've been where you are... and I don't want to go back' and wishes him good luck for the detox - "you can do it!"

Church today seems to have been a good experience for Marcus - above all he has had his car battery charged!

Comments

Anonymous said…
Gordon

Have just finished reading "No Perfect People Allowed" good read about creating a church environment for people to come as they are and basically meet Jesus and then the fixing of lives happens in the context of community. You like ourselves endeavour to create this environment even though it often challenges our more traditional folk. Marcus came as he was, and this is how Jesus takes each and everyone of us (thank goodness or none of us would get there) I think for a long time the church expected people to have it all together before they could walk through the doors of the church... so no-one came.

I am glad Marcus has a place to belong.

God Bless

Glenda
3:00 AM
Gordon said…
These comments have reminded me of a church being featured on TV and teh pastor saying "we knew we'd got things wrong when people felt comfortable enough to leave their purses , bags and coats lying around untended"
3:21 PM
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