A Few More Pictures of St. Bart's

Be sure you see the pictures from the earlier post this evening . . .

Christians first met on this site in the early 1100s. St. Bartholomew's has stood over the village of Ducklington for almost 1000 years. It is the "village church" and was originally a Catholic Church. However, as the Reformation rumbled through Germany, thanks to Martin Luther, there were also rebels in England. It's a long story but essentially St. Bart's became a Church of England in the 1500s in the heat of the Reformation. It's just down the street from our house and we hear the bells each day when the bell ringers practice for Sunday.



What's behind this tiny little door?


Behind that tiny little door is this tiny little stairwell leading to the bell tower. Just a little creepy . . .


These ropes ring huge bells that you can hear all over the village of Ducklington.

Another Interesting Day . . .

We don’t plan on making it a point to write a blog every day, but we can’t go to bed without telling you about this day. We just got home from the most amazing meeting! Sue Williams invited us to attend the quarterly meeting of Churches Together in Witney (CTiW) . This is the local arm of a larger organization called Churches Together in England. There is a similar group in Ireland. Communities all across the UK have these organizations in which representatives, sometimes the pastor/priest and sometimes lay persons, come together to discuss ways in which they can work together to make the church a visible entity within their given community. Tonight there were 25 of us who met in a small Catholic church to discuss and plan events for the Witney area.

There was a spirit of wonderful cooperation as they discussed the impact of their Christmas events which included charity drives as well as a community choir which sang during the Christmas season on a specified Saturday in the middle of the Towne Centre. The upcoming Easter season provides them with another opportunity for visibility in Witney. On Good Friday, church members from across the area will meet at the High Street Methodist Church in the middle of the Towne Centre and march solemnly up High Street, along the village green and ending at St. Mary’s Anglican Church. This march is done in total silence except for the slow beating of a single drum. There is a service to emphasize the crucifixion and then hot cross buns, with an explanation of the symbolism attached to them, are passed out to everyone along the streets (As soon as someone enlightens us as to what that tradition is, we’ll pass it along). They also organize a sunrise service on Easter which is held at another local church.

The next topic of discussion was the most astounding to us. This is an election year in England and the local parliamentary representative is hoping to oust current Prime Minister Gordon Brown. His name is David Cameron and he is from the Conservative Party. Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were both from the Labor Party and the folks around here are quite confident that their guy is going to make it a good run. CTiW historically has sponsored a Q & A for major party candidates and it is held in a local church. We sat there totally amazed at the fact that this group of church leaders are allowed by the British government to actively sponsor such an event. In fact, the questions they will ask and the reason for this event is for the express purpose of seeing where the candidates stand on issue pertaining to the church. Some observant individual in the group looked at us and asked if we did things like this in the States to which we replied, “Absolutely not! We are totally amazed by this whole discussion!” So, it was certainly an exciting evening to be a part of something like this.

The highlight of our day was a 2 hour visit with 90 year old retired missionaries from the Baptist Missionary Society (BMS), Josephine and Alex Matthews. They are long time members of our little church and served the Lord faithfully in Congo until the early 60s when they were evacuated along with most other missionaries. One of the items we hated to leave behind in Abilene was our reference books, so Alex gracious insisted that Dennis take his commentary series by William Barclay. Alex is a graduate of Spurgeon College in London. He innocently asked if we were familiar with Spurgeon to which we smiled and teased, “Vaguely . . .” Alex told us of he own father’s pictures of Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s funeral in London where thousands lined the streets of London to mourn his death. These wonderful saints and many like them are probably responsible for Congolese families such as Elias Kenyamitobo’s family hearing the gospel and coming to faith in Christ. We will, no doubt, spend more time with the Matthews. Such great stories!

Enjoy the pictures!

St. Bartholomew's was built in the very early 1200s. In fact, the columns on the right mark the wall of the original church which was the area to the right of them. That section has been dated to the last decade of the 12th century, probably around 1197 AD. The middle section was added during the 1200s and the left and finally section was added in the 1300s.


There is a continuous record of Rectors at St. Bart's beginning in 1222.


The Font was put in place when the middle section was built during the 1300s and the large wooden trunk sitting in front of it probably dates back 500 years and was the church coffer. The current Vicar told us that it originally had 3 locks on it and the church treasurer probably sat on it during the services.


Dennis would like one of these installed before he gets back and starts teaching Sunday School again. This one is dated in the mid-1800s and symbolises the Gospel carried on wings to the four corners of the earth

The Pace Picks Up!

Today we are realizing the blessing of our first 10 days in Ducklington. Beginning with the day we were delivered to our new home, we had 10 days of rest and peacefulness as we acclimated to our wonderful new, yet very different surroundings. It seems, though, that in the past 48 hours all that has drastically changed and our ministry is picking up speed.


Just to give you an update about our regular Sunday and Monday activities . . .
The Sunday Service was very encouraging. The excitement remained from what we all experienced on Saturday afternoon at the Celebration Service. A couple, who had previously (but somewhat sporadically) attended the Anglican Church, joined us for the service boosting our total attendance to 16. David and Janice led in worship along with the assistance of a guest pianist and long time friend of Ray Cole. We are learning some wonderful old English hymns which David and Janice mix beautifully with the praise and worship music we love so much. This is apparently the old stomping grounds of hymn writers John and Charles Wesley and we have been told that John Wesley preached his first sermon somewhere close by. Simple melodies and rich theology characterize these beautiful old songs.

Dennis continued his thoughts from the previous week in 2 Corinthians 4. Wanting to incorporate a pottery or clay vessel into his message, we drove (yes, we did!) to a nearby village where David, while giving Dennis a driving lesson, had pointed out a pottery and tea shop we might want to visit at some point. Our intent was to see if they might have something, a little bowl or pot that had been flawed or rejected. Dennis would then use it in his teaching about our having “this treasure in jars of clay.” There was a very friendly lady at the cash register in the pottery gift shop and we explained what we were looking for and sharing with her bits and pieces of the Scripture and Dennis’ desire to acquire something they might have cast off. She quickly rang for the potter and once he appeared from the back he listened as Dennis gave explanation of we were looking for. He remarked that he thought he had just the thing and quickly turned and disappeared into the back of the shop. When he returned, he was carrying the most perfect little vase. He told us that it had been “discarded” because it was “flawed” and would be “destroyed.” It was perfect – raw clay, never fired or painted, a flaw along the top rim, obvious imperfections - and he offered it to us free of charge. Again Dennis explained the passage briefly and how he would use this little vessel in his sermon. He was kind yet uninterested, excusing himself and returning to his work. The woman at the register, however, asked if she could wrap it up in tissue paper so that it would travel safely. In the process of her wrapping we began to talk about all the beautiful churches. In this area, everyone talks about St. Mary’s in Witney, but the constant comment we hear about St. Mary’s is, “It’s such a cold place.” This woman added that the feeling of “cold” was not merely the temperature in the room but came from the lack of spiritual feeling she sensed when there. She was interested in what we were doing in England and smiled as we shared our experience and warmth of the folks at Ducklington Baptist the previous Sunday. We will go back to see her soon, so pray for the Holy Spirit to quicken her heart so that she will be willing to talk with us again about spiritual things. Her name is Sonya.

We love the Tea and Biscuit time at the end of our Sunday services. We have quickly come to a realization that the kitchen is aptly named “Guinn’s Kitchen.” At 80+ years, she can have water boiled, tea made, biscuits on a plate, teacups on a tray and be asking if you want sugar or milk in about 5 minutes. She is an amazing servant! Everyone enjoys a cup of tea before departing every Sunday and it is time of very sweet fellowship.

“OVERWHELMING” is the word of choice for our experience at Mums and Tots yesterday. By 10:00 a.m. there were already 24 Mums settling in with their little ones and our number climbed to 34 (plus 1 grandmother) before the morning ended. Because of the pace, we were never really able to get an accurate count of the children, but we estimate at least 50. There is no intentional structure to this gathering. It is for the express purpose of allowing the little ones to play in a safe indoor environment and give these young mothers some time to chat with one another and make new friends. One unusual thing that happened yesterday morning was that a young dad appeared with his 2 children. He and Dennis found a corner in the midst of all those young women and stuck up a conversation which revealed that he and his wife (both Brits) have just returned to the UK from the Chicago area. They are believers, he is a Baptist preacher’s kid and she is an Anglican minister’s daughter. They are looking for a church and are very interested in ours. So, Dennis gave him the necessary information and we are hoping to see them on Sunday. In addition to Dennis’ visit with Chris, I had opportunities to chat with 2 or 3 young women at length. It is so hard to be patient and allow the Holy Spirit to move the conversation instead of me forcing it into the spiritual realm.

Again, our Bible Study time last night with the Bosleys, Ray and Guinn was truly a sacred time of looking into God’s Word and praying for this village. Their enthusiasm and expectancy is contagious and we are all wondering what God is doing. Each of them shared their awareness of new spiritual activity in this area, so we all wait and watch for God to delight us. Again we enjoyed Guinn's tea and last night Ray made Mince Pies . . . WOW! What a treat!

Our personal calendar is filling up with opportunities to become more actively involved in the communities of Ducklington and Witney. We have been invited to have tea today with the Vicar and his wife at St. Bartholomew’s Anglican Church here in the village. This Church predates St. Mary’s in Witney. Christians have been meeting on the site of St. Bartholomew’s since the 12th century and the church itself was built in the 1200s. They are promising a guided tour and we can’t wait. Some of the pictures we included in our earlier blogs show St. Bart’s. It is the large structure in the background of the picture of the Ducklington duck pond. We are very surprised by the information we are beginning to gather about the Anglican Church. Apparently, a large segment of the Anglican Church is quite conservative and relatively evangelical, especially in this area. They are appalled about what they hear from their Episcopalian counterpart in the United States (i.e. gay/lesbian priest, pro-abortion). All that said, we still see little to no spiritual activity in the folks who live in this village.

Tomorrow we will have a visit from a reporter for the Witney Gazette who was also at the Celebration Service last Saturday. She is a Christian and is a member of a non-denominational church in Witney. We will also attend a meeting of church representatives from around the community tomorrow evening. It is wonderful to see the churches working together to be an influential force within these villages and it amazes us to see how evangelical and conservative they are. They express a deep respect for each of their perspective church traditions and ministries yet work together to spread the gospel within the villages.

We continue to pray for all of you back home knowing that God is at work in each of your lives just as He is busy at work on this side of the Pond. May He be glorified in all that we do in His Name.

The Start of the Second Week . . .

Dennis and his car


Pictures of the Duck Pond and the man who comes and feeds the ducks every day



In the quietness of this evening, I (Brenda) sit here in an attitude of such thanksgiving watching Dennis put the finishing touches on his sermon for tomorrow morning. It’s hard to believe that we are already into our second week as residents of Ducklington. We have spent this week walking the streets and visiting with neighbors, as well as, improving Dennis’ driving skills. There have been multiple trips to the grocery store and two trips into the town centre of Witney – and we are still alive. Dennis is doing a great job of driving us around (but please don’t quit praying). Each day we have met people who are very friendly and helpful and in most situations they have offered something of their thoughts of faith and church going.

The boiler that runs our hot water heater as well as the heat in our house quit working sometime on Tuesday. We assumed that we just didn’t know how to work it, but when David and Janice came over Thursday evening, he diagnosed it as a problem. He arranged for a repairman to come on Friday morning and that ended up to be one of the sweetest and most interesting conversations we have had. The repairman made trips to our house twice that day and each time Dennis ended up standing in the kitchen visiting with him. He told us that he was raised Baptist and when Dennis asked about the current spiritual state of England, he remarked that it seemed to him the people had “lost their faith.” When people try to describe the lack of spiritual interest in England, they sound very much like what folks might say in the United States. Most people see very little need for faith or a relationship with Christ. They feel that they are perfectly capable of handling life on their own and so they do. Sounds so very familiar, doesn’t it?

We have continued to pray about how to interact with the polish lady, Daneuta, who has been coming to Ducklington Baptist for several months. After Dennis’ chance meeting with the young polish man (Lucas) last weekend, he decided to walk down to Lucas’ house and see if he or his wife (Barbara) might be able to translate a few sentences on a piece of paper for us to give to Daneuta tomorrow at church. We wanted to give her a greeting and let her know that we were very glad she is there and we also wanted to be able to tell her the passage that Dennis would be preaching over. Barbara was happy to write a translation out for Daneuta, but Dennis was also able to talk to her about what we are doing in Duckington. Possibly we will be able to incorporate Barbara’s English abilities into our ministry to Daneuta and in the process open up the opportunity to minister to Lucas and Barbara, too.

Today was an especially wonderful day for us and the folks at church. During the 16 months that Duckington Baptist has been without a pastor, there have been many pastors and lay people from the surrounding towns and churches who have been willing to fill in. The leaders here in Ducklington decided that they wanted to officially show their appreciation for all that has been done and so today was a service of celebration for these helpful servants as well as a time to introduce us to them. Some drove as far as 80 miles to join us today. We were so blessed to stand alongside such persevering saints and sing “Crown Him with Many Crowns” and “In Christ Alone.” We couldn’t help thinking back two weeks ago as we stood at South Side and sang the words of “In Christ Alone,” . . . “Jesus commands my Destiny.” Who would have every thought our destiny to be ministering to a tiny little church in The Cotswolds of Great Britain?

The words that brought a rush of emotional were in the song “Here I am, Lord.” Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I can hear you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold Your people in my heart. Fifteen years ago when we became involved in the Emmaus Community in Abilene, we sang that song regularly. We would stand and lift our hands and with great devotion and commitment sing those words wondering all the while if God would ever choose to send us. We have to wonder if that was the beginning of the Lord prying our hands off of the security and comfort of where we were and testing our hearts to see if we would really go if He called us.

This week we have said over and over again that everything about being here brings such feelings of security and peace. We are supposed to be here. We are supposed to be living in this house on this street in this village getting to know these people for the purpose of introducing them to Christ. Today’s message from David Bosley recounted the road they have traveled as a church during the past 16 months. While we were finishing up seminary, they were praying for US! They didn’t know it and neither did we, but now we do. We are to be salt and light in our village of Ducklington and we are to encourage these faithful ones to do the same. A moment we will treasure occurred when Richard Crippen, pastor of the Baptist church in Burton-on-the-Water, invited the other pastors and church leaders in the room to come to the front, lay their hands on us, and pray for God to empower the ministry that will take place with us during these next 6 months. We will never forget it!

The booming voices of about 50 of God’s children - Anglican,Methodist, Baptist, and home church - filled that little 160 year old church on Witney Road this afternoon. We pray that the whole village heard it and that the Spirit of the Living God beckons them all to come and see what all the celebration was about. At least 8-10 pastors from area churches have all offered to continue to hold this blessed body of believers before the Lord continuously. They will be the ones we will lean on when we get discouraged and they will be the ones to rejoice with us when sinners come to faith in Christ. This is a sweet, sweet fellowship and we are thrilled to be part of it.

Mums & Tots; Monday Night Bible Study

Our day began with a brisk walk to the church which quickly filled up with 28 Mums and at least 100 toddlers . . . not really, but it certainly seemed that way. Seriously, there were 28 Mums (all young women in their 20s and early 30s) and about 40 little ones between the ages of 1 month and 3½ years old. Janice and Guinn busily made tea in the small kitchen adjacent to the worship center while Ruth Edy, the Anglican pastor’s wife distributed toys and greeted Mums at the door. We visited with many of the Mums and they were all quite friendly all the while keeping a close watch on their perspective little ones. Tea was served in true English fashion along with biscuits (cookies) for both Mums and Tots. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting with several of them at length and they were quick to make suggestions as to which picturesque village in The Cotswolds should be visited while we are in England. They are all very proud of the beauty of this region and were able to supply us with information that will no doubt come in handy when we finally have a day to venture out in the car again.

We were specifically struck by a young woman who spoke openly about her lack of church attendance. She commented that she knew that Americans were much more interested in God than the British. She offered the fact that she knew that the lack of faith in the UK was “not a good thing.” Dennis told her how much we personally enjoyed the service yesterday and invited her to come on Sunday. She told us that she was not working this coming Sunday and she might talk to her “partner” about attending with her.

In the afternoon we walked to Witney which is about a 15 minute walk and along the way we stopped to take a picture outside of the church. We had no sooner stopped than our neighbors, Nigel and Jill, came walking by and asked if we would like for them to take a picture of both of us. After the picture was taken we continued on with them toward Witney and totally enjoyed the opportunity to visit. They have asked us to have dinner with them in the future and we are thrilled at that invitation. (More pictures from today are posted on Dennis's Facebook page.)

Our evening has ended on a very sweet note as we met with the Bosleys, Ray, Sue and Guinn at the church for a Bible Study that they had begun before Christmas on the subject of angels. Ray led us through Acts 10 and the story of Cornelius and Peter. These folks love God’s Word deeply and handle Scripture beautifully. We ended the study by spending time in prayer for the church as well as for those we have made a connection with over the past 3 days. We all agreed that we must remain sensitive to God’s Spirit in every situation so that we know where God is at work. We have many opportunities each day to capture the attention of others because we are Americans. Being only on the edge of The Cotswolds region, Witney does not get a lot of tourism., therefore ilfe in Witney is very authentic and typical of life in the UK. Ducklington is merely a little village within walking distance of Witney, so they are somewhat puzzled to find Americans walking their streets much less living in the midst of them. Therefore, we will use that to our advantage and it is working wonderfully thus far.

Today we are including some pictures of St. Mary’s Church, the Anglican church in the heart of Witney . . . rebuilt in the 13^th century . . . complete with moss covered tombstones in the church yard. You will also see a picture that we took this evening of the precious, persevering servants of Ducklington Baptist Church. As we listened to them pray, they continue to seek the Lord’s guidance as to the purpose and mission of this little church. They pray for souls to be saved and for more boldness and opportunities to share Christ with those around them. They are encouraged by our arrival because they see the Lord’s hand in bringing them a pastor and are very thankful for your prayers. They ask that you continue to hold them before the Lord as they follow His leading through this season in the life of the church.

David Bosley, Guinn, Sue Williams, Janice Bosley & Ray Cole (kneeling)

Ducklington Baptist & St. Mary's in Witney

Our First Day at Duckloington Baptist!

We woke up to a beautiful clear, sunshiny sky this morning and it was just a beginning to a wonderful day with the Lord. The church service begins at 11 a.m. and most people begin arriving around 10:45. We are a short 4-5 minute walk from the church and the day was perfect for it! The sidewalks are so narrow that we walked single file most of the way. Along the way this morning we met a very nice man who was sweeping the street in front of his home. He was very quick to engage us and realized at once that we were not from this area. He seemed somewhat impressed that we were from Texas and asked if we were staying at the hotel, which gave us to opportunity to tell him a very short version of our story and that we would be living in Ducklington for the next 6 months. Please be praying for another opportunity to visit with him, James Postle (He chuckled and told us that he was just like James the "a-postle"). We continued on to the church and met many of the sweet ladies out on the sidewalk waiting for us. The church is tiny, but everyone was so glad to be there and to finally meet us. We loved them all instantly.

Ray Cole started the service. Ray is exactly what you would think of as a proper English gentleman. He is a single man and has been very involved in the church since moving to Ducklington about a year ago. David Bosley plays the piano beautifully and he and his wife Janice both play the guitar. We sang some wonderful old English hymns prior to both of us giving our testimonies and then Dennis' sermon. His text was from 2 Cor. 4:1-6 and the ministry of Paul. It was a great passage to start with. They end their gathering each Sunday by serving tea or coffee and biscuits so that everyone can enjoy some time together in fellowship.

A young Polish woman attends the church regularly. She speaks very little English, but is apparently very committed to being there. In attempting to visit with her, we were reminded of the ESL experience we have had with the Russians and Africans. It might be that we will have the opportunity to use that experience once again and possibly open a door for sharing Christ with a large Polish community that is established in Witney. Please join us in praying about that possibility.

As we reflect back on the morning, we can both say that the Presence of the Holy Spirit was very obvious to us. There is a very sweet spirit among these people and their desire to proclaim the name of Christ in this little community. They are warm and welcoming and seem very happy for us to be a part of their fellowship for this season. Our deepest prayer is that all of us will be aware of God's working in hearts around us. We have now met our next door neighbors, Nigel and Jill Clark; a young polish man who lives behind us, Lucas; and the man we met on the way to church this morning, James (and Dorothy) Postle. As we prayed this afternoon, we are trusting the Lord to show us the hearts that He is already at work on. Your faithfulness to pray for us, as well as your wonderful e-mails, are an inexpressible encouragement. Thank You!

Mums and Tots meets in the morning as well as Bible Study tomorrow evening and we will let you know tomorrow about that. . .

Blessing to all of you!

We're Driving . . . SCARY!!!!!!!

We continue to be amazed at the way the Lord has watched over every detail of this adventure with Him. We have now been in our wonderful little house for 24 hours and actually feel like it will easily become home to us quickly. It is cozy and warm and the folks here have outdone themselves to furnish and equip it in such a way that we have everything we need.

David and Janice Bosley, Ray Cole, and Sue Williams traveled an hour and a half in 2 cars to London to pick us up yesterday morning. We zipped through the customs process and were waiting in the main concourse within 30 minutes. They were all quite surprised to walk in and find us waiting for them instead of the other way around. We saw very little of the countryside as we came west to Ducklington on the 6 lane “motorway.” We took the “ringroad” (loop) around the west and north sides of Oxford, so we didn’t see much of it either. All along the roadways are quaint, beautiful stone houses and fences. They hardly look like they’ve been touched for hundreds of years and are still very beautiful. As we came into Ducklington we turned off the “double carriageway” (2 lane highway), the road narrowed and we began to wind our way through the street of this tiny little village, passing Ducklington Baptist on the way to our home. Even though our little “terrace house” (condo) is in a newer neighborhood, it has the look of all the other structures in the village – stone walls and cement shingle roofs. We’ll be posting pictures on Facebook.

From the time we woke up in Abilene on Thursday morning, we were up for 36 hours before we laid our heads on our pillow last night. They allowed us all afternoon to get acquainted with our house and to rest. Then they treated us to a wonderful meal at one of the two local pubs in Ducklington. It was everything you would have expected complete with thatched roof and huge roaring fire. We both had to duck our heads to keep of colliding with the door frames and rough beams that support the centuries old ceiling. It’s a mere 2 blocks up the street from our house, so we did what most Brits do, we walked.

The adventures of today have involved Brenda’s first trip to the grocery store with Janice and Sue which proved to be not so different than our local United stores except twice as expensive. We met one of the young Mums who attends Mums and Tots on Monday mornings. She assured us that she and her little one would see us Monday. David and Ray came to get Dennis for his first trip out in the car. We have decided that riding on the left side of the car is almost as terrifying as driving on the right side. Dennis drove us to the grocery store again this evening. We were so proud! We only went the wrong way on one road after 3 trips around a “roundabout” (traffic circle) and thank goodness, no one was coming. No doubt, we will quickly become adapted and think nothing of it, but in the meantime, PRAY HARDER!

As thrilling as all of these experiences are, the thing that weighs heaviest on our minds is that in a village of 3000 people, only 12-15 folks attend Ducklington Baptist and about 40-50 attend the Anglican Church up the street. In the land of Spurgeon, Packer, Müller and Lewis there seems to be very little interest in the things of God. The people are warm and helpful and very courteous and very interested in why we are here and what we are going to do. So, we have an open door for conversation as we meet people as well as an invitation to join us at church, Mums or Dads and Tots, or for the regular Bible study on Monday evenings. We plan to spend a lot of time prayerwalking the village on a regular basis and hope to meet many of the locals. We met our wonderful neighbors, Nigel and Jill Clark, to the left of our house and they are quite nice. They live in England half of the year and the other half they live and play golf in Tuscan. Maybe they will be enamored by our accents and desire to get to know us better. We think we will entice them with a night of Mexican food. Whatever method the Lord chooses is fine with us. Your prayers are the greatest treasure to us as we begin this ministry.