After my early start yesterday morning I am pleased to report that I had a calm crossing on the Scillonian from Penzance to St Mary’s! I settled myself at a table seat in the cafeteria on the main deck and got into conversation with a fellow traveller, so the journey time passed quickly.
I was met from the boat by Rev Jane Willcock and am enjoying generous hospitality here as I stay with her and John at the Manse. My bedroom overlooks the Methodist Chapel, which has just been rewired, so services last week and this have been relocated. Tomorrow we shall worship with the Anglican congregation in the parish church at the top of the road, where I have been invited to preach the sermon. That service is at 11am. Before that I am preaching at the Anglican Church on St Agnes, so the first boat trip of the day will be at 8.30am. In the afternoon we shall hop across to St Martin’s for the service at the Methodist Chapel there, returning for an evening service here in the Manse when I shall share some of my experiences from my visit to refugees in Greece almost exactly a year ago.
This morning Jane had arranged a coffee morning in the Manse for me to meet with members of the church and it was fascinating to listen to people’s stories and to discover the difference between a Scillonian and an islander! As ever, stories intertwined, as I met people who had places in common with ‘my’ places.
This evening I tried to attend a slide show about the wildlife on Scilly, but it was full to capacity, so instead I went down to Porthcressa Beach and watched starlings playing in the waves along the edge of the shore. A photo tomorrow perhaps of the beauty of this place, but tonight a photo of my lovely host couple!
