Jeff

Went to a wonderful silver wedding anniversary party for our friends John and Jane Dexter on Saturday night. Sat at a table of four couples who were all really special to us when I was first ordained so it was great to catch up.

Jeff is the most wonderful guy. Practical, helpful, blokey bloke but gentle with it and is always doing jobs around the church. He's in his 50s, like all of us 'young families' from that generation these days.

A while back, he told us, he was fixing something in the church on a Thursday, which is Lunch Club day for older citizens. The vicar's wife saw him and suggested that he might like to join them for lunch. Not having made any lunch plans he agreed.

About half twelve he washed his hands and went and sat at the end of one of the tables in the hall, where he was served a lovely meal and enjoyed the chat. He thanked everyone and went back to work. A little later he got a call from the vicarage, 'Are you coming over for lunch or what?'

The invitation had been to the vicarage not to the lunch club. 'The thing is Steve,' he said, 'I fitted in.' Nobody had noticed or challenged.

Good to see you again Jeff and Jenny; you don't look a day over, say, 49.