The most beautiful day in Belfast

...the view from my bedroom on the most beautiful day in Belfast. That hill is Black Mountian, on a clear day you can see Scotland from that mountain. The big building in the center of the photo is the church I've gone to a few times. Last week we sang Blessed Be, and they played Power of Your Love. Good times.

I was reading Ephesians this morning, ch 2:11-22. It's all about how the Gentiles are welcomed into the church just as the Jews, how strangers and foreigners invited in and all are considered one in Christ. The exact wording hit me today though, specifically in relation to Belfast. "For he...has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility..." Christ came to "reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility." He must be so sad to see the walls that have gone up here, those that use his name as a convienient front for their political disagreements.
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The main pastor at church is away for summer holiday, so a lady has been leading the services. We're reading through Ruth, and this Sunday she read the scripture as a dramatic reading, except, she didn't read, she had it memorized. They had music timed for the reading and I think it was the most vivid a Bible passage has ever been for me. Later in the service she did a monologue from the point of view of Ruth. It's always so amazing how different, how powerful, scriptures seem when you can picture the people they are about.
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We had an organizational meeting today at FS. We (they) evaluated last year's programming and planned for this year. It was really helpful to get concrete information about what they did and what they are doing. It was super exciting to sit and plan with D (full time youth worker). And then...I had an appointment with the GP (general practitioner/doctor)...talk about intimidating. I walked into reception and there are about 5 rows of chairs, all facing the front desk and this big sign that flashes your name when it's your turn. It tells you which office to head to, and then you walk through another door and look hastily around for the correct door, walk in and there's the doctor, sitting, waiting...weird.