Open Air: Meeting And Greeting

It’ s a long way down from the top deck of the car park. As we descend the winding stairs, I’m hoping that Stephen will let me wait at the exit rather than making me climb all the way up again at the end of the afternoon. My new knee works well, but getting back to my previous level of fitness is proving to be more difficult than I expected.

But soon we’re on site, and in our waterproofs, since the forecast is for rain. However, it’s fine as I begin, and the clouds lift as time goes by.

How quiet it is today! Apart from the trams every few minutes, I’m uninterrupted during my first stint. Stephen moves here and there, a few yards in front of me, and Janette and Peter are working away in their usual positions.

Stephen takes over. My tracts are going slowly, but I’m encouraged by a tall, young gent with a beard and a Scottish accent. He’s from Aberdeen, and likes what we’re doing. He’s called C., and he tells me he belongs to a Vineyard church… I’ll leave that one with you. The good thing is, people keep interrupting us to ask me for tracts.

When he’s gone, the tracts continue to go out at a fair rate, and the sky brightens, with patches of blue beginning to show. A young man called C. stops to offer more encouragement. And then it’s my turn again.

As I’m speaking, a big, black car pulls up on my right. Out steps a technician in a Hi Vis vest, come to check on the Atmosphere Monitoring Station behind us. Fortunately, I don’t have to move, because he’s not getting out his ladder to go on the roof - but Stephen has to take our camera from the door handle and fasten it to the lamppost instead.

It’s pretty quiet, but our literature is still going well. A young man refuses Stephen’s offer, but his female companion walks back to take the tract. I sense my time is nearly up, but - just a few minutes more so that I can come to a proper conclusion!

As Stephen sets out on the last lap, early spring sunshine begins to cast long shadows in front of him. A petite young woman in a red anorak stops to talk. Her black rucksack is nearly as big as she is. She’s most encouraging, coming from an evangelical church, and keen to learn who we are and what we’re doing.

When she’s gone, I note that Stephen has a few listeners at last, including a young gent of Jamaican appearance. He stands stock still for a while, then, noting our poster advertising free bibles, he comes to get one. I add a copy of “Ultimate Questions”, and he goes away well pleased.

And here come two characters we’ve encountered before, strolling along in the sunshine: N., our erstwhile “anointed preacher”, and the gent who is troubled by (and likes to talk at length about) demons. Still, he seems happy enough today, and he proceeds to film Stephen as he closes with an excellent summary of the gospel.

I walk over for a few words with N., asking him where he is these days, spiritually speaking. Not much progress since our last meeting, it seems. I offer what advice I can, but he strokes his gingery beard and smiles, as though he’s content to be just drifting along on the stream of life.

And then we pack up and pray, and retire to the Arndale for refreshments and fellowship. And then Stephen picks me up at the car park exit, and we’re on our way home.

Not very dramatic, eh? Well, it can’t always be exciting for the reader, but it’s always pretty intense when you’re actually there and taking part. Feel free to come along and join us, if our Lord puts it upon your heart to do so. Please pray, if you would, for those mentioned above - particularly for N. and his troubled friend. Peter also commends to you his friend Christopher, who wore the text boards alongside him for a long time, but who has now been, in Peter’s words, “backslidden for years”. Please pray that God would speak to him and restore him.

Every blessing!