
It was a trip down memory lane for me this morning, returning to what used to be called in my day (1988-91) “The Mandela Ballroom” in the Durham University Student Union building, Dunelm House. I was preaching at King’s Church, Durham, in their series in John’s gospel. The venue was full and it’s a church of around 300 people I think.
King’s Church is led by Dr Mark Bonnington, who grew up at the Coign Church, Woking. Mark was probably the first person from the so-called “new churches” (which sprung up in the UK in the late 1970s and 1980s) to get a PhD in theology. He then taught theology at Durham, although that’s no longer a full-time role as he’s been leading King’s Church since 2001, with his wife Ruth, who is also a doctor, a medical one.
The first thing that blew me away this morning was doing church in a room which I associate with “acid house raves!” I was also in a production of the musical “Cabaret” in that room. And above it, were the offices of the student newspaper Palatinate, which I edited in 1990. So worshipping God in that venue was a refreshing change. Kings Church has met there for many years on a Sunday morning.
They had a New Testament and Old Testament reading which I was asked to choose, before the sermon, and I spoke on Jesus’ dramatic declaration at the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, “I am the Light of the World,” which I enjoyed very much. A completely new talk for me. It was great to meet two or three people afterwards who I remember from my time in Durham 25 years ago.
I’m now getting in the zone for the Events Week lunchbar talk tomorrow which is entitled: “Ancient and Unreliable: Isn’t the Bible just a book of myths?” I’m also trying to prepare for a public Q & A afterwards where I could be asked any question about anything.