CMSIreland AGM

 It was a lovely drive, in spite of some light rain, and I was early enough to have time for a walk along the coastal path at Malahide.  There was a stiff breeze but I survived!
Nearby gardens were full of flowers and this unusual poppy caught my attention ... well, there were about a dozen of them!  All huge blooms and in a most unusual shade of not quite pink, not quite raspberry, not quite sure what colour you'd call it!

 The Annual General Meeting started with tea/coffee .... just to confuse folk we put coffee in the pot with the label "tea" - but apart from that little slip up ... and a quantity of coffee that found its way onto the floor ... refreshments passed without further incident.

 Encouraging reports were given by chairman Clifford (above) and mission director Ronnie.  It is always good to hear what God has been doing and the number of people who've been involved in CMSI over the past year.

 There wasn't a huge gathering ... I didn't manage to get photographs of everyone ... there were more than this picture suggests!  Maybe we need to do something to encourage folk to attend.  It's a bit like the Easter General Vestry in church - everyone thinks that they don't need to be there, or they're afraid that they'll get a job if they do attend - but meetings like this give so much information and help to deepen one's involvement.  Not only that, you get to meet folk whom you've just heard of by name.

 Mission partners from Uganda, Ken and Judith Finch, spoke about their involvement - they're at Kiwoke Hospital.

 Always an AGM has the presentation of financial accounts.  Here we received a detailed breakdown of the situation with CMSI and were very encouraged by the balance sheets.

 Mission Associate Isabelle Prondzynski who works in Brussels (former mission partner in Nairobi) gave us an insight into this way to be involved with CMS while working at something else as a "day job".       

Information about all these people and the work of CMSIreland is on their website.
http://www.cmsireland.org/

So now, after a very wet journey home through constant heavy rain I'm about ready to put the computer to bed, have a warm drink and go to sleep.  Sunday will dawn all too early!

Cast your eyes upon us, O Lord,
and hide us under the shadow of your wings,
that, trusting not to our own works
but in the refining fire of your compassion,
we may come to see you face to face;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

Celebrating Common Prayer

Saturday evening.