Trinity where the people were so friendly, especially Sister Bobbie who was
an Anglican Nun. We had met her the previous day at the Remembrance
parade, where she thought I had a "good singing voice". I thought she must
be tone deaf! Imagine my surprise at the Peace, she came down from the
choir to offer us her hand. The previous day must have been on my few not
too bad singing days. I do not have many such days!
We tried a break in Florence where we were very warmly welcomed in St
Marks Anglican Church.
We decided to go back to Portugal and in 2002 we decided to go to Estoril
on the Lisbon coast. It was here, we believe, that our first positive steps to St
Oswald's took place. Not that we could understand that at first.
In Estoril we attended St Pauls Anglican Church. As Churches go, I suppose
it has a fairly modern design, being built in the sixties. It is interesting that
after the Anglican Eucharist, the Church is given over to the Russian
Orthodox worshippers. This sharing house of worship is not unusual in
Portugal and l suspect in other parts of Europe.
The most significant aspect of our
attending St Pauls was our meeting
with Verna Veritie, Lay reader and
organist and Canon Michael Bulloch.
Over a short time, as will be seen,
both became firm friends of ours.
ln time, not only did we attend St
Pauls but would journey to Lisbon
with Verna and Michael to join with
the congregation for the later worship in St Georges. On several occasions
we would both be asked to read the lessons.
After the Eucharist and fellowship in the Church hall a group of us would go
for lunch in a local Taverna. The warm feeling of "belonging" was beginning
to grow in us.
St Oswald's, though we did not realize it was drawing ever closer to us, and
us to St Oswald's.
George Anderson
To be continued
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