I had the privilege last weekend to be invited to go on a trip to Scotland with the songsters (choir) of Chelmsford Salvation Army. I used to be heavily involved in the songsters (deputy leader) but withdrew after taking on my Corps Mission Secretary responsibilities at Chelmsford, which I subsequently relinquished last year in order to take on the envoy role at Mashbury.
The songsters
http://www.ccsongsters.free-online.co.uk/ have a fine reputation and, although I resented the giving up of a Tuesday evening to rehearse over the last few weeks, I enjoyed singing with them.
I was happy to get involved with whatever they wanted me to do, but was really nervous about one particular responsibility. We split the group into 3 parts in order to minister separately on the Sunday morning - 2 groups went to Elderly Care homes, a 3rd went to Edinburgh Prison. I was asked to lead the worship service in the prison.
I've only been into 2 prisons previously and must admit to dreading the thought as both times I had felt really intimidated by the prisoners. However the experience was most uplifting and I'm glad we went. My wife made a really good point in her testimony during the Sunday morning meeting - we had no conductor and no music and therefore the only place we had to look whilst singing was into the eyes of the prisoners listening. She said she saw God in those faces and I know what she meant.
Tribute should also be paid to the local CO - Iain Hudson (who is a 2nd cousin of UrbanArmy's Gordon!) who has a regular ministry in the prison.
We had a cracking trip and a lot of laughs, but the experience in Prison on Sunday morning is the thing that will stay with me for a long time.
"The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners" Isaiah 61:1
