Cricket Records tumble at The Oval

The weather has certainly changed from the endless rain to the eternal sunshine.  Another hot sunny day greeted us this morning.  I walked up to church (All Saints) today and was given a lift from near the school by our speaker yesterday, Andrew Poppe.  We had a chance for a quick snatched conversation in his jeep before my arrival a church.  There were two baptism parties today which doubled the congregation at this all Age Eucharist service.  Unfortunately, when you removed their number we would have had quite a small congregation.  We are certainly suffering from falling numbers and must find ways to appeal to the younger generations.  I remain very much committed to mission and going out into the community - harking back to Andrew's talk yesterday morning - the church should principally be for ordinary people.  It was really hot this afternoon and I spent most of it watching South Africa's innings against England in the first Test at The Oval.  Hashim Amla scored an amazing 311 not out - equalling Bobby Simpson's score in the Test against England at Headingly in 1964 which I watched with equal excitement when only Mary's age.  After declaring on an incredible 637 for 2, South Africa put England in to bat chasing 252 to equal South Africa's first inning score (England had already scored 385 all out in their first innings.  By close of play, England had lost 4 wickets for only 102 runs leaving them an enormous task to save the match (a win now being impossible). This afternoon South Africa broke quite a few records - the highest score for a batsman at The Oval since Sir Len Hutton in 1938, only the 26th 300+ score ever in Test cricket, highest ever score for a South African batsman and the only 300+ score made by a South African in England.  What an afternoon.   I attended BCP Evening Prayer at Farley this evening led by Gill Morgan with Jeremy Davies as musical director with a choir who sang the Magnificat, Nunc Dimittis  and an Anthem.  We also sang a hymn written by Jeremy and his partner, Simon.  The sermon was preached by Chrysogen Bamber who is the Deputy Warden of Licensed Lay Ministers.  She preached on the role of women in the bible (it being Mary Magdalen's Feast Day).  Back home, I watched a film with Sara and Tom called "Envy" starring Ben Stiller and Jack Black - a film which bombed in the USA and resulted in the film company making a formal apology for it!