Penrith Show - July 2023

David & Lily Garnett

Josh & Jade – J&J – Children’s activity / colouring leaflets – hour of Bible related activities..

Our initial contact was with a farmer from the south of the County, still grieving the death of his brother’s wife, and also questioning why should the son of a family friend suddenly have committed suicide. Difficult questions to address. Scriptures such as Luke 13:3 and John 9 come to mind but it is only an attempt at empathy  which we can really offer. This sort of question is not infrequent – prayer is sought in this regard.

S – moved into the area from the Midlands – choosing to continue in CofE and having been involved in church administration, has readily been accepted into a similar role by the local vicar. Conversation proved difficult since most topics seemed to revolve around churchianity versus Christianity!.  A stamped Tract was given to facilitate further conversation……

An interesting response was made by a couple from Thirsk, who, having taken the Tract, PoL, simply stated they neither believed nor disbelieved! (Does that constitute being agnostic, or burying the head in the sand?

A couple from Patterdale quite open to receiving MBF (with a beautiful Golden Retriever) talked briefly and agreed to take the SoLM as well – both promising to read both tracts!  They did go to a church occasionally, (3 times a year?) and ‘sometimes read the Bible’ but felt as though it were a chore rather than ‘enjoyment’.  The illustration of Duncan Campbell speaking with his young children on one occasion when they thought it was ‘a chore’ spoke to them when his response had been along the lines of asking his children whether their Mother daily prepared 3 meals every day of the week, and to which they readily agreed, then how much more should we seek to feed on the Word of God, the Bread of Life. The Patterdale couple replied that this was indeed ‘food for thought’. Please pray they will consider “the Menu”. A short conversation, but we believe a seed was sown.

Often something emblazoned on a Tee-Shirt can offer a starter to a conversation One Father and son – the Father was in a Newcastle shirt with the name ‘Sela’ boldly printed. He was quite interested to learn that this name sounded like a word often found in the Bible, in particular the Psalms. He ‘confessed’ to having a believing grandmother, and took SoLM. He had his own Bible, but sufficient ‘conviction’ had occurred – he would get his own Bible out that night and read John 1-3…….

N – an Irish Roman Catholic appeared more interested in being able to read the Bible in Hebrew than in understanding the Meaning of Salvation. How true it is that the letter kills, but only the Spirit who brings life.

But interestingly, a relation of N followed very soon after – whose father was a priest in London – and was most interested in the Priest we have in Jesus! She listened intently to John 3, 10 and Matthew 25. 

F (18) G, Jac, Jak, and one or two others of similar age engaged in “debate”. Each was ‘bouncing’ off the other trying to be clever and to seek to disprove our ‘arguments’. The upshot of this was that Jak, when he said he would like to have a Bible so that he could disprove it, was rather taken aback in front of his peers when he was offered a Bible with the challenge and guarantee. “Here you are, you read it and when you have proved it to be wrong, come back to us. However you will never be able to prove it is erroneous.” He took the Bible, as all the others took literature, Gospels and somewhat less ‘arrogant’ than when they had first appeared. Plenty to  pray for there!

Another Tee-shirt – “Hallé” – the young lady wearing it had no idea it meant “Praise” – she thought it was simply ‘musical’ named after an orchestra!

Many youngsters took part in the GB – it would appear that despite the National Curriculum, more is being learnt in schools, especially where Evangelical people gain access to Assemblies, than anything in homes or even ‘churches’!

The most common finding is that there is little, if any mention made of the necessity for the New Birth. Ezekiel 34 comes to mind as this report is being prepared.

Our final recorded conversation of the day is to do with H, previously alcoholic, and who knows ‘someone who had sought to ‘deliver’ her. Only the Lord Himself and the Power of the Cross can break such addiction. There is no quick or easy ‘fix’.