BOOTIFUL
Views News and Pews scoops another NCBC story!

Whilst photographing this idyllic scene at the church weekend at Sizewell Hall I happened to catch a UFO in the frame – an Unidentified Floating Object - and here it is:

A gumboot floating on its own raft? What’s more it’s not an ordinary gumboot; it is elaborately encrusted with colourful hearts. What’s the story behind this high status gumboot afloat on Sizewell hall’s lake?

Well, this boot was floated by none other than the good Rev Mark Tall. The Lord clearly guided the Views News and Pews reporter to be in the right place at the right time to witness the launching so that VNP could bring it to you first - although Mark may have a different view on that. When I caught the Reverend gentleman in the act of preparing this unusual spectacle and snapping it with his camera phone I thought, Ahh haa! Another snappy sermon illustration coming up! After all, Mark is a dab hand at starting his sermons with punchy and relevant homiletic illustrations, and this exhibit was clearly going to be used by him to illustrate what a miracle it is to walk on water; If it takes all of man’s ingenuity – no, make that all of Mark’s ingenuity - to come up with this ruse of a single boot standing on water without anyone actually wearing and walking (or hopping) with it at the same time - think how great was The Master’s feat in comparison!

But no, this wasn’t the idea at all – This was the follow up to Mark’s blog entitled 'Polishing thy neighbour’s shoes'. Mark now goes one better – he treats his neighour’s footwear not just to a clean, but also to a scenic pleasure cruise on Sizewell Hall’s picturesque lake, proving that he is as good as his word. But in creating an illustrative message that effectively alludes to walking on water as well, in one fell swoop of homiletic genius Mark has come up with a three-in-one illustration that combines the lessons of his alliterative blog on Words, Works and Wonders.

About the poor saintly lady who owns the boot you needn’t worry one little bit, because she was recently voted on as one of the church elders. She’s going places spiritually and doesn’t need gumboots anymore – as you can see from the picture below she’s so holy, ethereal and angelic looking, that she really does walk on water.

A spiritually up and coming Holy Jo holds council as eager listeners gather round at Sizewell Hall’s high table - Notice discarded, clapped out (and a whole lot less better looking) saints in the background.

VNP at NCBC: Telling it like it is. Remember, you first heard it in VNP!