For those of you who missed it, here is the story we told at Heaton Baptist Church on Sunday March 12th 2011

Hello to you all from Africa!

There is no time zone change between Newcastle and Freetown so as you meet this morning I plan to be passenger number 25 in a 15 seater minibus on my way to the palm tree lined beach for a swim and sunbathe!

But I’ve not come here to rub it in about the weather, I’ve come here because I’d like to tell you a story from far away, and as with all my stories I’m going to need some help.

Firstly please give a round of applause to my “Story Telly by Proxy”. Not too big though, I don’t want them getting my gigs!

And just because I’m not with you doesn’t mean you don’t get to join in the actions. We’re going to meet just three characters in the story.

The first character is me, so whenever you hear the word “Ali” I’d like you all to point at Freetown. I’ve looked it up on Google Earth and I’m exactly 5,252km away, in the direction of the gent’s loos in the foyer, so if you point at there that should work.

The second character in the story is Heaton Baptist Church. Whenever you hear the words “Heaton Baptist Church” or “HBC” I’d like you all to point at yourselves and say “That’s us”.

And the third character in the story is God. Here in Africa we have a greeting “God is good... all the time. All the time... God is good”. So whenever you my proxy says, “God”, you say, “God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.”

But before we start let’s pray.

Lord, as I listen quietly,

This prayer to you I pray.

Please help me to hear your voice,

And do the things you say.

Amen.

Once upon a time there was a church called Heaton Baptist Church (THAT’S US!). Now HBC (THAT’S US!) was a fine church. HBC (THAT’S US!) was a good church. But HBC (THAT’S US!) was a church that could only be in one place at a time.

Then one day God (God is good, all the time... all the time, God is good) came up with a plan. I know, He said, let’s make the church so that it looks like us. And that’s what He did. He gave the church many members, but they were all part of one body, just as the Father, The Spirit and the Son different but are all part of one body. Now He could really have some fun!

“What if...”, God (God is good, all the time... all the time, God is good) thought to himself, “I wanted to make HBC (THAT’S US!) help the people in Sierra Leone?”

“What if...”, He thought, “I wanted to help them with their teeth?”

“What if...”, thought God (God is good, all the time... all the time, God is good), “I wanted the people of Sierra Leone to help HBC (THAT’S US!) as much as the people of HBC (THAT’S US!) help the people of Sierra Leone?”

So God (God is good, all the time... all the time, God is good) send Ali Bartlett (point to the loos)  to Africa. Of course He didn’t send him straight to Africa, He made poor Ali (point to the loos) wait in Brussels while the airline cancelled his flight and flashed the stocking tops of it’s female cabin crew at him, but send him He did. God (God is good, all the time... all the time, God is good) sent Ali (point to the loos) to Sierra Leone to help the people there with their teeth and for the people there to help him with his faith. And because Ali (point to the loos) and HBC (THAT’S US!) were all part of one body, HBC (THAT’S US!) helped the people of Sierra Leone, and the people of Sierra Leone helped HBC (THAT’S US!).

So what happened next?

Did Ali (point to the loos) make it to the beach?

How many people did he get to log onto www.beardedjim.com?

When will it be your turn to come to the mercy ship?

Well I’m afraid I can’t tell you that, because that, is another story.