Today is the day before. An army of volunteers has arrived to strip down the church and set up the trestles. Poetry in motion – they’ve done this about thirty times before. Just as quickly tomorrow afternoon it will be returned to readiness for our Sunday morning communion and worship.
The painstaking stuff is happening now – every one of the thousands of items that have come in must be labelled and priced. There is a steady stream to my door as they ask me to check what is being charged at various on-line auction houses – mostly because we haven’t got a clue.
Tomorrow the local community, hot on the heels of the tinkers and traders, will visit us looking for a bargain. Our mission funding will climb and people will feel tired but happy, energised by the success and feel of a good old-fashioned community fair.
They wonder how much longer age and frailty will allow them to organise and run this annual event – but every year, volunteers appear out of the woodwork and the energy flows.
Time to stop writing now and attend to some minor repairs on some furniture that’s come in for recycling!
Wondering Pilgrim 