Not far from our home where I grew up were several mission halls. Most Sunday nights there would have been a gospel evangelistic service held of some description held in at least one or two of them. Our church had no tradition of a Sunday evening service so those who were particularly keen to get 'fed' would go along to the one of the halls. It was fairly routine stuff most nights, with a few hymns from 'Songs of Victory', an old, blue, cloth backed hymnbook, maybe a soloist or duettists, a couple of lengthy prayers and then a good thirty to forty minute sermon. Most of the preachers invited to speak seemed to do the circuit of mission halls and would appear several times in a season, the majority had no formal training so anything was possible on an evening. Rarely did the local minister from our church attend. I guess he often wondered how the mission hall could get almost a full house on a Sunday night and he could never drum up enough support to have his own evening service, except on the harvest weekend. I think every minister down the years, found the same problem. Mum usually went along faithfully every week and when we were younger, sister and I would have tagged along too, probably out of boredom at home since the television wasn't permitted on a Sunday, except for Songs of Praise and the News. The preaching was certainly faithful as was the audience and it seemed a bit strange to be always preaching to the converted. Still everyone had a good time and went home uplifted. Sometimes these halls would hold a week or two of mission, invariably conducted by one or two itinerant preachers or by the 'pilgrims' from the Faith Mission, who came along in their familiar blue and grey costume and lived in a little caravan, usually parked in the yard beside the hall, for the duration. They would visit every house in the area during their stay, inviting the inhabitants along to the meetings and had a degree of success in attracting the locals in, with the occasional 'sinner' seeing the light, though sometimes the same person might have another brilliant flash at the next mission too. But the other main type of meeting that was held in these halls was a Valedictory service for someone in the community who had felt the 'call of God' to go to the mission field. It was really a 'goodbye' service when the individual had an opportunity to tell everyone why he or she was going, where they intended to go, who they might be trying to reach and what they would be doing. This always brought on board the missionary societies and their representatives who would probably take part in the service and a local preacher or renown would give a valedictory address of encouragement to the soon to be missionary. I went to several such evenings with mum and it was a whole night affair, usually with supper afterwards and if you made it that far through the proceedings, I reckon you deserved you tea, buns and sandwiches that followed.
The thought crossed my mind this morning as we said goodbye to the two girls who were our Team on Mission at church this year and though they aren't planning to go as missionaries, I suppose even if they are only continuing their studies at college next year, that in itself will be their mission field. Our youngest son, Jon, is a much more clear cut case. So when the two pastors prayed with him this morning, in what was essentially a valedictory moment for him, it was easy to feel that lump in your throat which tells you all you need to know. It's a funny thing but as he heads to Ecuador, we couldn't be more pleased that his faith is so strong and well grounded and that for him it is more than just a year out of university, but is in fact a year attached to a church being a real live missionary. Yet, every now and then our human side takes over and we are painfully aware of him being on the other side of the world for the next year in a country about which we know very little and among a people who speak a different language. Yet we are blessed that the language of salvation is universal and our son is part of God's plan for those still outside His kingdom. And in this valedictory week, as we prepare to say our goodbyes to him and when at times the pain of separation overrides our desire to see God's will fulfilled, we can never forget that the blessings which God gives us, far outweigh the trials that we face.
IN Jeremiah we read ' Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.' How can we doubt God's judgement is right for our lives when He has planned it all even before we were born. So as Jon leaves us to begin his service, I leave with him and you this reminder from Paul's letter to the Hebrews about how to cope with the difficult days. ' You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.' After all, isn't valedictory an anagram of 'Lead Victory' and I guess that's really what God wants him to do.
