echoes

The sound of my footsteps.

That's what my TV debut's going to be. Sky News no less!

It won't win me any Baftas, of course. I'm under no illusions in that regard. But the sound of my feet will be heard all over the world!

Sky News have an office in the buildings which are just across the lane from us. And today they had a problem.

Not on the scale of Apollo 13 with the 'Houston, we have a problem' sort of thing. But a problem, nonetheless.

They'd filmed a piece in a hangar down at Farnborough, some time earlier in the week. Monday, I think it was. (I haven't a clue what the piece was about - I'm just a bit part player after all!)

And their problem had been it was chucking with rain when they filmed the piece and the noise on the roof of the hanger simply drowned out everything else.

So they needed the sound of a guy who'd been walking his way through the hangar. The right sort of echo. That sort of thing.

And they thought our hall would maybe be ideal!

I mean...!! Our halls have been called a lot of things, no doubt. And we've done them up at quite a cost to make them feel quite homely and quite warm.

So a hangar...! A cold and draughty, concrete-floored and military hangar! Is this where all our efforts to improve the place have led? Is this the sort of picture that is conjured up in people's minds?

Well, I was slightly taken aback!

Not least because I'd had a Danish lady earlier on who'd called by here to see the halls (and she, as well, was also unannounced - it's been that sort of day!). And she'd been full of praise, surprise and pleasure when she saw the Hall and thought it just ideal for what it was she'd booked it for.

Which was not the re-located Leuchars Air Show, nor the set for some Holywood production!

The guy from Sky, I mean he was pleased as the Danish girl had been, of course. But for him it was the echo.

Especially when I took him in and walked around the hall with him.

"That's great!" he suddenly blurted out. I thought he meant the premises. "Your walking. It's great. Ideal. I wonder ... would you have the time to do the walk?"

I imagine Brad Pitt gets that sort of line being fed to him all of the time! But for me it was rather novel!

So I got the part, we did a few 'takes', the guy said 'Action!' more than once and ... well, who know what future career may open up.

Jerry 'the echo' Middleton. Something like that.

I smiled at what was going on. It seemed quite apt.

I wasn't being given a speaking part. I wouldn't be seen by anyone.

I was simply being asked to 'walk the walk' and bring to a huge big audience round the world (well, you have to think big, don't you?!) the walk that a man in a far off place had long since done himself.

At least that's what I thought when later I reflected on it all.

Our modern world is full of the noise of that rain which fell on that Farnborough roof.

So much that distracts us from hearing what needs to be heard. So much of the hustle and bustle of life which drowns out the sound of the Lord. So much that means folk miss the real significance of that other man who long ago, in far off climes has 'walked the line' for us. Jesus

And here I am today. In very much another place. But in this other place intent on re-creating for the world today the sounds which will enable folk to hear at last the clear, authentic sound of Christ himself.

The echoes of his living in the way I live my life.

The resonating echoes of his own almighty word in every word I speak.

Not just in a formal setting like a Sunday worship service (though there undoubtedly as well: hence my giving time today preparing what I'd say).

But in every smallest conversation that I have. And there were a lot of them today. The guy from Sky. The Dane with her wean (though they don't call them that in the land from which she comes!). The cleaner and the Beadle and the Treasurer as well. And other folk I visited as well.

The echoes of the footsteps of the Lord. The echoes of his voice across the years.

That's how I want to live!