A little personal tribute today.

Today in church we marked the Sunday closest to All Saints Day – the time of year when we remember absent friends, and give thanks for those whose lives have touched ours.  So I’d like to introduce you to John Yoder – or Smiley John as we all called him – who, to our great shock and sorrow, passed away a few weeks ago.

John had been back in his homeland in the States for the past couple of years, but I was privileged to know him during the exciting, powerful couple of years he spent in Holywood.  He was a gifted musician, an anointed worship leader, a natural-born youth worker, a great friend, and a person of massive integrity.

Among the countless reasons why he will be missed is that we won’t hear any more of his songs.  I don’t think he ever got the recognition he deserved.  A lot of Christian music can be a bit maudlin or derivative, but John had a great knack with a catchy tune, an honest, down-to-earth lyric, and an infectious joy which shone through all his songs.

‘You Broke Through’ was his classic (we begged him to perform it again and again!) and you can actually hear him smile as he sings his story – the difference that Jesus made in his life.

First up, don’t forget that Dock Cafe is closing the doors – for the first time ever!! – on Saturday 3rd November, as we gather together the fantastic Dock volunteer team for a day of training – so from now on they will reach even higher heights…

Speaking of higher heights – men on ladders have been towering over us all week in the cafe, fitting our fantastic new Parisian-street-cafe-style heaters – due to be connected up on Monday.  I can’t wait!

And speaking of people towering over us, another visit this week from John and the amazing spider-man window-cleaning team who abseil down the Arc apartments with a bucket and sponge.  If you ever spot them at work, make sure to pop into the cafe and lie in wait to watch Tegan’s face when they suddenly drop into view at the cafe windows – quality comedy.

That wasn’t the only interesting thing happening through the window of Dock Cafe this week – there was also the fireworks display at the Odyssey on Sunday, which we watched with nice steaming cups of coffee at the end of the Dock Walk:

And finally for now – a huge privilege today to help show a group from the Ulster Project around the TQ.  The Ulster Project has been engaged in building peace and inspiring peacemakers for decades, and as the tragic news this week showed all-too-clearly, there is still so much work to be done.  A truly inspiring group.

Typical – you wait months for a way to leave a comment in Dock Cafe, and then two turn up at once…

Today saw the arrival both of our beautiful leather-bound Dock visitor’s book, and our funky little comment cards – so that we can find out a little bit more about all the people passing through the doors of Dock Cafe.

A great start: in their first few hours on display, we’ve already got some real lump-in-the-throat comments telling us just how much The Dock is loved and appreciated.  Good news stories that give all the volunteers who run the cafe fresh energy for each new day.

And speaking of the volunteers – this Saturday we’re having a Volunteer Training Day, bringing together the wonderful people who have tirelessly, enthusiastically, sacrificially given time and talent over these past few months to make Dock Cafe a reality.  They’ll be enjoying some training, some treats and some top-class info on all things Dock.

So please note that the cafe will be closed this Saturday (3rd November) as we lavish some love on the people who make it all happen – and (hopefully) emerge at the end with and even more amazing team!

I had one of those days recently when, if I was honest, I was feeling pretty lonely – but my virtual self kept getting lots of Facebook Likes and Twitter retweets.  Online social life is never a substitute for the real thing. One of the things I adore about Dock Cafe is the opportunity it gives for people to meet and chat and connect in the real 3D actual world – people who might otherwise be in the apartments, offices, workplaces and classrooms of the TQ, stuck behind a computer screen.

So I LOVE the message behind this little Tetleys advert – give it a watch!

(And then, y’know, retweet it and Like it)

Tomorrow’s Dock Walk ends with a bang… We’ll arrive back for our customary steaming mugs of coffee, tea and hot chocolate just in time to watch the fireworks display at the Odyssey through the window.  If you’ve been thinking of joining us at 3:33 on Sunday afternoons to walk, talk, laugh, pray and enjoy God’s fabulous creation – maybe this is the week!

A really special day in Dock Cafe today – one of those days when everything is just right.

Great atmosphere, great people, visitors from all over the world, lots of different chats with interesting people, new faces, old faces…  We were even visited by both my parents and my parents-in-law, but even that couldn’t spoil the day.  (only joking!)

The good news wall – which is filling up fast with all sorts of different stories, messages and anecdotes – received its first foreign-language piece of good news today from two really friendly visitors from China.  Another one of the thousands of connections between people which happen every week in this wonderful space.