If you’re not a Loiner, in other words if you aren’t someone born and bred in Leeds it’s unlikely that you’ll be familiar with an old saying often used by locals to describe somewhere that’s exceptionally busy. And that is: “Good heavens, it’s just like Briggate on a Saturday afternoon.”
For some time now Murray McEwan and John Sherbourne, both keen photographers and both up for a challenge have been planning to take their cameras into town one Saturday afternoon and see if this age old maxim still applies.
Unfortunately before they got chance to get their act together Coronavirus turned Briggate, and for that matter every other high street into something more resembling a ghost town rather than one of the UK’s main shopping zones.
However, Murray’s superb picture (above) was actually taken last Saturday afternoon and perhaps more than any other image I’ve seen demonstrates just what a catastrophic effect this virus is having on the day to day business of our towns and cities.
When all this is over and Briggate reawakens will someone please remind John and Murray of their project… compared to Saturday April 25th their images are bound to make interesting viewing.
PS. Seemingly there’s a very similar saying in Scotland only which locals use to describe somewhere particularly quite: “Good heavens” they say “it’s just like Aberdeen on a flag day.”
Say hello to a couple of our Zoom groups
This is the Allsorts house group. In our picture, from top left to right you can see Anne Kopolyo, holding up Jean Carlisle (who joins us via WhatsApp) John Gamson and Bela and Chris Singh. Then on the bottom row we have Jenny Dixon and Joe Kopolyo. Missing from this picture but very much part of our group are Rosemary Glover, Malcolm Robinson and Margaret Christie. But don’t worry we all contact each other by phone during the week.
In normal times we meet on Tuesday evenings, first Tuesday of each month at Jean’s, after that we alternate between Rosemary’s and the Kopolyo’s. Generally we begin with a cup of tea or coffee and a chat, then we go on to updating a prayer diary, singing and studying before closing in prayer and reflection.
Like every other group we also arrange a number of social events at which food inevitably plays a big part. Right now we’ve broken away from following any rigid study programme opting instead for a pick and mix selection from the book of Psalms.
And that wasn’t the only time Zoom was called upon this week. On Tuesday lunchtime Jan Fennell was joined by ten friends for her **th birthday party party.
The story behind the picture
About four years ago, says Cas Stoodley, Chris Duffet
https://chrisduffettart.com/encouraged me to start using my art for God. A couple of Sundays ago I was trying out some new watercolours and inks when I suddenly realised that what I was working on mirrored what Graham has been saying that very morning about apocalypse and revelation.
A couple of days later I was watching a YouTube clip on a prophetic word that began with apocalypse and revelation but ended in glory giving. When I looked at this picture again, I realised that it represented all three- it just depended on your perspective. What really struck was the fact that this feels like the end of the world for many reasons but that within the space created by Covid-19 God wants to reveal himself to us and those around us.
It is in the revelation of Christ in our lives, that our lives become glory-giving and those around us are drawn into relationship with God himself.
Who could ask for anything more
Thanks to Rachel Hudd for sending us this picture of what to me looks like some of the best home baking on the planet.
Here’s what Rachel says about it. “Since lock down started I’ve been finding new places to shop, and have come across a bakery run from someone’s home so thought I’d share that little bit of news. It makes a nice change from the humdrum of the supermarkets.”
Another look back in time
For this weeks look back in time (see the gallery below) we’ve stayed in the black and white era. The oldest picture we’ve found is one taken at MBC’s opening ceremony in 1955 when literally hundreds of people gathered on the steps. There are a couple of Mr Bond, our first minister with his deacons, one of his successor Ralph Drake and one of Stephen Ibbotson. We’ve also found another youth pic only this one was taken in August 1979 with Ralph sitting in the middle.
Talking of youth pics, we never for one second thought that the one we published last week (that’s the one with Michael Caddick in) would stir up so much interest. So as last week’s was a bit rough round the edges i.e. it was a photograph of a photograph, we thought we would scan it properly and to help all those of you who are still trying to put names to faces show it again.
These two pictures in particular are perfect examples of how by emailing your memories to us at mbcnewspics@gmail.com you can interact with one other through Past – Present – Future.
Other pics range from a very iffy quality snap of our cricket team taken in the late 1960s to some of MBC’s Queen’s Scouts (including third from the left Roger Robson) receiving their awards.
Next week we’ll be moving forward in time and digging into our colour section. So make sure you don’t miss it.
And finally. I wonder how many of you have spotted the new strap we now have across of our website’s home page. Many thanks to John Duffy for putting this lock down themed masthead together.
During last week’s Church at Home service Abi Pitchford shared with us some information about fostering and told us of how a dedicated project is aiming to provide a safe and loving home to every child in the UK care system. Below is a message from Safi Newton, Home for Good’s project worker for north and west and Yorkshire. And then below that is a link to a Home for Good video in which founding director Chris Kandiah of the scheme explains why the current lockdown situation is putting added strain on this area of need. 
