Day 7 in England (our final day)

I can't believe that this is our last day. We have had so much fun. This has truly been an incredible experience for everyone who came! I know that we are excited to get back home to our friends and family, but it's hard to accept the reality that tomorrow we get up to leave. A plane at Heathrow doesn't somehow match up with all the sites we've taken in. 

We're getting good at riding the Tube

Yes...it is the coldest winter in England

We had a somewhat lighter day, but it was none the less impressive. After breakfast we took the Tube to the Metropolitan Tabernacle Church, Spurgeon's church. How fitting to visit the church of the man who has been our Spiritual tour guide on this trip. It was equally impressive to see our students picking up copies of his daily devotionals. Both Mrs. Wyllie and I are praying that this trip has not just filled the students academically but has also pushed them to grow in their walk with the Lord.

Spurgeon's Metropolitan Tabernacle Church

From there we made our way to the Globe theater!  It was an absolute treat on our last day in England. We have been fortunate to have some of the best tour guides we could have hoped for, and the one we had today was absolutely great. After giving us a tour and lecture about the Globe, our tour guide took the students to another room where they rehearsed lines from Romeo and Juliet, learning more about how Shakespeare put together his plays and what actors as well as the audience should pay attention to in the writing/language of his plays. What a wonderful experience that connected to what our students have already been privileged to have in the classroom back at SCCS.

Outside the Globe

Listening to our lecture inside the Globe

Rehearsing lines from Romeo and Juliet

We then decided to give everyone time to get a little shopping done, so we headed over to Coventry Gardens for lunch and shopping among the many stores within the area. We definitely needed the time to get those last few souvenirs. :)  Then we made a quick stop at platform 9 3/4 at the Kings Cross Station (we had to pack in as much as we could in our last day).

 

Before heading back to the hotel we went to St. Paul's Cathedral for Evensong and then headed out for our last dinner together at The Old Bank of England.  The cathedral was (as is always the case) beautiful. The singing reverberating through the vaulted ceiling and dome of the cathedral was heavenly, a wonderful respite for our weary bodies.

Dinner was marvelous (most of us ate their famous English meat pies). Mrs. Wyllie had picked up a large loaf of bread (and I do mean large!). She had us go around the room sharing one thing that we liked the most from our trip while we symbolically took a piece of bread from the whole just as that one special moment was just one of many that comprised the whole experience of our trip. It was so sweet to hear what each person had to share and was even more special when each person started off by saying that it was too hard to pick just one moment as their favorite.

Our finale walk back to our hotel took us along the Thames. What a marvelous final sight...the Eye, our hotel, the Parliament Building, and Big Ben all lined up and lit up along the skyline. Now for some serious packing. We thank each of you who have been following along and praying for us. We look forward to seeing you all in person and retelling our experiences to you.

The London Eye at night

We were reminded in our devotions this morning that while the treasures from the trip (both the memories we have and the things we have collected) are valuable, they compare nothing to the treasure of Christ. Spurgeon said, "If Christ is not all to you, He is nothing to you. He will never go into partnership as a part Saviour of me.  If He be something He must be everything, and if He be not everything He is nothing to you."

Please pray that...

• our minds would be reflective on the right things
• God would give us a chance to speak of His worth to someone today, and
• we would not leave England without consecrating ourselves to the purposes God has for us back in CA

See you all soon! :)

--MrB

By the way, I think you all may know this, but the incredibly beautiful pictures throughout this blog were take by Mrs. Brown, who I think is equally incredible and beautiful. :) What fun it has been to share this trip with her!