Serendipity

After going to the Natural History Museum today we walked 5 minutes down the road to HTB - Holy Trinity Brompton. This is the church that Naomi and I went to when we lived in London in 2003 BK (Before Kids). I had gone to this church when I was first in London in 1997 BNATBK (Before Naomi And Therefore Before Kids).

I pointed out to the kids that they were here today because of a series of different events:

In 1986 Grant Molloy arrived at Auckland Grammar in our 6th form year and was in my class. Our friendship continued well past school. He eventually married Debbie.

In 1997 I went to London and, through them, ended up living close to them in Golder's Green because the houses we were both renting were owned by the same person. They were going to church at HTB - Holy Trinity Brompton - and I joined them. I did the Alpha course there twice - HTB is the church that began and grew Alpha.

In 1998 I returned to my teaching position in Taupo, New Zealand. Alpha had started at my church and had run twice in the year I was away. I took over the leadership of it and ran three courses that year.

Through this I ended up working the following year for Alpha NZ in Wellington.  I then looked to return to teaching.

I applied for a position at St Peter's in Palmerston North which was looking for a person to fill a half counsellor / half English teacher position. 

It turned out that the acting principal had had his three kids in the church youth group that I had assisted with in Taupo - I hadn't met him before. I got the job and moved to Palmerston North. 

I had been brought up in Baptist churches - though I had been at an independent church in Wellington and HTB was Anglican. I went to Central Baptist and there I met Naomi and the rest is history.

If any one of those steps hadn't happened then neither Joel, Luka, Maria, nor Grace would be sitting in front of HTB with me today.

It's funny how things work out.

Joel, Luka, Maria, and Grace outside HTB...just!