Oddfellows

Yesterday I visited ‘The Oddfellows’, a small pub in Pakefield…

Rejects… In the early 18th century, Trade Guilds that had supported merchants and craftsmen throughout the Middle Ages were declining. Oddfellows, was set up to support craftsmen from an assortment of trades, often folks that didn’t fit in elsewhere – rejects, odd fellows.

In particular… 1810, in the Ropemakers Pub, Salford ‘The Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity’ was formed by people who didn’t feel they fitted in elsewhere…

Oddfellows often congregated in pubs; landlords sometimes named their pubs after the Oddfellows that met there.

Remembering… A Pakefield friend of mine – I’ll call him Ian – had lost his dog. Ian searched everywhere – on the beach, along the cliff path, around the church. Dog could not be found. Ian got others involved in the search; he enquired of other dog-walkers – all to no avail.

Eventually Dog was discovered at The Oddfellows. He’d been there all the time. He remembered that when he came there with Ian on a number of occasions before, he got a packet of crisps…

Refurbishment… So I visited The Oddfellows yesterday lunchtime with a friend – I’ll call him Al. We were going for a sandwich and a chat…

Oddfellows was closed… well it was open, but workmen were drilling, knocking down walls, refurbishing the place. There was noise and dust everywhere. ‘Oddfellows should be re-opening on Thursday,’ a smiling workman told me.

Even the best places can be improved. Al and I relocated.

Refreshment… So on Thursday I shall return to The Oddfellows with another friend – I’ll call him Gus. It will be a time of refreshment… physical refreshment as we drink together… mental refreshment as we talk, challenge each other, on things political, theological… legal, educational… social, psychological… spiritual refreshment as we share more personal details of families, hopes, fears, faith…

I like Oddfellows – a place for rejects… holding good memories… looking for refurbishment and improvement… providing refreshment…

I wonder whether that should be a description of my church…