Wedding in Cornwall

I’m on the train to Cornwall to preach at my Goddaughter's wedding on Saturday (6th June 2026) and the train is severely delayed.

This was due to a medical emergency: there was a call on the tannoy for a “doctor on board” so I went to the loo going in as a layman and emerged as a clergyman and attended the scene to assist.

A Doctor and a nurse were there already and there were the inevitable jokes about the situation “not being that bad”. I said I was there not to offer last rites but to offer pastoral support and a prayer for healing.

I offered to pray with the person before they were taken off the train to hospital which they gratefully accepted (the doctor seemed bemused).

The train staff were grateful and I got into a conversation with two stewards who were grieving due to the sudden death of a colleague in recent days.

Then followed another situation of a passenger taken ill and the train staff asked me to attend this one which I did and again offered to pray for the sick individual (again gratefully accepted) before (a different) Doctor arrived on the scene somewhat reluctantly (“I wish I’d had my earphones on and not heard the call” he said to me somewhat grumpily).

The grateful train staff gave me a free coffee ☕️ for my service. In the light of the commotion I got into an hour long conversation with a 20 year old atheist about faith, life & purpose and have just returned to my seat.

#lifeisneverdull