After the exams our chaplaincy group went to Oxford to have a picnic at the holy ground. Come and join us …

There was roast chicken, roast vegetables, sprouts, gravy and stuffing.
There was pear tart, chocolates, Christmas pudding, apples pies, cream and mince pies.
Most importantly, there was a healthy serving of jovial merity.

Erena, Elisa & Connie

Most of the students from the Heythrop, Imperial & Queen Mary chaplaincy came to visit the home of Matthew & Natasha Huish to share a festive dinner one week before Christmas Day.  On the final day of term for many university colleges, this would be the final chaplaincy event of the year 2009, helping to kick off the holiday season.

Everybody brought something to contribute to the meal, so there was plenty to go around.  Even when most people had satisfied their appetite, we continued to enjoy the treats that had been prepared, embracing a gastric challenge for the sake of receiving culinary love.

Takao collects his winnings

After a couple of hours of prolonged dining, we began to a game of poker (purely for fun – no money was involved).  Although most of the players were rather novice, everyone picked up the rules pretty quickly and began to enjoy the relaxed competition.  The eventual winner was Takao Kobayashi, although it was later revealed that Jonathan Bateman, in his role as the dealer, had cheated by handing a pair of aces to Takao earlier in the game!  Such was the mood of the evening that nobody was terribly bothered – it was all part of the fun.

In the New Year, our chaplaincy will continue our regularly meetings.

True Parents, Connie, Thomas the Tank Engine and a Christmas tree

A moment of tension during the game (as Matthew washes the dishes)