This is Southall, a vibrant town I used to drive through often when I had a 1 1/2 – 2 hour drive to the south-west part of London where I was working back in 2016.
Southall has people of predominantly Indian descent. When I drove through here, as well as Asian supermarkets and takeaways, I saw this funeral business with the religious logos which makes me think partially of multiculturalism in a good way, offering the right choice of care for the deceased. Sometimes multiple religious symbols are put together like the popular and well-intentioned ‘Coexist’ campaign a few years ago. I wrote this a while back to explain why Islam, Christianity and Judaism differ.
I drove past this church that intrigued me.
After spending ages in with Google Streetmap view to find the place I was thinking of, I found it!! The Kings Hall is a Methodist church that’s aimed at this particular community with services in Urdu, Punjabi and Hindi. But sadly, it is clear that this church from the boarded-up doors that this building is closed permanently.
Often when driving down here, I felt a need to pray for Jesus to be revealed to Indian people in this particular community. I think the Lord hears and actions our prayers, but we don’t always get to see a result.
I looked up a bit about this church, and found this: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/31352 it was originally designed as a cinema and shutdown as a church in 2013.
Looks like someone stuck this label on to continue the gospel to this precious community.
Last week, I went to a small home group of a friend’s church which meets not far from this area. To my joy, I was told by two Indian Punjabi former Sikh now-Christian couples that there has been a revival in the last ten years in both North Indian in the Punjabi region but here amongst Indians in Southall finding Christ!!
It’s such a blessing to see the Lord’s faithfulness in the gospel happen often in the background scenes.
Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
7 “مانگو،تب خدا تمہیں دیگا۔تلاش کرو ،تب کہیں تم پاؤگے۔دروازہ کھٹکھٹاؤتب کہیں وہ تمہارے لئے کھلے گا۔ 8 ہاں ہمیشہ پوچھتے رہنے والے ہی کو ملتا ہے اور لگاتار ڈھونڈنے والا پا ہی لیتا ہے اور لگاتار کھٹکھٹا نے وا لے کے لئے دروازہ کھل ہی جاتا ہے۔
7 “परमेश्वर से माँगते रहो, तुम्हें दिया जायेगा। खोजते रहो तुम्हें प्राप्त होगा खटखटाते रहो तुम्हारे लिए द्वार खोल दिया जायेगा। 8 क्योंकि हर कोई जो माँगता ही रहता है, प्राप्त करता है। जो खोजता है पा जाता है और जो खटखटाता ही रहता है उसके लिए द्वार खोल दिया जाएगा।
7 “ਜੇਕਰ ਤੁਸੀਂ ਮੰਗਦੇ ਰਹੋਂਗੇ ਤਾਂ, ਤੁਸੀਂ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਕਰ ਲਵੋਂਗੇ। ਲੱਭੋ, ਤਾਂ ਲੱਭੇਗਾ। ਖੜਕਾਓ, ਤਾਂ ਤੁਹਾਡੇ ਲਈ ਦਰਵਾਜ਼ਾ ਖੋਲ੍ਹਿਆ ਜਵੇਗਾ। 8 ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਹਰੇਕ ਮੰਗਣ ਵਾਲਾ ਪਾ ਲੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਢੂੰਢਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਨੂੰ ਲੱਭਦਾ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਖੜਕਾਉਣ ਵਾਲੇ ਲਈ ਦਰਵਾਜ਼ਾ ਖੋਲ੍ਹਿਆ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ।
