Sunday was a filthy day weather-wise. And so a journey to Moseley in Birmingham on the motorbike didn’t fill me with delight.

But, nevertheless, I donned my waterproofs and set off regardless in true biker style.

I had been invited to a church by my friend Mary-Jayne. I have been to many churches (it’s an occupational hazard) but had never been to a church like this one.

It is called Word of Hands, and as the name suggests it is a Deaf Church where hearing people are also welcomed. I arrived, as a stranger, to a warm welcome. There were about 60 people, kids running around, just the normal hubbub that precedes the worship at any church. My BSL signing, like schoolboy French, was enough to get by and people asked where I was from and chatted about the weather.

The service started with a few modern Christian songs. The music played and then a group of three at the front led the signing of the songs. And it was beautiful.

To see words like grace and love and mercy and peace and Jesus, fully signed in Christian worship was moving. And then the minister, who is deaf, read the Bible and preached a sermon. Of course, it was in British Sign Language, but an interpreter was there to give a voiceover of what was being said.

Everyone I met and signed to was so welcoming and warm; just what church should be like. And I am sure that the worship and the friendship was pleasing to God. But what encouraged me most was the unity and support in the fellowship.

There was a real sense of care and love; irrespective of whether someone was hearing or deaf.

It reminded me of the Apostle Paul writing in one of his letters that: “We are all one in Christ.”

And in a society which, to my mind, is more and more divided, where the poor can be so easily trampled on, it was a delight to see. The weather was even more filthy on the way home, but now it didn’t seem to matter that much.