A Bloody Nose Story

[The Cover Picture is AI-generated, not our actual orchestra]

July 2009

Sod’s law. Trust our church leaders to arrange the training for ‘Healing on the Streets’ on that particular Saturday. The day our symphony orchestra was playing a concert in the ruins of Kirkstall Abbey.

Healing on the Streets sounded exciting, and I was itching to get involved.

And so it was that, on a sun-drenched afternoon, I took my fiddle out of its case, put resin on my bow, set up my stand and prepared my music. Then I overheard,

“I’m sorry, I’m not sure I’ll be able to play today. I’ve been to the hospital and they say it needs cauterising but they can’t do it straightaway.”

I glanced up to see Gareth, the deputy leader of our cello section, placing a tissue dappled with bright red streaks up to his nose. Every time he withdrew the tissue, more blood flowed out…and more…

“Gareth,” said the young lady who led the cellos, “it’s very noble of you to come, but I think you ought to go home.”

Something began to well up inside me. But…was I brave enough to act on it? With a little trepidation, I asked, “Gareth, can  you wait a minute, please?” I moved over to Jane, who was sitting nearby in the gathering audience, and explained the situation. Her eyes rolled, she drew a deep breath and then – with a long-suffering sigh – she agreed to join her embarrassing husband in his venture of faith, even if it was doomed. That’s love for you…

-o-O-o-

“Gareth, d’you mind if we pray about your nose?” I asked. “We’d like to lay hands on you in the name of Jesus Christ.” And Gareth graciously agreed.

So Jane and I did as we’d previously been taught. We gently placed a hand on his shoulder, asked the Holy Spirit to come, and then we spoke to his nose and told it to be healed, in Jesus’ name. I probably touched it, briefly! Perhaps I was a bit of a chicken; my faith would only carry me as far as asking that he’d be able to play in the concert. Once again, Gareth put a tissue to his nose. It came away dry!!

All through the concert, for two half-hours either side of an interval, I shot furtive glances at the cello section. Would Gareth’s nose hold out? Yes, indeed, it did!

-o-O-o-

The following morning, Jane and I sat in church and smiled as we listened to people’s feedback from their training day. Eventually, I was trained and was able to join the ‘Healing on the Streets’ team. But Jane and I felt we’d had our own special training event arranged for us, in a very public setting.

I next saw Gareth after the summer holiday.  He had, indeed, been back to hospital to have his nose cauterised, but he said he was ‘most impressed’ by what happened at Kirkstall Abbey.