My wife met me with the news that Harold, one of the fellows, who the Sunday previously had been taken into hospital, was in a critical condition. An artery had ruptured and he needed an emergency operation.

At 7.30, 18 men gathered for the fellowship meeting. I told them of Harold's serious condition and suggested we knelt and prayed for him, his wife, and family. The service was re-ordered; we knelt together in a semi-circle, and prayed, lifting up our hearts to God.

Some days later I visited Harold, who was slowly recovering from the operation, and he said to me: "Pastor, I don't know what to make of this, but as I was being taken to the operating theatre, I had a vision. I saw a semi-circle of 18 men kneeling and praying, and I said, "thank you Lord that is the brethren praying". I was speechless for a few moments.

I then replied: "Harold, at the very time the men of the fellowship were kneeling interceding for you. We knelt in a semi-circle and spent the whole meeting in prayer."

Some years later when I was pastor at a church in Bristol, Harold and his wife visited family in the city. They came to a Sunday morning service, and I asked him if he would like to give a word of testimony. He gave a glowing witness to Jesus Christ as Saviour, then spoke with deep appreciation of the men of the fellowship, and closed with the words: "We were a band of brothers".

They were men of strong opinions, but primarily they were men united in their commitment to Christ and His church. Such is the grace imparted by the risen Lord Jesus to the hearts of His disciples (Acts 6, verses 1–7).

By the Rev John R Weatherill, Church of the Nazarene – on behalf of Churches Together in Dewsbury.