This week, with the REV BRIAN STEVENSON, Vicar, St Silas Church, Blackburn

I REMEMBER when the local gas works closed and we began to receive natural gas from the North Sea.

There was quite a lot of work involved: pavements had to be lifted, new pipes laid and household appliances had to be converted to accommodate the change.

One rather well-known lady in Padiham, who did not wish workmen to enter her home, duly left a note pinned to her door which read: "Please note, I do not wish to be converted."

I was reminded of this the other day when our Statement of Account arrived from British Gas.

A note in small print explained thus: "We convert your units to kilowatt hours in the following way: gas units used x imperial to metric conversion factor (2.83) x volume conversion factor (1.022640) x calorific value (38.9) divided by kilowatt hour conversion factor (3.6) = kilowatt hours used."

Needless to say, I am grateful to whichever guru at British Gas is responsible for this simple count of knowledge which enabled me to fully explain to my wife and family accountant what it all meant!

It's the word conversion which intrigues me and throughout my ministry as a priest, the only type of conversion I know something about is of the kind experienced by Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. That experience transformed that zealous persecutor of Christians into St Paul the Apostle and probably the greatest missionary for Christianity the world has ever seen.

There have been many thousands since who have had that life-changing experience.

In comparatively modern times, great evangelists from John Wesley in the eighteenth century to Billy Graham in the twentieth have preach the Gospel of repentance and hope to those who accept Jesus as Saviour and Lord.

Mid you there are still many thousands, yes even in church congregations who yet, in their 'heart of hearts' say: "I do not wish to be converted."

Yes, a definite decision for Christ is required and that is real conversion from which you get far more than gas supplied.

A warning though: it will cost you something.