Peace-giving

10.10am - ish

I sat down at the end of the pew, late as usual but un-flustered because how could anything faze me on such a beautiful summer's day?

'Take a couple minutes to say hi to the people around you.'

I turned to the man beside me, but he'd turned to his right to the man beside him, so I waited and flipped through my bible. Then he turned to me.

'Peace-giving,' he said.

Peace-giving? What does he mean? What does that mean? 

Then I remembered that sometimes in English churches they do that thing called 'giving the peace' or 'passing the peace', where you shake hands or give well-meaning nods and say 'peace be with you'. And so,

'Peace be with you too,' I said, smiling, 'What's your name?'

Slight pause.

'Um, peace-giving.'

'Oh. Oh, right! Um, I'm Miriam.'