John had spent the previous night huddled in the comparative warmth of a guesthouse in Basingstoke under some semi-clean sheets. He'd traded the space in a bed for some food he'd managed to scrounge on the trip up from Portsmouth, and the family that had owned the place were glad of the extra supplies. 
Come the morning, he felt rested enough to make his way in the cold to the church that was the rendezvous point. 
Hands in gloves and jammed firmly in the pockets of his cold-weather jacket, and boots crunching through the snow, he briefly tugged the scarf around his face up to cover his mouth and nose, and blinked against the cold air as he trudged on. 
The streets were mostly bare, with only a few handfuls of sullen people around flaming bonfires, or making their way to and from places to gather whatever breakfast they could, or going to and from whatever work they could find. A few trod the same course as him, evidently heading for the church up ahead.
The building had fared better than many around it. Churches were buildings of thick stone; unlike the glass and metal around them, and especially the fabric-canopied shopping centre, they would last ages. 
Removing his hat and pulling the scarf back down, he took a seat on one of the pews near the middle. While he wasn't especially religious, it made it easier to blend in with the crowd. Though, with them all dressed much the same for the weather, and with their own bags of possesions, he didn't look too different. 
The space began to warm up with the people seated in it, which was something to be glad for. As the priest began to speak, he tuned out somewhat - religion had never been something for him, and while he respected the rights of others to believe and didn't want to be rude and interrupt, he wasn't interested or attentive enough, and his mind wandered.
The time passed, and soon enough the service was over. Picking his way through the departing congregation, he pretended to be admiring the stained glass as he made his way toward the altar at the front of the church, glancing surreptitously at the other stragglers in an effort to work out which of them may be his new colleagues.