From darkness to light

For the past 6 weeks a group have been meeting as part of the Exploring our Faith course. This term the group were looking at the history of liturgy in the church and at the end of the term they had to design an act of worship. Being off work for 6 weeks has meant that I did the first session and then left poor +Alan to do all the rest but clearly he did an excellent job for last night the group offered a wonderful Advent service.

We started in darkness in the narthex and heard a voice in the distance (at the Advent wreath) bringing light into the darkness. The light was brought to us and we sang as we processed to the lectern for the first reading.  Then we moved to the 2nd lectern for more reading and another hymn. We listened to scripture and to why we need to reflect in these weeks before Christmass. Then we found a picture of jesus that spoke to us before moving to the star to reflect upon it. The seats were in a star shape around lots of candles which we all lit and gradually the light grew. it really was beautiful.

 

WE reflected on why we had picked ‘that’ Jesus and then sang a Taize chant for Advent.

The service continued with the right balance of quiet and words and music. (Love that Wachet Auf – and yes it does sound like a German curse!)

And mulled wine and cake after!

It really was a wonderful evening and such a joy for me to sit and ‘be’.  Loved the star seats, which we’ll keep for morning prayer this week, and the ever-increasing light.

So thank you little flock-group for offering yourselves and your worship to us.

PS. This is what I’ve been working on for the last week. In Hobbycraft you can buy cardboard letters which you can paint. Don’t they look good?

Oh happy day!

Oh I can’t tell you how good it was to be back at work today. I feel as if I’ve been away for 6 months, not 6 weeks, and it was lovely to catch up with folk. It seemed appropriate to be going back at the beginning of term, as it were. (Mind you I did forget to take my correct uniform with me in all the excitement so I’m afraid the lacy alb was worn when it should have been plain. But I think I got away with it so sshhh!)

The candle was lit.

The child knew what to do.

O Come, O Come and Lo, he comes.

No 3 microphone wailed.

A little Bach Chorale to soothe the soul.

From the step a toddler solemnly watched.

Our Father who art in heaven, Harold is thy name…

Deep, deep purple satisfied.

The Body of Christ – and one was missed.

Dawn and evening celebrate your glory…

Music and muttering

Oh its good to be home.

And in all the excitement what I didn’t do was thank Bishop Alan and Fr Alex for looking after my little flock so well. It made such a difference to know they were in safe hands. Thank you boys. Put your feet up now, why don’t you? Mother’s back in charge!!

And tonight the group who were doing the Adventures in Faith course have put together a service of Darkness into Light at 6.30pm.  It is strange for me to go to something I’ve not had a hand in but I’m looking forward to it. (I don’t mind not being in control, really!)

Advent Fair photos

‘The best yet!’ was the response to this year’s Advent Fair. We raised a magnificent £1600 and a big thanks to Nicola for all her organisation. There were the usual Christmas crafts and nearly new, books and DVDs, cakes, jams and chutneys and a wonderful cake to raffle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This year we also had a chocolate fountain, tile painting and snowboarding on the Wii. Yes, your Priest took part but did not win. Let it be known she is a Wii virgin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A big thanks to all who took part, who prepared the church and put it back together again, and those who worked and those who bought. We couldn’t have done it without you all. I am so proud of you, little flock.

College of Preachers Day

Yesterday I was taken from my sick bed to Cramond Kirk for a day on Preaching Luke held by the College of Preachers. There were some very high calibre speakers: Larry Hurtado from New College Edinburgh; David Day and Kate Bruce, both from Durham University I think.  Larry did the biblical stuff about Luke and it took me back to my days at New College. David Day wrote a book on preaching which I read when I was first ordained and he has a wonderful sense of mischief and humour so it was a delight to listen to him.  He spoke about the Good News bits and the Tricky Bits. Kate Bruce spoke about Narrative Textual Analysis and Preaching Parables. It is so rare to hear a woman speaking about preaching and to hear a woman preach that I was in seventh heaven.

Which has made me ponder… why do women and men preach differently?  Or perhaps you don’t think they do? Let’s have your comments…

We will remember them

Ten years ago I visited the war graves in Belgium with a group of other theological students. It was a trip that has stayed with me since and which I shall never forget. The organisers were Toc-H and we stayed in a house in Poperinge, the first resting place for soldiers behind the trenches. It was a week of stories.

We heard of Tubby Clayton, the Chaplain, and why the sign above the house (Abandon Rank All Ye Who Enter Here) was so important. We heard of the people of Poperinge and how they kept the story alive during WW2 and looked after the contents of the house.  We sat in the hop loft which had become a chapel with a carpenter’s bench for an altar and banners embroidered by the men.

We visited Hill 69 and walked silently through the trenches. Even the schoolchildren were quiet that day. We looked at sepia photographs of death, giving thanks that red blood doesn’t show in sepia.  I remember horses dying in trees. A horse up a tree? It defied logic.

We visited war graves, row upon row of white crosses, name upon name engraved.  Some with no names – Known to God Alone.  And the German cemetery, solemn in the shade that day, and we wondered at the Jewish names who fought for Germany in WW1 but how things would change.  We stood at the Menin Gate while the last post was played and we wept.

We visited the Pool of Peace, once a bomb crater and now a place of harmony and birdsong. Did we see frogs too or have I imagined that? We went round the most amazing museum with sounds and smells and drama.

And at the end of each day we gathered to pray and to talk and learn from one another. I remember wondering about the women, for our days had been filled with masculine images. What of those women who waited at home, who had to take on difficult jobs because there were no men to do them? The mothers, the wives and girlfriends, and the children. What were their stories? How were their lives affected when their men didn’t come home?

I have no war stories to tell. My grandfathers were too young for WW1 and too old for WW2. I don’t know of any other relatives who fought or died. But although these stories are not part of my history, I now feel that I have dipped my toe in the war narrative and will tell the stories that I have learned to all who will listen.

Pitlochry Conference

Once a year the Edinburgh stipendiary (paid) clergy get together for a few days in the Atholl Palace hotel in Pitlochry. We have a speaker and listen, absorb, reflect, talk, eat, pray and drink together. Each year is very different from the year before because of the topic and because of the people. I always get something valuable from it.

This year our speaker was Ann Morisey on Mission in Troubled Times and she was very good. We also continued our previous discussions about a College of Clergy providing informal and formal support structures. The latter has been a contentious issue with some clergy feeling that they don’t need or want any help whatsoever and others, like me, feeling that any opportunities to learn and meet with others for support and friendship is a good thing.  I think we managed to hear one another in our final discussions today and I look forward to seeing how things develop.

Yesterday we had some free time and Fr F took me to the House of Bruar which was a new experience for me. Oh my word. Pink gun socks. Why? There were some beautiful things and my new wish is for a tweed covered chair for my study.  Beautiful things indeed.

Pitlochry and the surrounding area is always stunning at this time of year with the changing colours. The heavy rain at the weekend had taken a lot of the leaves down so some trees were prematurely bare.  I’m afraid I just couldn’t get a photo of the view from our conference room window to show you how splendid it looked but here is some heather from the gardens instead.

Today I’m home and very tired. But good tired. As ever, being with people was fun and some new friends made too.

A day of encounters

Wouldn’t you know it?  You sit bemoaning the fact that you’ve nobody to talk to except poor Son #1, who has taken to locking himself in the Ann Frank suite, when everyone calls at the same time.

So thank you Fr A & A who popped in for a coffee at the same time as my CMD 4+ interview with the lovely C.  But with the Pisky church it didn’t take long before we were all chatting about mutual friends and events.  My interview went well and I remembered most things I wanted to ask for in terms of ongoing training. Only a dozen emails were needed after to add to the list.

In the evening I was ministered to by Nikki who was really practising on me if truth be known. Nikki does degrees and doctorates like other people do shopping lists and she is also training for ministry in the Church of Scotland. I was ‘Sick Visit No 9 who Will Not Let Me Go’.  We analysed the church(es) as you do, caught up on who’s doing what to whom, and reflected on ministry.

It was such a lovely day full of people. And today I am setting off for Pitlochry for our clergy conference. I wasn’t sure whether to go or not, being off work as I still am, but have decided that my mental health is at risk if I don’t. Our speaker this year is Ann Morisey who I have heard before and was very impressed. And it’s not like the conference is hard work – some worship, some listening, some talking, some eating, some walking and some drinking. I might give the walking a miss.

Prayers ascending for a busy weekend

It has been a busy week and this weekend is going to be even busier. So take a deep breath and plunge in, why don’t you?

Firstly, you could come and admire our new signs. Yes, finally they are up and looking gorgeous (photo to follow). Now perhaps Nikki will get off my back as every time we meet for a coffee in the Blue Bean she has a go about those tatty old ones.

Secondly, we will be interring the ashes of Canon John Paul, past Rector of this parish. John and Susan have been a great support to me over the years and I have got to know them better since I came here and they popped in from time to time. Rest eternal, grant unto him O Lord, and let light perpetual shine upon him.

Thirdly, the day has dawned on the WOTY (Wedding Of The Year) which has been in the planning for what seems like a very long time indeed.  The date was moved to accommodate the Provincial Conference which never happened.  And should the Rapture happen, or a very large fire at St Mark’s this afternoon, there will be no young people left in the Scottish Episcopal Church. For yes, I think every member of the Provincial Youth Network will be seen hobnobbing with a Bishop and a number of clergy and a whole host of family and friends to Caroline and Andrew today at 1pm.

Note: the incense is brought to you by Rose Mystica today so you have been warned.

So let us pray for those who mourn the passing of a loved one after a full and loving life together.

And let us pray for those who are beginning their life together that God may bless them and keep them ever loving.

Amen

Exploring our Faith

Our new course began on Wednesday evening and this term we are looking at worship. There will indeed be six sessions (not ’sex’ as the notice said) and we’d love to see you.

This week we looked at pictures of places of worship and what they said about God and the style of worship. We shared why we felt the need to worship. And we looked at what Jesus had to say about worship (mostly praying alone but a bit of synagogue work).  It was a good discussion and I think next week’s session on the Eucharist will be equally good.

So, for those of you who didn’t make it and for anyone who wants to join in…

1. Do you have a favourite experience of worship?  Where, when and why was it special?
2. Why do you go to worship each week?

Shame of the overlong Vestry meeting

Yes, dear Reader, I hang my head in shame for last night our Vestry meeting lasted for 2 hours and 10 minutes.  I think I can safely say that this is the first time in my ministry that this has ever happened and I am suitably ashamed and mortified.  She who brags to all and sundry about the 30 minute Vestry meeting now must go back to Clergy Chairing of Vestries School – yeh, right, like we ever got taught anything remotely useful like that!