Godly Play and silence

We had Morag visit us on Sunday to do Godly Play with the children. Oh how I wanted to go too. At the end of the service the children always report back on what they’ve done but when I asked there was a deathly silence. In fact, I was told they had been the quietest they’ve ever been throughout the whole process. Godly Play is about wondering and they kept their wonderings to themselves. Quite right too. But I am going to get Morag to come and do Godly Play for the grownups some time soon. Can’t wait to see us sitting on cushions on the floor!

Clergy and Elephants

Just back from our 3-day Clergy Conference in Pitlochry. There is nowhere quite as beautiful as Pitlochry at this time of year and as usual I forgot my camera. But trust me when I say the trees were just beautiful and the wispy mists added to the spectacle.

As for the conference… what can I say? This year we didn’t have an outside speaker and hoped to cover the Lambeth aftermath, the Covenant, Children’s Ministry, and clergy wellness. Well we did touch on all of those things and more. The elephant in the room kept threatening to stampede us all but somehow it didn’t. Or perhaps it did but not in the way we expected.

I don’t really feel that I want to blog about the conference as I am still trying to process it myself. But I am left with the feeling that we need to support and love one another more.

And we could have done with more time with Morag on Children’s stuff. She brought sweeties and teenage magazines and we had such fun. And lots of ideas for the dreaded Family Service.

Travelling with the Saints

Today almost 30 children descended upon St Mark’s for our annual Mission Day. This year our theme was All Saints and All Souls and the church looked like a cross between the Hallowe’en aisle in Asda and a school for archaeologists. The Junior Church team have been working hard for weeks in preparation and it really paid off.

There was dooking and doughnuts, maps and saints, finger/foot painting and icons and candles, and not to mention a full-size buried skeleton. I was time-keeper and Registration monitor (getting permission and all that jazz) and got to wear my full-length black cloak and a large purple witch’s hat. I don’t know how we are going to top it next year.

Trinity Icon with candles

Buried skeleton

What not to say at a Baptism

I learned today that you do not say to a two year-old who is reluctant to put his head over the font:

“Don’t be scared. It’s just like getting your hair washed.”

The screams and wriggles that ensued and the gasp from parents told me that hair washing is not popular in that household. Ah well, you live and learn. The deed was done in the end, but not prettily.

Another thing they didn’t teach us at Theological College…

Last day of the Sunday School year and Family Service this morning so it was all go. We launched our Growing Season project, thanks to Mother Kimberly,  and all took away our plant pots to fill with a pound a week. This week our spiritual growth task is to read a Gospel and I’m looking forward to hearing how it all goes.

The church was packed with lots of children which was lovely. I was even presented with a lovely gift from the Sunday School – bless them. Then we had lunch and games outside with much hilarity. There was a Treasure Hunt and one of the clues was ‘Find Our Lady’ and bless them, if they didn’t think that was me!!

Then Mick Magic arrived and we were entertained to tricks, balloons, jokes, a real rabbit and Nog the Dragon. A screaming success – and I think the grown-ups enjoyed it too. As I watched him going through his routine it did occur to me that this would have been a useful thing to learn at Theological College. A few more magic tricks for children and less of the old Philosophy and we’d all be a lot more happy.

What do you worry about?

Took a bit of a risk at the Children’s Sermon today. I started off by asking them what sort of things worried them. K said she worried about death. We can always rely on K to tell it how it is. I had a few suggestions printed out on card so I read them out and asked the children to take them to who they thought might worry about such things.

The first was ‘I worry about going grey’. Surprised nobody gave it to me in my current state of faded purple with much greyness at the roots. K got that one and took it in good faith.

‘I worry about whether to drink a glass of wine or a Diet Coke’ was justly given to N.

‘I worry that my bottom looks too big’ was always going to be a risky one and A took it on the chin. (Well you wouldn’t want to add anything to that bottom? Just joking, A!)

The children picked up worries about bullying, the dark and new schools. I was given ‘I worry about what to say’ and they couldn’t have know how apt that was this morning.  Poor old A got the ‘I worry about going bald’ which, considering he is nearly 80 and has a fine head of hair, was a little strange.

I then asked them who they spoke to about their worries and the wee souls were way ahead of me when they said ‘God’. Sermon over. Amen. And the fat lady sang.

Why children shouldn’t always follow Jesus

So there we were, a group of us standing on the church doorstep after the service chatting. The kids were running round the garden letting off steam. The sun shone and we were basking in its warmth.

We have a large cross in our garden with a bench in front of it looking out to sea. So, as we were blethering I noticed that one of the boys had climbed on to the bench, was balancing on the back of it with arms outstretched along the cross. From our view it looked like a perfect fit.

As one, we yelled at him to get down. We don’t want passers-by to think we crucify our children, after all. He should be on the stage, that one.

Michael Mouse was a squeaking success

Well, we couldn’t have squeezed another person in to church yesterday morning for the premiere of Michael Mouse, the nativity play. The costumes were wonderful, the acting heartfelt, the sentiment sublime. We couldn’t hear everything that was said, even with a mike being held to nervous lips, but we got the message. There will be a repeat performance this afternoon at 4pm at our Crib Service for those who missed it. If you have any ideas on how to improve audibility please let me know.

We also did the Christingle thing. I am a member of CCO, by the way. That’s the Campaign for Cruelty to Oranges. At this time of year they must be quivering in their net bags at the very thought of being stabbed with cocktail sticks and having a candle rammed up their bottoms. And if I had a waist the size of an orange would I want to tie a red belt round it just to draw attention to it? No, methinks I would wear a smock.

Family Service cancelled

Please note that we will not have a Family Service this Sunday. Instead the children will begin rehearsals for the Nativity Play. If you want a part, you’d better be there!

Talking of which, did you ever get to be in a Nativity Play? Were you a frustrated BVM? Did you mess up your lines?

I got to be a Wise Man one year and Joseph the next. (It was an all girls school.) Of course, I wished I was blonde and pretty because it always seemed to be those girls who got to be Mary. Like she really was blonde and pretty. I wore a dressing gown and slippers because all the Magi wore them, don’t you know? I think there was a tea towel and a snake belt too for my Joseph performance.

One of my most favourite performances was at Linlithgow when the angel held her helium star too close to the Advent Wreath and had us all on the edge of our seats in case it exploded.

Over to you…

That was the week that was

It got even busier last week and even more emotional.

Prayers for Lou’s family and friends after a glorious funeral and purvey. She would have loved it!

Prayers for Helen as she prepares to go into hospital. A wonderful warm woman, much loved by all who know her. Let us pray that all shall be well.

The Children’s Mission day on Fair Trade was a resounding success. Not as many kids as we would have hoped for but it all worked out well in the end. The church looks resplendent with palm trees, spices, bananas and chocolate. We even got some folk to dress up on Sunday in costumes from around the world. And you’ll never believe it but I taught and sang the Peruvian Gloria. Yes, I sang!  On my own! And nobody left. A miracle!

Then last night was our Healing Service for St Lukestide. Not a great turn out but the Holy Spirit was there for sure. An emotional evening.

Off now to the Borders for a couple of days R&R.