Hallelujah Chorus with a difference

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HkXmOIwpkQ

Christmas highs and lows

Over at Kelvin’s Blog you can see his highs from Christmas this year. What were mine?  Well thank you for asking.

Firstly, it must be the crowds (over 60 adults and a host of children) who turned up for our afternoon Crib Service on Christmas Eve. The majority had never been through the doors before (which necessitated a quick trip to the Off Licence to get more wine to add to the mulled wine pot).

That brings me to one of the lows – the fact that I hadn’t prepared something better for my slot after the play.  But still not regretting ditching the Christingles (thanks to Kelvin again) as we would never have guessed that many children.

Next high was the theme tune to Harry Potter being played softly as people gathered for the Nativity Play. It really did give the impression that something magical was about to take place.

Another high has been our Scottish Crib. This really has captured the imagination of all who have visited. Children run to crouch down in front of it with their friends, pointing out all the Scottish artefacts and giggling at the Caganer. Adults smile and get a quick pic with their mobile phone cameras.

My last high has to be the music. Our new choir stunned us with some beautiful new carols at the Lessons and Carol service. There was a momentary fear that we wouldn’t have a choir for Midnight Mass but in the end we did and that verse with descant of our final hymn, O Come all Ye Faithful, always brings a tear to my eye. Just glorious.

And let’s not forget our afternoon concert by Philomusica and Wendy Weatherby’s wonderful music from A Scots Quair.

And the last low? Only that so many people missed it this year because of the nasty viruses doing the rounds.

Thank you to all who helped prepare the church, who cleaned and decorated and replaced candle upon candle. Thank you to all who served at the Altar, who handed out books and welcomed visitors, who prepared food and wine and washed up after, who folded and stapled hundreds of service sheets, who worked and rehearsed and cajoled the children, who brought Scottish offerings for the baby Jesus, and to those who just turned up – a big THANK YOU.

Pancakes and Prosecco

It was Alternative Service time last night. This is our attempt at something a little less formal than Sunday morning worship using guitars and visual stuff and interaction and mass, always mass. Originally it was aimed at our younger members who were looking for something more suited to their tastes, or for those who are working on Sunday mornings. However attendance has always included several over-40s too.

Last night, it being Shrove-tide, we kicked off with pancakes courtesy of S & J. Food for the feast. We buried the alleluias. We discussed upcoming Lent. Our musician was held up on a late flight from London so we made do with We Love Mambo for Mardi Gras music.

After a quick dash in a taxi and a sprint in a fast car A and C arrived complete with guitar just in time for mass. More alleluias and then something more sombre after we celebrated using pancakes and prosecco. Well it was a celebration!

But it didnt end there. Someone asked for a request and before you know it we all sat singing banal choruses well into the evening. Now I am not renowned for my love of modern church music. Don’t get me wrong – some of it is good, some of it is excellent but some of it is so person-centred that it makes me squirm. But I am aware that some of my little flock do like it so we try to have a balance each Sunday (usually one written in the 20th century). Last night, those who love it certainly got their fill.

It will be all different next month of course. Lent beckons and we can dig out those fabulous sombre tunes. Although one of my favourites (and its modern) is 40 days and 40 nights in Judah’s desert by Jean Holloway. If you don’t know it come along on Ash Wednesday (10am or 7.30pm) and you’ll hear it.

theology of wiggly waggly worms

Family service today and we tried a new hymn – A wiggly waggly worm. It’s been a while since I saw so many people smiling in church but the grown ups loved it. I decided not to preach on the gospel of the day. Well, if I was struggling to make sense of it I don’t imagine the children would be any clearer. So we did the Ascension instead. Of course children cope with that much better than we adults.

Then it was a mad dash to North Berwick to a surprise party for a certain priest who was celebrating 50 years of priesting. It was great to see so many familiar faces and as ever there was a great spread. I think Fr A was delighted to see us all. So much so, that his teeth almost fell out!

Open week at church coming up, so if you are in the Portobello area why not pop in to see the artifacts. Gorgeous vestments, wonderful silver, interesting graveyard plans and a Fair Trade stall. What more could you ask?

Breathless

We couldn’t get an organist for yesterday’s service at St C’s so Jim offered to bring his lap-top in and use it instead. Don’t ask me how he did it, but I think it involved downloading midi-files and then attaching the computer to a big black thing which might have been an amp. He and June even managed to get our mass setting on it which was pretty impressive.

There was only one small problem. Somewhere in the process we lost breathing spaces between verses. (And between some lines in the hymns!) With the result that we all romped through the mass at high speed and red faces and slumped exhausted in between times. I didn’t actually time the service but I reckon we got through it all in 45 minutes.

They’ll be wanting that every week now.

Taize evening

Last night the Rev’d Kelvin Holdsworth from Bridge of Allan came to lead a Taize evening at St Peter’s. Some of his choir came too and there were about 22 of us singing our wee hearts out and making a jolly fine noise too. We also sang one of my favourites which is not from Taize:

Take, oh, take me as I am
summon out what I shall be
set your seal upon my heart
and live in me.

So many happy memories attached to that wee chorus. Sr Gill and silk scarves and candles and Lladro. (You had to be there!) And a certain young and handsome deacon prostrating himself on the ground before ordination. And a friend who is a nun and uncertain about her future. Take heart, little ones, all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.

Squeezebox liturgy

As we didnt have an organist at St C’s today, a member of the congregation offered to bring his accordian. I have to confess that I was a little unsure, having heard him play sea shanties and drinking songs when we were on Iona last year. However, it was either that or nothing so I said yes.

What a joy it turned out to be! Who would have thought it? Heiko (who also happens to be German and probably hasnt heard most of our hymns and mass setting) romped through them bringing pathos to the slow ones and jollity to the fast ones. Everyone sang like linties and smiled too. It was just great. We’ve booked him again for the 6 August. I can’t wait!