Easter lives

Yes, it is still Easter. Remember? 40 days of unremitting joy. And here is something to make you smile (courtesy of S&J).

Daffodil Cross at St Mark's

Easter in visual

Cross with lilies

Easter flowers

Easter Garden and Altar

Easter lilies at lectern

Easter at St Mark’s

OK, so it all started (or rather, didn’t) with the fact that I forgot to change my alarm clock and slept throught the Dawn service on the beach. I have never been late for anything in my life so this was a major shock to my system. I did make it to church in time for the bacon rolls though.

+Alan took the 8.30am service so it was nice to sit and be for a while. We weren’t sure that we would have many at the 10.30am service because so many folk have told me they are away but in fact the church was full.  Andrew Morley, our organist, wrote a wonderful Introit of Alleluias for us. We had incense for the first time, courtesy of the Winnie M Memorial Thurible, and C was delighted she didn’t set fire to anything but the charcoal. (I did spot A in the back row with a hankie over her mouth!) The flowers were glorious and the Easter Garden in its new spot looked divine. Bucks Fizz after and an Easter egg hunt and then it was all over.

A big thank you to all who made it happen. It wouldn’t have happened without you.

And now I am on holiday for a week. Ecclesiastical whodunnits await. Photos to follow.

Alleuia! Christ is risen!

Listen to Jesus saying:

‘Do not cling…

let me be bigger than your

heart can hold.

rise with me to a

larger vision.’

Nole me tangere

Easter Triduum

Where do I begin? Right now I feel like lying down in a dark cave and rolling the stone in front of it just for a while. But before I do, let me tell you briefly what we have been up to for the past three days…

On Good Friday the procession of the cross went along Portobello High Street stopping at St Philip’s (CofS), then us, and then St John’s (RC). I did a wee meditation to send them on their way.

It was amazing how many of my little flock just ‘popped in’ to church because it was open in the morning for a prayer. I wish we could have it open more often. Sigh.

Then at 12noon we walked the Stations of the Cross (with hymns in between) and then gathered for meditations and music led by Bishop Alan. It was a powerful three hours and very different from last year – which is a good thing. Then hot cross buns to break our fast (well for some of us anyway!) and off to ponder the darkness of it all.

On Holy Saturday we gathered at the cross in the garden in an icy bitter wind and said the morning Office.

Then it was all hands on deck for changing an empty church into a gloriously lilyfied offering worthy of a King.

Even the photocopier toner running out did nothing to deter those scrubbers. I wept briefly, without wanting to make too much fuss, but that which was lost was found and the photocopier sprang back into life (remind you of something?!) and continued churning out service sheets by the dozen.

Our Easter Vigil was in darkness – so dark we couldn’t read the Collects – as we listened to the stories of redemption. Then out to the porch for fire and candles and I sang. Yes, I sang! (If you know me well, you will know this is a BIG thing!) Then we all sang the Exsultet and the church came alight with flames. A quick hop over to the font and after a bit of candle-plunging we renewed our baptismal vows, said our names aloud, and did some more Alleluias.

This morning some hardy souls arrived at the beach at 7am with a wonderful sun shining on the water.

It was freezing cold but we gathered round the fire and Alleluia-ed some more. Then back for bacon rolls before the first Easter Eucharist. I can see now that incense might have helped rid the church of the aroma of grilled bacon. Bishop Alan kindly took this service and I got to roll around in the pews soaking it in. More Alleluias were uttered.

Then the church quickly filled – to capacity and we had to send the overload upstairs to the balcony – and we began again with the business of proclaiming Christ is Risen Indeed. There were four baptisms, each one a poppet, and much hilarity. Even my Krusty the Clown jack-in-the-box went down reasonably well. (Visual aid for Jesus rising from the grave – you had to be there. My son tells me Krusty is not a particularly good role model and associates with prostitutes. I think that’s quite a good role model myself.)

By which point the adrenalin kicked in and we Alleluia-ed on until all had been fed and wined. All in all we had over 150 people in church today and I know its not all about numbers but for this little church that was pretty impressive.

So thank you one and all for making it a very special Easter indeed. You know who you are.

Easter Monday

What do clergy do on Easter Monday?

They go shopping because there is no food in the house.
They wash clothes that have been cast aside during the multiple changes during the past week. (Especially clerical shirts and manky albs.)
And finally they start to clear the paper mountain on top of their desks.

Sometimes they even cry.

It’s over

The marathon that was Holy Week is finally over. It has taken its toll on the servers, the organist and the priest in charge. Not to mention the faithful few who journeyed through it all with us. If there was such a thing as purgatory I’m convinced they’d get a pass through without stopping.

The climax was The Vigil last night. Our newly formed choir sang for the first time in public and did a jolly good job too. We started in semi-darkness with the new fire; we sang the Exsultet together; we listened to too many readings (must reduce it somehow next year); we renewed our baptismal vows and baptised a new member; the Bishop confirmed eight of my little flock and I was so proud of them; we sang Come Holy Ghost on our knees; we celebrated the first Mass of Easter; we drank champagne and alleluia’d all the way home.

The Bishop preached a glorious sermon on Do Not be Afraid – Jesus Christ is with you. And I watched the confirmands sit with eyes wide, drinking in his every word. He put them all at their ease – not to mention the altar party who were dizzy with the new liturgy.

Iva, our organist, excelled herself with the Gloria as befits the season. And did it all over again this morning. In fact, I don’t think there was a stop which wasn’t pulled out!

And today began at the beach at 7am with our neighbourly Presbyterian sisters and brothers from St Philip’s. We sang as the sun rose in the sky and listened to the crackle of the fire. Bonaparte and Nelson sneakily removed sticks from the pile and dropped them at our feet whilst looking wistfully for us to throw them. (They are dogs, by the way) Then it was back to church for bacon rolls and the erection of the 10′ daffodil cross in the garden.

An Easter garden was blessed, water was sprinkled copiously, alleluias were belted out and laughter was even heard at the ridiculously bad jokes in my sermon. The children rampaged through the church looking for hidden Easter eggs and simnel cake was scoffed by the grown-ups.

Oh, and the aforementioned Confirmands gave me a most generous gift. What poppets they are.

Not sure how we top it next year…

Now I sleep…

He is risen indeed!

Wow! What an Easter! What a host of Alleluias!

It all began on the beach at 7am when some of us joined a group from St Philip’s to sing round the new fire. My wise virgins had brought their lamps and we took the light back to St Mark’s… very carefully.

We had bacon rolls, nearly set fire to the kitchen, and then inserted the 5 wounds into the Paschal candle and said a wee prayer as we were joined by the 8.30am gang.

In between services I hid some easter eggs round the church which was hotting up nicely and there was some concern that they may melt by the time the children came to hunt for them.

By 10.30am the church was full of the usual folk, some visitors, some once-a-year folk, Sheila and Ernie Cox (ex-flock) and a host of children. We sang the Exsultet together at the Paschal candle and blessed the Easter Garden.

We sang joyfully our new mass setting (Raemoir) and managed to do a pretty good job of it, despite our fears. And having the church so full added energy and joy to the Easter hymns.

At the end the children came up to show us their decorated eggs and I donned my bunny ears and hopped around the sanctuary. I fear I may have looked more like a demented kangaroo than the Easter bunny but it’s the thought that counts.

Then we all enjoyed a Bucks Fizz and simnel cake.

Now that’s what I call a celebration. He is risen indeed!

Easter pressie

Son #2 got me the best Easter pressie. No eggs for me – oh no! I got an Answer Me Jesus. He is pink and quite creepy looking, but if you ask him a question and turn him over you get an answer. How clever is that? Here are some of our answers – but I’m not revealing the questions.

I died for this?
I still love you.
Hypocrite!
Ye of little faith.
Let me ask my Dad.
Yes, my child.
Pray harder.
Resist the devil.

40 days of unremitting joy

Last day of my Easter holiday and I am about to go and pick up childrens’ liturgy books from Cornerstone, photocopy pew sheets for tomorrow, write a sermon and so it goes on. It really doesn’t work as a holiday when you don’t have the Sunday off!

But here is our garden at church looking gorgeous and Eastery. Alleluia indeed.