Why go to Church?

In my search for a suitable Lent book/course for my little flock I came across Why Go To Church? : The Drama of the Eucharist by Timothy Radcliffe. As it wasn’t specifically written for groups I passed it by as unsuitable but have been reading it myself this week. What a fabulous book.

Timothy Radcliffe is a Dominican and it might seem strange that the ABofC has chosen a Roman Catholic to write his Lent book on the subject of the Eucharist which is the biggest cause of division between us. However, it is senstively written and I can see a series of teaching sermons on the Mass in the future using this book. My little Quotes Journal was fair bulging after I finished it last night.

It has made me think seriously about why the Eucharist is so important to me. I can’t imagine life without it which is why I will always find a church whilst on holiday.  As a member of my little flock is wont to say: “I need to go to get the gaps in my aura plugged back in!” It is the same question as ‘Why must I eat?’

Timothy Radcliffe proposes that the Eucharist is a Drama in three acts and each act prepares for the next.

By listening to the word of God, we grow in faith and so become ready to proclaim the Creed and ask for what we need. In the second act, belief leads to hope. From the preparation of the gifts to the end of the Eucharistic Prayer, we remember how on the night beofre he died, Jesus took bread, blessed it and gave it to his disciples saying, ‘This is my body, given for you.’ Faced with failure, violence and death, we are given hope, repeating Christ’s own prayer. In the final act, from the ‘Our Father’ onwards, our hope culminates in love. We prepare for Communion. We encounter the risen Christ and his victory over death and hatred, and receive the bread of life. Finally we are sent on our way – ‘Go and serve the Lord’ – as a sign of God’s love for the world.

P7

I can’t recomend this book highly enough. And it is not just for Lent – it is for all time.

Quiet Day

Yesterday we had the first of our Lent Groups on ‘Calling’. That’s calling as in vocation, not as in yodelling or yelling. Not a great number unlike past years but not sure why. So a bit disappointing.

Then four people stayed on for our Quiet Afternoon on Lent and Transitions. Again, I wondered why more people didn’t take part. Is it that Saturdays are not good for folk? Is an afternoon too much time to give up? Do people not take on Lenten disciplines any more? Have I failed in explaining it?  You’ll note what I thought about in the silence!

To be honest, it is disheartening when you spend a lot of time in preparation and planning and few folk turn up. But then you have to wonder if you are planning the wrong sort of event. And of course, even if one person turns up then you have done your best for them. But… Maybe its because I’m feeling a bit under the weather that these things are bothering me more.

And in case you were planning on coming to the Alternative Service tonight, don’t bother. It is cancelled!

Happy Lent

Two very different Ash Wednesday services yesterday. In the morning it was an adapted version of the 1970 Liturgy downstairs in the Crypt Chapel.  In the womb-like space it brought forth deepening reflection and an opportunity to set aside the burdens that would weigh us down.

In the evening we gathered in the round upstairs with the choir excelling themselves. Andrew, our organist (well, pianist at the moment due to the lack of an organ), had composed a new setting for the Lent Prose which was just beautiful. We sang a Taize response to the intercessions and also had a new mass setting by Andrew Moore which was very suitable for Lent. (953 in Complete Anglican Hymns Old & New) Bishop Alan presided and it was lovely to be ‘done to’.

We may be dust, but we are dust that is full of mystery and that dreams of glory; dust, we sense, that is to be changed, transfigured into God’s own likeness.  (Thom Shuman)

This morning at 9.30am we begin daily Morning Prayer.  This is partly for my own benefit, of course. There is nothing more lonely than saying the Office alone. Let’s hope someone else turns up then!  Quite a few people took the Morning Prayer book away with them to do at home or on the way to work, so we shall be saying it in community.

(On a personal note, I have learned that you don’t miss out painkillers when the 4 hours is up and you think that maybe the pain has gone. It hasn’t.)

Beauty from Chaos

Mother Kimberly has organised the Lent blog Beauty from Chaos once more so bookmark it now and check it out every day in Lent. That is something you can take on.

And another reminder that you can have free downloads (by a person and not a machine) to your mobile phone from Fr Simon every day in Lent. I’ve signed up so why don’t you and we can chat about it?

Blogging and looming Lent

It is that time of year again when the number of blog entries declines in tandem with the increase of Lent preparation.

And just to add to the heady mix of ashes and liturgies and groups and quiet days there are a pile of people needing visiting all of a sudden. So if you see a mad looking woman with purple hair and a little black box dashing by, give her a hug would you?

Lenten journey by text

Before we know it, Lent will be upon us. My friend Simon over at Blessed is offering a daily text to your mobile throughout Lent to help you with your devotions.

He says:

Starting on Ash Weds 25th Feb, you will receive daily a free text with prayers, meditations, web links and other devotions to help you through your Lent journey.

There is no charge for receiving this text, it is a gift from Blesséd.

Some texts may contain meditations, prayer, scriptures or links to web pages to stimulate your faith and help your prayer in Lent.

The texts are not generated by an automated system but by a human being. All you have to do is sign up below and texts will arrive from Ash Weds through to Easter Day!

I’ve signed up. Why don’t you?

Why we don’t do weddings in Lent

Thanks to Raspberry Rabbit for this:

Following her wedding, an old-fashioned girl crawled into bed for the first time beside her new husband. She snuggled up to him and was surprised at his lack of response. In fact, he rolled over and began to fall asleep.

“So why aren’t we going to make love on our wedding night”, she asked finally.

“Because it’s Lent” came the reply.

“That’s nonsense!” she exclaimed. “I’ve never heard anything more ridiculous in my life. It’s been lent to whom and for how long?”

Carbon Fasting

Tearfund will deliver to your email a daily Lenten action to reduce your carbon footprint. Things like:

Take out a lightbulb today and leave it out for 40 days and see if you can mange without it. (not in a dangerous place)

So no need to replace that bulb in the lounge then.

You know I’ve been thinking about this light bulb thing. In both main rooms in this rectory the centre lights are a triple branch which take those little cute bulbs. Now, I’m all for the long life bulbs but they would look really weird in these shades and stick out by miles. I know they do ‘proper bulb’ shaped ones now but they are huge compared to what I need.

So, I would need to replace the light fittings to become more carbon-friendly. This would mean trips round the superstores to find something and that’s going to mean petrol.  And then there’s the waste of the current brass effect ones. What’s a girl to do?

Beauty from Chaos

Looking for a daily Lenten discipline?  Why not try Beauty from Chaos?

http://beautyfromchaos.wordpress.com/

Contributors include Piskies from most dioceses, non-Piskies, poets, photographers, Franciscans et al. (I am adding my tuppence worth too.) It might be just what you are looking for.

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…