The holiday is over

It is not really a holiday, this week after Easter. For clergy it is merely a week to recover, to go to bed at a normal hour, to tidy up the detritus from so many services, and to come back down to earth. For me it was also a week to partially recover from a virus of vomiting which struck just before the Saturday Easter Vigil (and continued throughout it too!) It is still lingering just enough to remind me of its presence.

So what did I do? I read and slept and caught up on TV and slept. And ran to and fro to the bathroom, but that’s more knowledge than you needed to have. Speaking of which, I also met with the plumber again, who is now on the congregational roll for he comes to church more often than some members. I did very little, in fact. And I still haven’t found my Easter cards to send but I know they are here somewhere.

And I remembered and planned. I remembered the services in Holy Week and the comments from my little flock. I remembered which bits worked and which bits need changed next time. I remembered little flocks-of-old and Holy Weeks gone by. For each one teaches me something of the mystery of the Passion. And I planned. I planned for next year and we might do it differently. I planned (in my head but not on paper yet) that I would make lists for each service and what I need to take with me to set up. Now if someone were to write a book that had the practicalities needed before each church service, I’d buy it like a shot.

Now today it is back to work. To prepare for tomorrow’s services. To write sermons and look out props. To finish off the study tidy up. Is it too late to send Easter cards, do you think?