Mike's musings

The congregation's expectations

Helen asked a very interesting question about my post on BCP services, and I thought I ought to respond. She wanted to know "How much do you feel bound by the expectations of the congregation when you preside?"

It is an interesting question, and I'm not quite sure to which part of my post she was referring. There were a number of areas of practice which were not my usual last Sunday, so I guess I'll cover them one by one. I think there are 2 important points to mention first, however. The first of these is that I'm still in training, and am therefore very aware of the fact that I need to be very careful about making decisions or trying to introduce change without discussion. The second is that I wasn't in churches which are part of my team, but in a different benefice, so was very much a guest.

But to cover the particular points that I think Helen (and Sally) might like covered:

1. use of the Book of Common Prayer: I have no problem with the BCP, and, in fact, love using it. It's what was expected, and that was fine.
2. facing East for the prayer of consecration: well, I don't think I really had much of a choice: I didn't fancy celebrating from the North, and I don't think there was even room at Foxearth. I'm not sure whether I should have been facing East for the rest of the time I was up in the sanctuary, but with no microphone it would have been hard, and it felt wrong anyway. It was hard enough.
3. elevation of the host for the Fraction: here's the interesting one. As is my usual practice, I didn't elevate at the consecration, but I did, however, elevate at the Fraction (breaking of the bread). I had a memory of a discussion with my father about this being the one time that the congregation should specifically be able to see the host, and, on re-reading the rubrics this morning, I found out why. They say:

   When the Priest, standing before the Table, hath so ordered the Bread and Wine, that he may with the more readiness and decency break the Bread before the people, and take the Cup into his hands, he shall say the Prayer of Consecration, as followeth.

   So, it seems clear that the Bread should be broken "before the people", so that they can see it. I like this. If the rest of the act of consecration ends up being hidden from view, the sharing part of it is made visible. I'm not sure how it looked, and I've not yet had the opportunity to discuss it with my boss, but I'd be very interested in other people's views.

There's a larger question, also, of the extent to which we should follow the expectations of the congregation. There are a number of issues here, one of which is that it's their church - even if we're the incumbent - another that we have a duty to be true to doctrine - as we understand it - and true to ourselves and our faith. But we must also make sure that we're not mindlessly or unintentionally upsetting people, and should always be prepared to defend our practice.

I think there's more discussion to have here, and I look forward to having it.

Labels: doctrine, eucharist, services

Remembrance Services

I presided at a Remembrance Service at the 1000 today. It was a children-friendly family service - to which we're beginning to get more kids, I'm pleased to say - but worked rather well. Sally, my fellow curate, worked on the liturgy: she's excellent at it, and I had to point several people in her direction when they complimented me on the service.

In the afternoon, we had the Civic Remembrance Service, preceded by a service in the park at the WWII war memorial and parade up the town. There's something very special about walking in silence through the town, to led by pipers. Police stopped the traffic, and lots of people stopped what they were doing to watch. It was respectful and felt, well, just right.

Mark and Jen - who'd attended the service - came home for pancakes and to be mugged by the girls. Once they (the girls) were in bed, quick supper, and then a couple of hours' work. I'm now in a much better place, development-wise, and feeling much happier about deadlines generally.

Oh, and be humbled

Fantastic views of Hubble Ultra Deep Field. I'm never sure whether this sort of astonishing science makes me doubt my faith, or makes it stronger. But it certainly makes me humble.

Labels: science, services

Emotion and service

(backposting) By service, I mean both types: what one does for other people, but also a religious service. I had quite a day today. I did my first BCP (Book of Common Prayer) Holy Communion at the 0800 at Halstead, which was great. John, my boss, was there, with some good advice afterwards, including noting the fact that I'd used one prayer which he'd only heard twice in 40 years!

The 1000 was very emotional, for a couple of reasons. First, we had someone from the organisation Samaritan's Purse, talking about their brilliant Operation Christmas Child. She showed pictures: sad pictures of children, but lots of hope. I was far from the only person there with tears in my eyes. And I just had one of those experiences during communion - specifically during the distribution - where I suddenly became aware of what a privilege it all is. I took the time, before the final hymn, to tell people what a blessing I felt serving them is.

The afternoon brought a trip to Colchester Hospital. Miri managed to pull her elbow out again, and we had a long wait before an examination during which we got it back in. She was very good about it all, poor thing.

And in the evening, I went to an ecumenical service held, this time, in the Roman Catholic Church in Halstead, with friends and colleagues from the Baptist, Methodist and Anglican churches in the town. I arrived late, and shuffled in somewhat embarrassed, but enjoyed the service and had a drink with David, the RC priest, in a pub afterwards. A good chat and natter, including some interesting discussions about theology and liturgy: similarities and differences.

Labels: service, services

A family service

(backposting) Given Miri's illness yesterday - she seems to be improving today - I'd let Geoff know that I might not make the 0800 service with him in Colne Engaine, which I didn't (though it was Jo who had me up in the night, in the end), but I took Jo to a family service at 1000. She did very well, and I spent lots of time beforehand trying to explain why she couldn't be with me all the time. The main tack was to explain that it could be distracting to other people, who might want to be thinking about something else. We talked about things that she doesn't like being distracted from (colouring, for instance), and I think that helped her to understand.

I also took her swimming this afternoon. Moo stayed at home with Miri - not fair to take her until things have settled down properly - and Jo and I had a great time. She's a really good swimmer now.

Labels: Jo, services, swimming

Preaching and nerves

I'm usually a little apprehensive before preaching, and that's as it should be. But I was really very nervous before preaching this afternoon. We had civic Remembrance Sunday service, starting at the war memorial in the town, and then processing up with the uniformed organisations to a service in the church. The different churches in the town were represented, and I'd agreed to preach.

I chose to preach the following trajectory:

• as a Christian, I can say that death isn't the end, because Christ died for us;
• that doesn't mean the death is good: the loss of life, more specifically, the loss of lives, saddens God, as it does us. Those who have died would not just have been great musicians, politicians, writers, etc.: the people about whom you hear "their death was such a loss". Most of them would have been bakers, and waiters, and secretaries, and administrators, and fathers, and mothers, and husbands, and lovers and partners;
• we should be ashamed - not just a citizens of our town - but as all humans should be, because things like the situation in the Congo, and Afghanistan and Iraq happen despite Omaha Beach, and the Somme and Passchendaele;
• but today isn't about being ashamed; it's about appreciating the fact that we can be bakers, and waiters, and secretaries, and administrators, and fathers, and mothers, and husbands, and lovers and partners because the people who went before and gaves their lives and health for us did so. We should be proud of them. We have a debt that we cannot fully repay to them, but we can partly repay them by remembering them: with love, and with dignity, and with pride.

I think it went down OK, and was fairly accessible to the children in the congregation.

Moo brought Jo and Miri to the 1000 service, and Mark and Jen turned up, too. I'd not met her, and she seems good.

Labels: friends, girls, Moo, preaching, services

My first "talk" as a deacon

(backposting) At Earl's Colne, this morning for an 0800 Communion, and then a 1000 Family Service. Both went well, and I gave the talk at the Family Service. It was on the parable of the Sower, and we were giving out seed corn to plant. I took some photos, and found some online, which I used as part of the talk, as there's a projector and Powerpoint available. I was quite pleased with how it went: I'd been touched by the place of the Sower on preparing for the talk. Usually, I've identified with the seed, rather than the Sower, but I concentrated on the responsibility to sow this time.

After I got back, we all went to the Clare fair/fete. We went last year, and Jo got her face painted then, too. And chose the same design! Doughnuts, ice cream... And after that, swimming. Jo did some great swimming, and I was very proud.

Now, if only the girls would get to bed quicker. And not get up in the middle of the night...

Labels: services

More retreat

(backposting) There are (as I've already mentioned) lots of services on the retreat. Four today: Morning Prayer (0800), Holy Communion (1200), Evening Prayer (1800) and Night Prayer (Compline), following an address at 2000. There's lots of space during the day to do your thing, and as well as reading some trashy novels to relax, I've also been doing some interesting theological reading. I have to note that the Homilies have got some pretty anti-Romish sentiment in them.

Anyway, to get back to the point, with each service there's a hymn or song. Luckily, there are two of us who play, and from very different backgrounds. I'm taking the standard traditional-type hymns, and Geoff has been handling the "songs", or less traditional ones. He's a star. Jazz piano where he comes from, and his "Amazing Grace" was brilliant, and gave me a chance to have a seriously good sing.

Although I'm very aware that life isn't easy for Moo when I'm away like this, but I think it's really important to take the time to concentrate on the ordination, and the journey that I've had getting there, not to mention taking some time to allow work to dissipate a little.

Labels: music, ordination, services

Prime birthday

No, I'm not 41. Or 31. Somewhere between that, which should give you all the clues you need.

I've asked for money from people to allow me to buy a cassock, which I really am beginning to need. Poll and Lee gave me a nice top, and Moo and the girls also gave me a random Wii game which has been annoying me throughout the day! (Which is kind of the point).

I was a bit grumpy to begin with, as I woke up rather early without enough sleep. Got a bit happier when my main machine broke: seems like a motherboard (Mobo) issue, which will require a new box, though I can use lots of bits from my old one. This made me happier because it's quite an old box.

Got a bit more grumpy when I had a look at our finances, which aren't really in a position to be buying a new box right now, after our recent holiday.

Had a good lunch with Ian, though. He gave me some good feedback on my evensong last Sunday:

• don't saunter when processing! Maybe OK when on my own in a small parish church, and he wouldn't want me not to be me, but... Entirely fair!
• at times, when I made announcements to the congregation, I didn't face them. Also entirely fair, though Ian did take my point that more than half of the people in the church were actually in the choir: in the other direction!
• I intoned the responses in a very formal way. Not how he does it, but no problem. Just good to know the style that I used by default. It was pretty intentional, actually, and it's such a lovely acoustic that I loved singing like that there.

Made a lovely, lovely cake, which really helped. Then a fantastic walk with Miri and Buster. It's been quite a while since we walked, and I was careful to show that I was in control.

A small supper, as I had a good lunch and lots of cake.

Labels: birthday, family, services, singing, walk, wii

Very tired

Not much sleep last night, and a busy day today with Jo. Still managed to read over half the Harry Potter.

I'm also taking Mattins in SL at the Anglican Cathedral at 0800 BST (12 midnight SL time). Please join me.

Labels: reading, secondlife, services

Renewal of baptismal vows

Went with Jo (who slept through past 0600 today, as did the dog!) to a service at Long Melford today which including a renewal of baptismal vows. Ian, the Rector, had worked very hard not only on the liturgy, but on the numbers. He told me that he'd personally invited at least 300 people, and there must have been around that number there. The service was very good, and even though, at an hour and a half, it was long for the younger members of the congregation, it all went very well, and there were things for them all to do. We all trooped past the font - and a mini-font for children - signing with the cross ourselves with the water that was there, and after communion, we were all given a candle, and they were lit from a flame which started at the Easter candle. We sang a hymn, and finished off the service with a blessing. It was a very good service, and I was very impressed.

After that, I picked up Moo and Miri and went went to Freeport, via The King's Head at Gosfield, where we enjoyed a very good meal (particularly the puddings!), despite some rather weird company on neighbouring tables... Only bought a pair of sunglasses at Freeport, and Moo spent most of the time feeding Miri in Starbucks. It was beginning to rain harder and harder, Moo lost it a bit with Jo (who was playing up), and we went home. Jo watched a little TV (CBeebies), and then, despite the rain, came outside to play on her new bike.

Once Jo finally went to sleep, I took Buster out for 50+ minutes. It rained very, very hard. No, really. My Akubra (hat), Drizabone (coat), Brashers and moleskins (trousers) did stirling service, but by the time the dog went into the lake, it was unclear whether it was making him wetter, or the other way round.

Labels: baptism, bike, dog, placement, services, weather