Uncertain whether to brave the appalling heat in order to sing at this morning's eucharist, I made up my mind at the very last minute, and I'm very glad I did.
Not only did we sing quite well despite nearly passing out with the heat, but the service was a particularly poignant one for most of us.
Next week we will say goodbye to our dear rector and his wife, today she led the service and was joined as co-celebrant and preacher by none other than our lovely late curate. None other than David Cloake of "Vernacular Vicar" fame.
His wife and the twins were with him so it was a very happy reunion for us all.
Wondering just what to expect by way of a sermon, it was with particular pleasure for me personally, that he chose to preach on the manner in which we might all 'survive' the coming interregnum.
After listing some of the problems which might arise during this very testing time for the church he went on to point to ways in which we could steer a straight course and come out of this period strong and whole and a loving community, rather than a broken and fragmented one, as might happen.
He referred us to today's second reading Colossians 1. 1-14, and said that it contained "all we needed to know" about coming through the interregnum intact.
There were instances of the old 'barmy' David from time to time too, I was glad to see, since half his charm is his sheer 'off the cuff' lunacy.
There were also signs of a new maturity and calm and measured approach which were very good to see.
All in all, a lovely service and despite the heat, worth making the effort to attend.
I just hope and pray we at St. Mary's will find ourselves as settled, certain and resolute as he and his family appear to be.
Now I'll go and drink my green tea with lemon slices and hide from the sun.
I'm glad you went, too, Ray, and glad to hear that Cloakey was in fine form. Your parish will be in my prayers in the coming months as you move into and through this transition.
ReplyDeleteThanks Penny, I think we will need your prayers.
DeleteIt sounds like a service to remember, Ray, with a most helpful sermon from David. It's hard to say goodbye to a beloved rector, but an interregnum and new incumbency can be a time for new flowering for many congregations. Like Penny, I will be praying for you all in this time of change.
ReplyDeleteYes, it will be sad to lose our 'leader', but, as you say, it is part of the process and we may, in the end, benefit from not so much the changes, as having to work through them.
DeleteThanks for the prayers, we will be happy to accept as many as are offered.
Vacancies can be very hard times, so I am hoping and praying for the positives for you all. We are cooler here; during the last few days it has been damp, overcast and around 17C. Every Blessing Freda from Dalamory
ReplyDeleteThanks Freda. We are anticipating quite a long period of interregnum so will need to focus on keeping things as good as we can. For me, cooler weather would help enormously, It is still, at 7.45 pm around 28 degrees
ReplyDeleteNot conducive to clear thinking.
Blessings.