Time Out

August is a 'choir break' at St Mary's.  All the normal Sunday services take place but without the choir.

For the "Mice" this means a month off.  For the rest of us we may if we so wish take the time off but it is expected that we will attend as part of the congregation.

Many people are away on holiday so the few of us who do attend are supposed to add volume to the hymns.

No anthems are sung during this period but instead, our choir mistress asks us to sing some Taize during Communion.

For me as an alto this is far more stressful than the singing of an anthem since we are scattered about the congregation and expected to sing harmonies.

If you sing and have ever sung anything other than the tune (usually sopranos) then you will know just how awkward it is to sing a 'non-tune' surrounded by people who are all trying to sing an unfamiliar tune.

To say i am not looking forward to it is an understatement.

Those of us who do not take holidays and who feel guilt tripped into putting in an appearance every Sunday will reach September neither refreshed nor relaxed, but, in my case at least, relieved to be once again singing as part of the choir.

The things we  do to pass the time !

What happened to "Yes" and "No"?

Anyone who has read any of the 534 posts I have written over the past 6 years will be only too aware that I am (shall we say slightly) pedantic over grammar and the use of words.

Watching the 'politics' show this morning on TV I was once again reminded that the words yes and no appear to have vanished from the vocabulary of nearly all politicians.

Asked a straightforward question by an interviewer/interrogator to which the answer can only be "yes" or "no" it is amazing how many hoops they are prepared to jump through to avoid such a reply.

Adept at side-stepping and  avoiding at all costs the expected answer, they will take the scenic route using the opportunity to make a party propaganda speech illustrating just  how extensive their vocabulary is, yet somehow contriving to miss the point completely.

If only their political integrity matched their verbal dexterity what a country we would have.

End of rant.  (For today).

Just an average day in the life of a Rector

The man on the left is our current rector/vicar/priest.

The lady in the middle is not someone I recognise

The one on the right is Barbara, our town mayor (now replaced by her successor).

Their somewhat unusual (even for Aylesbury) garb, is part of the annual Roald Dahl Festival.  Which for some reason is this year known as the Wizz-fizzing festival.

Right at the back of the picture (above the Mayor's hat) you can just faintly see the spire of St Mary's.

It has been said (though I don't believe it), that the Anglican church is all set to adopt the headgear in this photo as a staple part of their clergy wear.

The lollipop is to replace the Bishops' croziers.

No-one can say that Aylesbury is behind the times where fashion is concerned.

Big Day at St Mary's

Yesterday we had the honour of hosting the ordination of no less than 12 Ordinands to the status of priest.

This was not only rather  unusual for the large numbers involved but also for the fact that it is usually the Cathedrals which house these services.

St Mary's is the county church of Buckinghamshire and is a very large building but the almost 500 people who were present yesterday packed it to the rafters.

We (the choir) arrived between about 10.15 and 10.30 am, to receive instructions on the 'choreography' of the event and to be ready outside the west door to lead in the procession.

The service began at 11,00 am and finished shortly after 1,00pm.  We then had a couple of hours to relax or feed ourselves before a wedding at 4,00pm.

By five pm I was back home with my feet up and drinking gallons of water.  My legs felt like lead and my feet were swollen and I was as hoarse as a crow, but otherwise it was a lovely day (if exhausting)

Needless to say this morning's service from 10 till 11,30 left everyone in need of a weekend to recover.

A strange but rather wonderful way to 'enjoy' a weekend.

This Heat is Unbearable

Well that's one way of looking at it !!

That is more the way I feel.

Will it ever be possible to breath clean fresh air again, or even to bat an eyelash without drowning in sweat?

Normal service will be resumed .........................whenever.

Qnly if I know I'm wanted

Dear Donald

You will have a long wait.

" "

 

This morning  my taxi driver asked me to pray for him.  This is not unusual, but this morning it seemed extra special

All the taxi drivers who take me to church on Sundays are Asian, mostly Muslim.

Often they ask questions about the way Christian worship differs from Muslim.

From my limited knowledge I try to answer all their questions and ask a few of my own.

The one thing which becomes more and more apparent as we continue this travelling dialogue is that we have far more in common than different.

This morning we discussed our dismay and distress at what is currently happening in the name of religion.  Nothing could be further from the aims of all monotheist religions than the murderous practices we are are witnessing all over the world at present.

The reason I gave this piece no heading  is simply that like many others I am running out of words.

As I prayed for my taxi driver during the intercessions this morning I imagined all those hands joined in mutual prayer world-wide and felt a surge of strength and one-ness with those others.

As the Hippies in the 60's used to say in greeting "Love and Peace".