Angels, A Spider and Boxes (of Shoes and Bags)!

Eventually the new Rectory is beginning to look more like a home than a storage depot, but before I go any further with that, I must return to the south for a bit.

Last Sunday saw a day filled with mixed emotion as I led my last service at St Mark’s.  There were tears, laughs, singing, and lots of angels.  After the service there was food aplenty and drink flowing freely, I was bowled over by gifts and cards and of course Jan made a fantastic cake as is the St Mark’s tradition.  It was a good end and one I will never forget.

Tuesday dawned bright and with the last little bits packed up and the removal men arrived right on time and the van soon started to get loaded however, it wasn’t too long before I heard a shriek.

A quick trip upstairs found four hulking great big guys who move people day in and day out, filling the small landing as they argued over who was going to go into son’s old bedroom to move the stuff.  Two of them had just moved the unit and a big spider had ran out from underneath it!  Now anyone who knows me knows that spiders and I do not get on, and I know that someones size and strength has nothing to do with fears and phobias, but this can hardly be an uncommon occurrence for them, in fact I would imagine it would be an unusual for there not to be a spider making an appearance.  To start with it was quite amusing but as it became clear that nothing was going to get done until the spider was dealt with eventually, I, yes me, had to go and deal with the eight legged monster!  Now while this is all very amusing no doubt to those of you that do not share my phobia, I would like to point out that the final things that the removal men lifted were the plants from outside including a clematis wrapped in netting, now as far as I for one am concerned that is what I definitely would be keeping clear of.  On mentioning this – after they had finished moving it, I wasn’t going to chance them debating over how they were going to shift that – the unanimous response was, but that is outside we are not scared of spiders outside!

Yesterday I got to the stage of dread at opening each box, knowing that I was going to have to find places for the contents of each.  However the kitchen is just about sorted, as is the dinning room, the living room will be once I find a place to put my shoes and handbags which at the moment are sitting in boxes on the floor.  Oh how Hubby is enjoying telling me that there is the proof that I have too many pairs of shoes and handbags!  While upstairs two bedrooms are just about sorted with two to go (don’t tell Hubby but I think there are more shoes up there too!)

Anyway enough procrastination for now, promised update is now posted, so I have no further excuse not to get back to the un-packing!

La’s Orchestra Saves The World – Alexander McCall Smith

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Alexander McCall Smith, Books

Another last today and that is the Book Group, unfortunately the book for this final fling was a bit of a damp squib.  An easy inoffensive read but lacking in any substance or direction.  If you are sitting on a beach somewhere it would kill a few hours, but even then there are others I would recommend first.

The good news however is that even though I am leaving the Book Group have decided that they will continue.

Good Day

That was yesterday, a good day, one of the best in fact.

A joyous time spent with good friends, wonderful weather, excellent food.

Evening spent having fun at my last Quiz Night here at St Mark’s.  It was all down to the last round, the scores before it began meant that anyone could have won, however the Flying Angels came out triumphant.

Great Expectations – Charles Dickens

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Books, Charles Dickens

After reading ‘Mister Pip’ a couple of months ago the Book Group decided that it was time to return to one of the Classics and Great Expectations was the most natural choice.

While most of us had previously read it, none of us had read it within the last 20 years or so, which meant that each of us discovered things about it which we had forgotten.  We were all delighted to have been reacquainted with Joe, Herbert and Wemmick and even Jaggers, Miss Havisham and Magwitch found favour with us this time around.   While we all agreed we had all met at least one Estelle, Biddy and Mr Pumblechook in our lives, and in fact the later even managed to get himself into the sermon on Sunday, something which no doubt if he was real and had known about he would have been highly delighted about!

The moral tales and lessons scattered liberally throughout the book created much discussion and despite the characters individual failings come the final page there was only one person who we universally found disagreeable, namely Orlick.  We also decided that was down to Dickens writing and he was the only character who never saw the error of his ways and redeemed himself.

The humour and descriptive way of Dickens writing make even a long book like this easy to read, so all in all, if like me it is a long time since you picked up ‘Expectations’ then you also like we did might enjoy revisiting Pip’s story.

Right Then Left, Steady Now.

While at St Mark’s a lot of energy has gone into identifying individuals gifts and empowering them to use those gifts.  Of course the intention behind that was never to ready them for my leaving on day, but over the past two Sundays much of that work has shown itself in that light.

A week past Sunday, while I was at Silverstone for the British Grand Prix, there was initially a bit of a panic when it became clear that a priest couldn’t be found to cover.  The Vestry met and discussed the various options and decided that a non-Eucharistic service would be held, led by those who have been license by the Bishop to lead worship.  A service was drawn up, using the rhythm of the 1662 Matins, but using modern versions of the canticles in the SEC’s Daily Prayer, and the sermon was covered by a couple of members of the congregation agreeing to do a presentation of a conversation between Jesus and Peter from Wild Goose.  When the plan was announced to the congregation there were some rumblings about it, however, apart from some confusion about how long people were to stand, it would appear it was widely welcomed even by those who had voiced doubts.  The congregation now have that tool in their grasp for those occasions during the interregnum when it might be difficult to find a priest.

Yesterday was the Healing Service, something that the congregation and Vestry are keen should continue.  Parts of this service, which follows the main service once a month, is often led by others, but I am usually up at the front somewhere.  This time I sat at the back of the congregation as they confidently and prayerfully led the service.  At the end of the service, their concerns were quickly chased away with some affirmation.  Another success.

It was like those by gone days when I saw the children take their first steps.

Mister Pip – Llyod Jones

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Books, Llyod Jones

I missed the Book Group this month which also means until now I missed posting the book under discussion, which fortunately I didn’t miss reading.  Mister Pip by Llyod Jones is a wonderful if at sometimes distressing book, set on an island in the Pacific it is the tale of how one young girl survives the turmoil of civil war that surrounds her.  An unexpected school teacher helps the children of an isolated village to find escape from the horrors of their reality by introducing them to Charles Dickens, Great Expectations.  In doing so causes unexpected consequences, for him and for all the villagers, while Matilda finds in Pip she has the kind of best friend who is always by your side.

The characters in the book are wonderfully painted with Jones words, all of them leaping from the page their struggles, joys, hopes and fears grabbing my attention and demanding I read on to find out what happened.  There are scenes of great braveness in which there is also utter cowardice; scenes of repulsion which also contain tenderness; scenes of despair transformed into hope.

The book doesn’t stop when you expect it to, instead it moves on to answer some of those questions that such books often leave you with, the characters continue to be fleshed out over the last chapters, leaving me for one more satisfied than I might have otherwise been.

All in all a book well worth reading.  Now all I have to do is read Great Expectations again, and as it would happen the Book Group felt the same and so that Dickens classic is to be our next read!

Easter Lilies

Labyrinth – Kate Mosse

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Books, Kate Mosse

This was the latest book that our Book Group read and overall it was much enjoyed.  It does have that all too common use these days of running an historical and modern day story lines side by side, a trait we all felt was now being over used.  It also seems to suffer from heavy editing with some instances of where story lines aren’t finished, or parts of the story missed, these instances while they don’t detract from the story itself, I found mildly irritating.

The story itself is a new twist on the Grail myths, set around Carcassonne in France.

The historical element is set during the early 13th century when Alais a young woman discovers a series of secrets concerning those close to her.  The events that follow, during a time when the Cathar Inquisition raged through the area, find her becoming a key player in the quest to keep the Grail secret and out of the hands of those who would wish to either destroy or misuse it.  The history element is well researched and written bringing to live the horrors that happened.  That being said it also flows beautifully, and amongst this is also woven a tale of love and betrayal, of friendship and faith.

The modern day story is about another woman this time Alice, who as a volunteer on an archaeological dig discovers a cave, hidden for centuries.  In this discovery echoes from the past start to reverberate around her live and the lives of those she knows.

The parallels are quite clear throughout the stories although is not always totally spelled out, while the ending maybe a little too neatly ties everything up.  My overall impression of the book is that despite its nearly 700 pages, it could have been far longer.  It is the kind of book to take on holiday with you as it is gripping enough to help pass away the hours, but easy enough to put down and pick back up.

Sing-Along

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Films

Okay I know it is Lent and some of you might be shocked?

Last night we sang, we danced, ate hot dogs and some of us even drank wine, while the hits of ABBA blasted out as we watched Mama-Mia.  A good night was had by all, even the couple of men who turned up, feather boas abounded as those aged 7 and 70 strutted their stuff.  Who said Lent had to be all sack cloth and ashes?

Okay I Admit It

Yesterday another group started on 4 studies and a party.  This time I had decided that we would meet over a soup and sandwich lunch for two reasons.  Firstly I thought food might tempt some more people along, secondly although there has been all day sessions, and evening sessions, there hasn’t been day time sessions for those who might prefer that.  Lastly, and this is what I am admitting to, I had a sneaky plan to try and develop it into a longer term soup and sandwich lunch that would become an outreach activity in itself. 

For most of the time I have been at St Mark’s there have been people talking about having a soup and sandwich lunch for the local community.  Initially our buildings weren’t suitable and the kitchen was condemned (at one point we were told we shouldn’t even be making tea and coffee in it).  Of course now we have a lovely warm hall, a welcoming entrance, and a kitchen up to standard.  However due to problems we have had with the heating and flooring I have been reluctant to start any new projects up that might then have to stop at a critical time to allow workmen back into the halls.  All that is now behind us so I had it in my mind that this would be the time to give that particular seed a touch of water and care. 

I wasn’t planning to play my card till the final session, best laid plans of mice and men or women and all that! I was well and truly beaten to the punch yesterday when half way through the first session it was suggested that seeing we now had the facilities we should be having a soup and sandwich lunch for the local community as a tool of outreach.  Maybe I shouldn’t try and be so sneaky about it in future!

Judas

The request came for the Lent course this year to follow a Bible Study on some of the characters surrounding the story of Christ’s Passion.  Last night we started with Judas Iscariot.

By the end of the evening the overall consensus was that down through the centuries Judas seems to have been hard done by.  There are those who will be horrified by that statement after all isn’t this the man who betrayed Jesus that I am talking about.  Well as someone pointed out last night, maybe any holder of that opinion needs to remember Jesus’ words to those who would condemn the woman caught in adultery and only one whom themself has never betrayed Jesus could cast that first stone.

This morning I discovered ‘The Ballad of Judas Iscariot’ by Robert Buchanan it is a long poem and the whole thing can be found here but here are the last four verses.

‘Twas the body of Judas Iscariot
    Floated away full fleet,
And the wings of the doves that bare it off
    Were like its winding-sheet.

‘Twas the Bridegroom stood at the open door,
    And beckon’d, smiling sweet;
‘Twas the soul of Judas Iscariot
    Stole in, and fell at his feet.

‘The Holy Supper is spread within,
    And the many candles shine,
And I have waited long for thee
    Before I poured the wine!’

The supper wine is poured at last,
    The lights burn bright and fair,
Iscariot washes the Bridegroom’s feet,
    And dries them with his hair.

The Shack – William P Young

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Books, William P Young

As coincidence would have it, I was given this book as a Christmas present and separately someone not knowing it was sitting on my desk, suggested we read it for the next Book Group which was held today.

Firstly it shouldn’t need to be said, but apparently it does as some believe it to be a true story, this book is a novel and a well written one at that.  It starts with us learning about Mack’s – the main character – ‘Great Saddness’, the abduction and death of one of his daughters.  I can not even being to imagine the turmoil that such an event would cause in the lives of all those who had known such a youngster, and understandably Mack is confused, angry and ridden with guilt over the death, exasperated by the fact his daughter, Missy, body is not recovered.  In many ways the novel starts as a murder mystery, but once Mack decides to follow the strange request of a mysterious letter the novel takes a whole different turn.  A turn which leads to the exploration of faith, sufferings place in the world, dealing with guilt, judgement and complex ideas like the Trinity.  Of course this book doesn’t have all the answers to these subjects, however on the whole it does deal with these topics in a refreshing and understandable way.  the book is peppered with humour, pathos and epiphany moments.

The consensus of the group was that we are not sure that everyone would enjoy it, but did think that there are very few people that wouldn’t benefit from reading it.

update:-

It transpires that west or east St Mark’s congregations where yesterday disscussing ‘The Shack’.  You can read what St Mark’s Portobello at their Book Group - Bookmark – thought here.