I’ll Huff and I’ll Puff

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Liturgical Seasons

With the wonderful Valley of Dry Bones I just felt I had to do it.  Do what you might well ask, well retell the story of the Three Little Pigs with an Ezekiel and Pentecost spin.  So the Holy Spirit huffed and puffed around the three Christians threatening to bring them alive, and despite their insistence that there weren’t dead, they soon found out that there was a difference between living and being truly alive.

It was also the first year I was able to get out my new liturgical icon a wonderful glass flame.

At St Andrew’s it was surrounded by candles each signifying a member of the congregation.

While at All Saints there was plenty of other stuff going on so it sat on the altar.  By the end of the service however the sun streaming through the stained glass windows had added extra flame effects.

All The G’s

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Religion

Yesterday, (yes I know it was Super Friday as my day off is referred to by certain members of the congregations, and no I am not back at work I am still signed off by the GP) nevertheless yesterday I took a trip to the Cathedral for a meeting on the Diocesan Growth Strategy.

This will be so much part of all that we do and plan at both congregational and diocesan level in the future that I had been keen to attend one of the day which was being held this week.  As driving is still no longer an option a trip over the bridge down into Ayrshire, which would have been my first option had my health not been in the equation, was not possible.  Super Friday saw Hubby taking me over to the Cathedral to work for the first time since Easter and deal with some of the brain fog which as my health improves I am becoming more and more conscious of.

It was a good day, good to spend time with my peers, to catch up on how other people are, to start to sift through my grey cells how the strategy might be worked out in this corner of the vineyard.  This is a long-term not a flash in the pan process and can not even begin at either St Andrew’s or All Saints until I am back at work, but that doesn’t stop my brain whirring with the excitement of the possibilities and challenges that lay ahead.

It Was On a Wednesday Morning …

the bishop came to call.

Bishop Gregor has dedicated himself to visiting all the churches in his diocese and spending a day with them, out with what would be the usual times when the Bishop came a-calling.  Yesterday was All Saints and St Andrew’s turn.

We began with the usual Wednesday morning Eucharist at All Saints, I say usual but in reality it was far from usual as the numbers were considerably up on usual.  We were slightly late in starting due to the Bishop’s car and the Church gate post also wanting to meet up, no damage done though.  Then coffee and cakes along with some chat, a flying visit to the MU before heading off to St Andrew’s were the ladies did us proud for a spot of lunch, (soup, quiche and salad) with a visit to Friendship House.

Back in the car and off to visit one of the House Groups where we both saw Isaiah’s calling in the new light of prayer, then another quick cup of coffee and more cake before we headed off to do a hospital visit.

What fun we had not many hospital visits are filled with so many laughs, ‘G’ who we were visiting is a hoot at the best of times and her quick wit and antics have been keeping everyone in the ward amused.  We also discovered in one of those ‘small world moments’ that ‘M’ in the bed beside her lives just across the road from the Rectory.

Who says fun can’t last we headed back to Bearsden for a Wednesday Sunday School and lots more fun.  It might be Lent but due to the timing of school holidays a decision had been made to preview Easter.  The Bishop made himself a new Pectoral Cross

after very diligently colouring an egg which will reappear in the great Easter Egg rolling competition that All Saints have each year.  While the children reveled at having a bishop among them, trying on his ring and questioning him about all manner of things.  Pizza followed, not sure what the delivery guy thought was going on, before the children headed hone and more adults arrived for the evening entertainment of a quiz.

While the Bishop won the quiz (although I don’t think he should have got a bonus point for knowing his own name), the gold star should go to ‘C’ for knowing exactly how many Munros there are.  Meanwhile ‘M’ and I got slightly confused and somehow ended up giving the same answer to about four questions, I blame the medication – mine not hers!

Thanks go to all those who made the day such a great one, Bishop Gregor certainly enjoyed himself.

(I should have taken my camera along to record the day, but I didn’t so sorry there is only one very poor picture taken with a mobile phone.)

Alfred Marvin – RIP

This morning we said farewell to Alfred.  He had been ill since before I arrived at St Andrew’s so I never knew him in his prime, but those faltering conversations we did have were a joy.  He was a man of great faith with a generous spirit and a wicked sense of humour, it was a privilege to be with him at the end and to conduct his funeral.  The tenacity and perseverance of his wife meant he was able to spend his last 5 months in his own home despite what the doctors kept saying.

On the 1st of July they would have celebrated 66 years of marriage and while he had waited all those years ago for her to arrive Rubinsteins Melody in F played in the church (a different church), today it played again as he waited for her to arrive for their last time in church together.

May he rest in peace, and rise in glory.

Indulgence

For some of you this wont seem like an indulgence, but for me it was.

This morning I was able to go to church and I didn’t have to do any readings; or intercessions; or preaching; or leading of any kind.  It wasn’t a special service when other things take over, or I still have to dress up even if I am not doing any of the above.

It was a said weekday Mass for Ordinary Time and I got to sit in the congregation and delight in just being in God’s presence.  Sheer indulgence and such bliss.

St Andrew’s Flower Festival

All the churches in Milngavie joined in for the flower festival over the weekend, the smell of flowers when you entered the church was heady, here is but a few of the displays and finally a picture of the inside of St Andrew’s on the blog.

Pentecost Chaos

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St Andrews Milngavie

It has always struck me that the Day of Pentecost must have been pretty chaotic.  Suddenly there was wind and flames and people speaking a vast array of languages as the Holy Spirit came down.  Yesterday at St Andrew’s we got a glimpse at such chaos.  It all started not long after I arrived.

Clare heard something and after a brief investigation we discovered a bird in between the curtain and as chance would have it the only window that doesn’t actually open in the hall.  So the task began of trying to catch a scared bird who was determined to keep out of reach and not fly down low enough to fly out of the now open windows but kept making its way back to the closed one and hiding behind the radiator.  Eventually the service had to begin with the bird left to find its own way out.

The service continued, until, a hymn wasn’t in the hymn book, or in fact the other hymn book that was sitting in the book rests, eventually a hymn was found and sung.

Then just as the Eucharist the fire alarm, which has been playing up for weeks now, decided it would go off and deafen us.  People rushed out to try to sort it as it’s wailing tried to drown out the blessing.

So this year the Holy Spirit descended like a sparrow rather than a dove, the wind fluffed leaves of hymn books as they were flicked through at great speed, and the tongues of fire where the screams of the fire alarm.

I am slightly anxious as to what might happen next week for Trinity Sunday!

Holy Week And Easter Day Round-Up

What an uplifting time my first Holy Week and joyful first Easter Day at All Saints and St Andrew’s was.

The meditations and Compline during the first part of the week set the scene, as Jesus flitted in and out of Jerusalem.

Maundy Thursday, at All Saints, saw foot washing and as the altar was stripped an atmosphere so heavy with prayer that I was hesitate that I might break it by reading the Gospel to begin the Vigil, I needn’t have been.

The Children’s Service, at All Saints, on Good Friday was a joy and the children of the church made a fantastic job of their first Easter garden.  It is a service I always enjoy and having the opportunity this year did something slightly different, which worked a treat.  While the Stations of the Cross over at St Andrew’s was only marred by me placing my laptop on the carpet not realizing how plush it was, and hence at station 7 the laptop overheated and we had to continue with words alone until station 10.  In the evening it was a trip down to Bearsden Cross Church of Scotland were I was leading the Ecumenical Service I was slightly apprehensive about what I was going to do, not knowing how it might be received, it turned out I didn’t need to worry at all, they got it and more than one tear was shed.

Holy Saturday came along and the churches were decorated wonderfully by both groups of ladies, then in the evening ‘The Protecting Veil’ was finally unveiled.  An Easter Vigil was something new to All Saints and so I decided to take the opportunity to approach it from a slightly different angle.  Using John Tavener’s music ‘The Protecting Veil’ as a backdrop we meditated on the sorrow of Mary before turning to the joy of Easter with fire and light, it turned out to be powerful stuff especially the live music played by Sarah Harrington who is a cellist with the Scottish Opera, and Mary Stott’s reading of ‘Mother of Tears’ by Marie L Weldon.  If you are unfamiliar with this poem you will find it here.

Easter Day dawned to rain!  Nevertheless there were those who turned out to proclaim the risen Christ at the Preaching Brae in Milngavie (no not a place for the Covenanters, but rather for the cotton mill workers before they had a church) for an early morning service followed by rolling eggs down the hill before breakfast – I did manage a quick bacon roll before dashing back to All Saints for the 8am.  Back to St Andrew’s, the sun now shinning, and the biggest Sunday morning congregation I have seen there.  Included in their number was ‘J’ someone who had come along to ‘The Protecting Veil’ the night before at All Saints and had been on the phone to me later that evening asking about the Easter services, he had also turned up at the Preaching Brae, God is good.  Then it was back to All Saints to do it all again but differently!  With the Paschal Candle having been lit the night before it was processed round the church as the choir sung a version of the Excultet, here the children sprinkled the congregation with the water from the font using last weeks palm branches, and as is the custom at All Saints, everyone placed a flower in what had been a bare wooden cross the week before.  In a change to previous years however the cross was then processed out of the church, as Thine Be The Glory was sung with great vigor, to take its place in the garden as a witness to the risen Christ for all those who pass by.  The service was followed by  frantic rush by the children as they tried to find all the hidden eggs and more egg rolling.

All Saints - Easter Cross 2010

I was deeply touched when at the end of the service I was presented with a bouquet,  for me it had all been a joy and a privilege but on this my first Holy Week and Easter it was also good to know that the right note had been hit.  And while the flowers were for me, when I arrived home with them Hubby appreciated them too, for it let him know that although he hadn’t got to see me for a week it had all been worthwhile.

I also want the world to know that I couldn’t have done it without a host of people, those who read, led, decorated, sang, played (instruments), cooked, attended, built boxes, shifted furniture and encouraged – thank you one and all.

Palm Sunday

In the morning palms where well and truly waved. I wait for BB to correct me, but I do believe that the streets of Milngavie saw me singing along with an accordion accompanist for the first time in my life!
In the evening the choir at All Saints set the tone for the coming week with The Cross of Christ, a singing of the Passion Narrative we had heard in the morning – maybe some joined up thinking is required for next year.

Wondering What To Do This Holy Week and Easter?

If you are and are on the north-side of Glasgow then maybe something from this list will tempt you.

Palm Sunday – 28th March

8am – All Saints – Said Eucharist

9.15am – St Andrew’s – Palm Procession and Sung Eucharist

with Reading of the Passion Narrative

11am – All Saints – Palm Procession and Sung Eucharist

with Reading of the Passion Narrative

6.30pm – All Saints – The Cross Of Christ

(for those of you unfamiliar with this service

it is the Holy Week version of Lessons and Carols)

Monday – 29th March

All at 7.30pm

All Saints – The Anointing at Bethany – Meditation and Compline

Bearsden Cross Parish Church – Ecumenical Service

St Paul’s, Milngavie – Ecumenical Service

Tuesday – 30th March

All at 7.30pm

All Saints – The Cleansing of the Temple – Meditation and Compline

Bearsden Cross Parish Church – Ecumenical Service

St Paul’s, Milngavie – Ecumenical Service (led by St Andrew’s)

Wednesday – 31st March

10am – All Saints – Said Eucharist

All at 7.30pm

All Saints – The Fig Tree – Meditation and Compline

Bearsden Cross Parish Church – Ecumenical Service

St Paul’s, Milngavie – Ecumenical Service

Maundy Thursday – 1st April

10am – St Andrew’s Said Eucharist

All at 7.30pm

All Saints – Sung Eucharist with Foot Washing,

Stripping of the Altar and Vigil

Bearsden Cross Parish Church – Ecumenical Service including Communion

St Paul’s, Milngavie – Ecumenical Service

Good Friday – 2nd April

11am – All Saints – Children’s Service for Good Friday

2pm – St Andrew’s – Stations of the Cross

Both at 7.30pm

Bearsden Cross Parish Church – Ecumenical Service (led by All Saints)

St Paul’s, Milngavie – Ecumenical Service

Holy Saturday – 3rd April

6.30pm – All Saints – The Protecting Veil

(Reflective service of words, images and the music of John Tavener

with the Lighting of the Paschal Candle)

Easter Day – 4th April

7am – The Preaching Brae, Milngavie – Dawn Service (led by St Andrew’s)

8am – All Saints – Said Eucharist

9.15am – Sung Eucharist with

Lighting of the Paschal Candle and Renewal of Baptismal Vows

11am – All Saints – Sung Eucharist

with Welcoming of the Light and Renewal of Baptismal Vows

6.30pm – All Saints – Night Prayer

Candlemas – Take 1

Okay it isn’t acutally until tomorrow, but when you have two congregations things don’t always happen on the exact day.  Tomorrow night Candlemas will be celebrated at All Saints at 7.30pm, but last night was the turn of St Andrew’s and what a good night it turned out to be.

We started back in 1559 with Elizabeth the 1st recently crowned and expected to make a progress around the city for the feast of Candlemas.  Our first carol was a new one to me but a little gem, all I can find out is it was written by someone called Boyle, (I did try and find out more about it but a web search just brings up pages about ‘Susan Boyle!’) maybe it is new to you too:

Down with the rosemary and bays,

down with the mistletoe;

instead of holly, now upraise

the greener box, for show.

The holly hitherto did sway:

let box now domineer

until the dancing Easter Day

or Easter Eve appear.

Then youthful box, which now hath grace

your houses to renew,

grown old, surrender must his place

unto the crisp-ed yew.

When yew is out, then birch comes in,

and many flower beside,

both of a fresh and fragrant kin,

to honour Whitsuntide.

Green rushes then and sweetest vents,

with cooler oaken boughs,

come in for comely ornaments,

to re-adorn the house.

Thus times do shift, thus times do shift;

each thing his turn does hold;

new things succeed, new things succeed

as former things grow old.

The focal point of the evening was a meditation based on Rembrandt’s Simeon at the Temple.

Inside A Metaphor

This week sees The Week of Prayer For Christian Unity, and last night saw a joint service at one of the churches which are part of Milngavie.  Now I say part of Milngavie as the church is situated outside the town with easy directions, striaght ahead at the lights when you reach the end of the road turn left the church is at the next junction – simple.

Well yes, however, almost as soon as the houses end the road turns from two lanes of tarmac into a single track pot ridden road with high banks and over hanging trees, more akin to a farm track than a road.  So along it I bumped – along with the snow ‘Baby’ isn’t too keen on copious bumps and just to make sure I know she doesn’t like them she likes to bump my lower back about so I am not too keen either.  However the bumps soon became secondary, I am sure that on a bright spring day with dappled shade and ‘Baby’s’ roof off I will grow to love this road, but last night was the first time I had traveled along it and it was dark, very, very dark.  Not only was there overhanding trees, not only was it single track with no passing places, not only was it bumpy, not only was it dark, but there were also dips which would suddenly appear like a dark chasm in the headlights, twist and turns as the road climbed, and oh yes a ford!  When I reached the ford I started to wonder if the simple directions weren’t so simple after all I had now been driving along this track for a couple of miles, had I missed a turning?  I was convinced I hadn’t seen a turning and there was no way I could have turned ‘Baby’ around even if I had so having tentatively made my way through the water I kept going.  Finally the road came to an end and before me was the left turn onto a tar maced single track road, but as it was at the top of a particularly steep bit and on a bend I had to rely totally on the belief that no one would be driving along the road without their lights on and with a quick prayer had to just go for it.  The last bit was like being on a motorway compared with what had gone before.  Once the car was parked it was then a case of negotiating an unfamiliar path with steps in the pitch black through the graveyard.  Of course once I got into the quaint church I was told that no one uses that road at night and that it is known as the death road as dead bodies have been found on it, apparently not due to car accidents, and that the locals all swear that it is haunted and that anyone who comes to the church at night brings a torch.

Gathered and worshiping together, celebrating our different traditions and rejoicing in our common faith it struck me of how much my journey to get there was like the journey to Christian Unity.  The Body of Christ in Milngavie have had their fair share of risk taking, sudden surprises, difficulties and temptations to turn back, but the bonds of love and fellowship in Christ are stronger still and the service wasn’t a mere nod in the direction of ecumenism.

I don’t see Sunday evenings journey to the service in Bearsden being quite so metaphorical.