"You've got it wrong!" The congregation shouted as one, "The pink candle is next week!"
Actually I hadn't and today was the rose candle for we were rejoicing (gaudate).
Today was just massive, after all how can a day that starts with a BCP Communion be anything but cool?stamrt with the Decalogue and keep partying until the end - which was a wonderful Taizé Communion. Add a Common Worship Family Communion in the middle and that is indeed a recipe for a wonderful day - not sure why some consider it to be work, isn't it what we'd be doing if we hadn't been collared?
I find myself writing a sermon even when I'm not preaching because it's not only fun but makes me study and work to extend the stuff I know and that has to be good.
The engagement today was great and the opportunity to be pastoral presented itself in a number of conversations. I think it's a healthy sign to find yourself still in he church building over an hour after the service has ended because conversations are taking place. So impressed that one person has delivered 700 of the 1,000 Christmas card service leaflets - that is true commitment indeed.
Got to do some of the didactic stuff regarding 3rd Sunday of Advent and 4th Sunday of Lent - Gaudete and Laetare Sunday - two 'rejoices' in the penitential round.
Lord I think you for the opportunities taken today - help me to see where lines should be drawn and to say what I should and omit what I safely and confidently can. Help me to see past the obvious and head for the incredible and make me more like You this week,
Nd now it's almost 02:00 and there's a visit to the crem for 09:00 - smooth traffic, short queues and a job done well please -
And Lord help me to minister your grace in the funerals, visits, nativities and the like today - may You be seen in all I do,
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We celebrated with a Pink Candle, but mostly did John the Baptist.
We celebrated with a BCP at 0800 hrs, a Family Parade Service at 10 am with a scratch Nativity theme of Angels - with even the Vicar and Curate sporting Angel wings (Gold for the Vicar and Silver for the Apprentice) and it was great fun, with an underlying serious message.
In the evening, a quiet, gentle CW Holy Communion with a lovely sermon from Jane our Vicar, which topped off the day.
In between that, a chance meeting with J a fairly sporadic church member. A professional solicitor, who has fallen on hard times, since the death of his mother, who he doted on. He railed against the Church, saying that nobody liked or welcomed him (when he needed it) when in fact his reception on first coming to us was a great welcome and he had proven to be an interesting, communicative individual who'd contributed while with us.
Somehow, he'd fallen off the wagon - and when I encountered him, he was the worse for drink, unshaven, scruffy and not turned out as he normally is. I attempted to give some pastoral care, but his mood was sour and un-receptive. I invited him to come home with me, but he declined.
I'm not sure whether the business of sorting out his mothers home nearby and settling her affairs isn't affecting him - but it's such a shame that he feels that somehow the Church is to blame for his ills?
We prayed for him yesterday evening - Lord Have Mercy.
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