Thought for the day

Now here's a thing. Take a small pisky church, inconveniently if picturesquely sited on a small hill at the very back of a seaside town (you've had this description before, but I need to re-emphasise certain features of the situation). Take a small but stable/growing slightly congregation which is in the limbo (known as interregnum by the optimistic and vacancy by the rest) caused by the translation of the former incumbent (not dead, merely departed). Take the gradual metamorphosis of some members of that congregation from pew-fodder to worship leader ...

So far so good. We like to see thoughtful and committed church folk taking responsibility for their patch, growing where they're planted and all that. But when the robed ones who on any one day are planted firmly in the holy end (Larkin's phrase, not mine) turn out to be two thirds of the people who actually (a) know the hymns and (b) can be heard behind the proverbial bus ticket ...

You get the picture. Today I felt I was a lone voice, singing away - and was, in actual fact, a lone voice in the post-communion hymn, despite the twenty or so folk behind me. But I enjoyed preaching about angels - maybe some of them had a wee song too.

When teacher's away ...

It’s such a relief, such a good feeling, when old friends find in each other what they need to make progress. Such a feeling as this morning’s, when three of us lay people who have to preach on a fairly regular basis met to break the back of the next three lay sermons – one apiece. We’d all done our homework, reading the Lectionary readings for all three days, thinking about the themes involved – thinking. Real thought. And so when we met we were able to listen constructively, to question, to demand a little more, and to appreciate one another.

It is a while since we’ve had to do this without the teacher, but we found ourselves slipping comfortably into our role, able to express appreciation of the work of another without constraint. And perhaps there will be less theological depth to our preaching, but for now this will suffice. The confidence gained by having one’s colleagues on board for an adventure is priceless – as were some of the jokes and rabbit holes down which we wandered.

I used to have a book at school called “Physics is fun”. I never found it so – but on today’s showing, theology is fun. A good thought as we await Pentecost.

Milestones, not millstones

Sometimes you realise you've passed a milestone when it's already in your past. Other days, there's that sudden excitement when you realise that this, this very moment, constitutes such a marker. And today was such a day. Our little congregation has come so far, and today a new lay leader presided over a service of communion from the reserved sacrament for her first time. She was outwardly serene and calm, and the support from the twenty or so in the congregation was tangible. And I found as I preached a sermon over which I worried I might not have spent enough time that it flowed irresistibly from the bullet-pointed list I'd prepared and I was enjoying myself.

We are not yet without a priest, but the vacancy will be upon us before we know it. It's going to be interesting, and on today's showing, exciting. But I'm even more convinced that we shall never be able to go back to the way we were. Father will never know best again.

Certified!

Certificate
Originally uploaded by goforchris.

Yesterday's Episcopal visit - apart from being a chance for us all to enjoy our Bishop's presence (and singing) - was centred on the commissioning of lay people to various tasks in the church. So two Eucharistic ministers, two chalice-bearers and four preachers were duly commissioned and blessed in front of the congregation to fulfil these tasks as and when required. In addition, a priest who has been for some time a member of the congregation was given a licence to function as a priest in the diocese of Argyll and The Isles.

Put like that, it doesn't sound much. Quite official and formal. In reality, however, it was extremely moving and highly charged. As one of the Lay Preachers, I was reminded forcefully of my confirmation 34 years ago, only with a renewed sense of urgency and responsibility. When I read the wording of the certificate (pictured) the enormity of the charge was at once daunting and exciting. I already know what is involved, as we've been doing these things for some time now, but to be formally recognised was an important step.

Afterwards, the atmosphere was like Christmas - there was a great deal of hugging and an encouraging number of broad smiles. And the music was great and +Martin his usual electrifying self. And as Kimberly points out, she managed to cough with extreme tact and spent much of the service hidden by clouds of incense.

We're very lucky, really.