Celebrating Lizzie Mary

Some of us were born into large families. Some of us have numerous relatives.
Lizzie Mary was a lone child – she married Sandy – they had no children.
Yet! They had many children. Almost everyone in the small harbour in which Lizzie Mary, was born and grew up, looked upon her as an Aunt – a dear member of their family.
She was a faithful soul. Her trust in her Saviour was evident in her devotion. Lizzie Mary went to Church when others wouldn't go out doors, and at home her Bible, which she read from daily, was next to her rocker. And she rocked and prayed. A motherly one to all who loved her.

St. Martin's Cathedral 50th

St. Martin's Cathedral, Gander, will celebrate their Fiftieth Anniversary 2009 May 22-24. Congratulations to our Cathedral Parish.

Re-Pitching the Tent

Re-Pitching the Tent, Richard Giles, is a great book in many ways. I have the Revised and Expanded Edition, published in 2000. The Third Edition was published in 2004.
One glaring omission of this book is that microphones and sound are not mentioned in edition published in 2000, and appear to be missing from the 2004 edition as well. If this book is further revised I hope the author includes an audio/visual chapter.
When thinking about worship space - the how and why - this is an excellent resource and worth reading as a reference. Every Archdeacon should have a copy in their office.
Every Vestry should work through, at several points, Appendix J whether they are going to "re-pitching" or not. Appendix J is entitled: A six-week crash course on the design of liturgical space.
An informative and valuable book - but it lacks completely regarding microphones, speakers, and visual presentation considerations - a must chapter for the the twenty-first century.

Preview this book at Google Books.

Celebrating Lurley with Rainbows

Rainbows have always been signs of wonder and hope. Lurley whose life we have recently celebrated lived her life in wonder struggling with restraints that were not her choosing, but she lived faithfully with a glint of joy in her eye.
The celebration of her life was wrapped in rainbows. In the midst of the service her family looked through a large window to behold the colours of a rainbow. As her nephews covered her up a rainbow filled the sky above them. As we gathered at her daughters home a rainbow welcomed all who gathered.
Rainbows give hope, and Lurley has entered into that hope.

Celebrating Pleman - gentle and meek he was a “Christian man.”

A fellow priest said "When your first in a parish and you bury someone their your parishioners. But when you stay awhile you'll be burying your friends." Last week it was certainly a friend who was buried. But Pleman was also a "Christian man." And is how his wife describes him, she says she married a "Christian man." She is very aware of the blessing that they shared together, and their family a rejoicing in the faith of their father. We all mourn the loss of a dear friend, but we rejoice in the gentle faith of Pleman, a "Christian man."

Celebrating Sandy without a complaint

Feelings are something you feel, they are hard to describe. Today I participated in the celebration of a young women's life. She lived some forty years and never complained at all. Most of us complain about the weather all the time. Sandy was dying and never complained. She never questioned God, or had her doubts like Saint Thomas, or if she did they were very private. Openly she was very aware and mindful of the frailty of the life she had left to live. Sandy lived life accepting the hand that was dealt her.
She gave of her strength and faith to those around her. Those who crowded into St George's, family and friends, were graciously met with all that she had prepared for those she loved. She chose the hymns. One that reminds us of the glory of resurrection - Morning Has Broken. And Jesus Loves Me which speaks to us whether we are young or ageing that we are loved at every point of our lives. Lastly she chose All things Bright and Beautiful, which is a glorious hymn of wonder and hope.
In moments like these our feelings and emotions flood to the surface and they are often expressed freely and openly. Freely and openly before the world “God so loved.”

Country Vicar - Chapter 6 - Twelve Apostles

In this chapter Osborne sets out various expectations that are placed upon the country parson. Drawing upon the terms used by St Paul and the Church, as well as a twentieth century one, Osborne describes how the country parson might attempt to fulfil the various roles expected.

Osborne does come around to the conclusion most would expect, that the country parson is not likely to fill all roles equally well.

No vicar is going to get by taking on just one of these roles. Some roles will be thrust on unsuspecting ministers against their wishes. The vicar who wants to sees herself as the pastor of the flocks will have to spend some time dealing with paper, filing, forms, registers, correspondence and phone calls attending to matters of gravestones, wedding music, attendance figures and faculties. The chaplain who wishes to stay quietly available, a specialist in corner conversations about 113significant matters, will sometimes have to step forward and represent the church to the local radio or press. The evangelist who sees himself as one of the church, a friend and companion with a particular gift for helping people come to know Christ in a personal way, will find that at times he has to be formal and up front, representing God and the church as the parish priest.

There might be other roles, chosen by or thrust upon the country vicar. The vicar might be everyone’s uncle, an agony aunt, a social worker, a saviour, or the new romantic interest in a tight-knit community. The vicar might be seen and treated as a fool or a freeloader. Some of these the vicar might resent. Some they might be happy with. Some roles they might take reluctantly but realise the roles are necessary for the time or that plenty of people before them were cast in the same role, including perhaps Jesus and the apostles.

This chapter closes out with an episode called the “Trainers”, a story about a curate who wore red trainers hatching, matching and dispatching! You get the picture.