Happy Easter! He is risen indeed!
It has been an interesting week. Last Sunday the folk from my congregation joined others from the Parish Church and the local Catholics for the Palm Sunday service. As on previous years we walk through the village with a small pony stopping at each place of worship for a prayer and the verse of a hymn. The Parish Church is at the south end of the village and the RC near the north end, with the Congregational Church in the middle. After walking the 13.5 miles the day before I did wonder whether I would manage the walking but after a good night's rest I had little after affects.
Many are encouraged by these occasions when we join together, though I confess myself disappointed that we are welcomed as visiting guests when it could just as easily be a proper united service. It's the usual rural ecumenism problem! My Anglican colleague gave a good word. Now he's off for a 3 month sabbatical.
On Thursday we held the last of the Lent Course daytime meetings. The attendance has kept up throughout and most if not all at both the evening sessions and the daytime sessions seem keen that something like this should continue in future. We certainly had some useful conversations. As I have said in other postings this has been a very rewarding experience in ministry.
Yesterday Doreen and I joined others for the Harborough Churches Together United Good Friday service held this year at the Congregational Church. Great hymns, a moving drama, and a good engaging and clear message from my colleague Suzanne. Afterwards we processed silently from the church (at the top of the High Street) to the Square (in the centre of town). People were respectful and patient. I heard one observer say to another, "They're following the cross". Well, it's certainly the way we ought to walk!
Once in the Square the crowd grew larger as we waited for the Open Air to begin. A local transport firm provided a large trailer for the platform. Tesco and Sainsbury's provided hot cross buns for us to give away. It was strange to find ourselves standing in the heat as it often snows around Easter. While we waited, a small group of singers and instrumentalists ran through several of the newer appropriate songs. Then the formal part was opened by the local vicar followed by various people from many of the local churches taking different parts.
We had a moving puppet show performed as a mime to a song about people needing Jesus. We had a brilliant solo without accompaniment of "Were you there?". Then Brian, the Methodist minister spoke on five crosses (the one you get at school if you get something wrong, the ones on the bottom of a letter, the one on an ambulance, the one on a treasure map, and the one on a voting form). I had done the same thing at a school assembly a week before. Incidentally, Brian and his wife used to be associate evangelists of ours back in the 1970s.
After the event some of us made our way to the Baptist Church where we had a frugal lunch of half a cup of soup, a small piece of bread and two small cubes of cheese. For this they took £3 off us towards Christian Aid. Talking of which, if all my sponsorship for the walk comes in I would have raise £373. I am grateful for those who helped me in this regard.
Most of the rest of the week, and throughout today, has been a struggle with some Sunrise Ministry accounts which have to be ready for a trustees' meeting in mid-May. I should have been doing study for my research degree! Aaargh!! Tomorrow we have no instrumentalist for our Easter Service at Yelvertoft. Attempts to find someone to cover for our regular musician have failed so I guess it will be unaccompanied Easter hymns.
From Tuesday to Friday we will be at the Church Leaders Conference in Derbyshire. The following week we will be on holiday in Hampshire ending up with a birthday celebration for a sister-in-law on Doreen's side of the family. So it could be two relaxing weeks ... only I have to catch up with my study!
I'll blog you mid-week from the Conference. You have a great Easter celebration. What a victory! Hallelujah!
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| Palm Sunday walk |
Many are encouraged by these occasions when we join together, though I confess myself disappointed that we are welcomed as visiting guests when it could just as easily be a proper united service. It's the usual rural ecumenism problem! My Anglican colleague gave a good word. Now he's off for a 3 month sabbatical.
On Thursday we held the last of the Lent Course daytime meetings. The attendance has kept up throughout and most if not all at both the evening sessions and the daytime sessions seem keen that something like this should continue in future. We certainly had some useful conversations. As I have said in other postings this has been a very rewarding experience in ministry.
 |
| Waiting for the Open Air to begin |
Once in the Square the crowd grew larger as we waited for the Open Air to begin. A local transport firm provided a large trailer for the platform. Tesco and Sainsbury's provided hot cross buns for us to give away. It was strange to find ourselves standing in the heat as it often snows around Easter. While we waited, a small group of singers and instrumentalists ran through several of the newer appropriate songs. Then the formal part was opened by the local vicar followed by various people from many of the local churches taking different parts.
 |
| Brian in mid-flow |
After the event some of us made our way to the Baptist Church where we had a frugal lunch of half a cup of soup, a small piece of bread and two small cubes of cheese. For this they took £3 off us towards Christian Aid. Talking of which, if all my sponsorship for the walk comes in I would have raise £373. I am grateful for those who helped me in this regard.
Most of the rest of the week, and throughout today, has been a struggle with some Sunrise Ministry accounts which have to be ready for a trustees' meeting in mid-May. I should have been doing study for my research degree! Aaargh!! Tomorrow we have no instrumentalist for our Easter Service at Yelvertoft. Attempts to find someone to cover for our regular musician have failed so I guess it will be unaccompanied Easter hymns.
From Tuesday to Friday we will be at the Church Leaders Conference in Derbyshire. The following week we will be on holiday in Hampshire ending up with a birthday celebration for a sister-in-law on Doreen's side of the family. So it could be two relaxing weeks ... only I have to catch up with my study!
I'll blog you mid-week from the Conference. You have a great Easter celebration. What a victory! Hallelujah!
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