Christmas
Mmmmmm, we've now had Candlemas and the post I was intending to right about Christmas has not happened.
On Christmas Eve, we went into the prison for their carol service where my mum had volunteered my services on the flute. It was a good service. A sermon which talked about (and illustrated) the true scent of Christmas.
For Midnight Mass we went to Llanishen where my second cousin once removed is vicar (which my dad had learnt at a ringing event). Dad didn't think they'd be ringing so we didn't get there in time to join in even though they were. It was an okay service. Reasonably full. Slightly high of Middle in Churchmanship. I genuflected in the Creed. A small but ok choir.
Christmas Day we scattered. Mum was working so went of early. Dad and David went of to the Cathedral for the 9:15 and to ring and I (borrowing mum's bike) cycled into town to Dewi Sant to be Welsh. Small congregation there but it was a good service. High side of middle. Meurig trained at Westcott! I'm sure that the singing was better than it would have been with that number of English speakers! Having left last, I got home first and continued peeling sprouts. Dad's family (well except for his little sister and husband due to her being ill) came over later in the afternoon and we had Christmas Dinner in the evening, with 14 in attendence. It was good, but I felt strangely detached.
St Stephen's Day, we went as a family to the Cathedral which was having a 10am Eucharist (instead of the 8am, 9:15 and 11:15 Eucharists). Dad, David and I rang beforehand and got down during the first hymn. The chairs in the nave provide a good argument for pews as they're wooden and strapped together with bars of wood and they're too close together for comfort. My other memory is that, having celebrated at the Nave Altar, the Sacred Ministers walked up to the High Altar (carrying Our Lord) during the words of the prayer of Humble Access (Lord, we are not worthy to come to this thy table) which seemed really bizarre. One of my arguments against having a nave altar and a High Altar in line of sight is that there is a tendency for it to appear that the High Altar is 'too holy' for us to use. That use of the prayer really added to that.
Then I got up early for St John the Evangelist and walked to the Cathedral. Arriving slightly late, I saw mum there before me (even though she'd not been up when I left!) I ended up kneeling at the back without a book. Luckily, I could get through the Green Book better than I thought I could and someone passed me a book on the way back from Communion (which was just as well as we used teh option we never used in Aber). Last year, I worried my parents on that day by having got up and gone out without telling them. Actually I left a note, but not obviously enough!
Mum was working on the Tuesday (the feast of the Holy Innocents) and I cycled into town to go to Dewi Sant. First time, I'd been into their Lady Chapel. I talked to Fr Meurig and a woman whose name I've forgotten afterwards and they invited me to their service for Epiphany which was also his leaving service. I was glad of this as I was looking for somewhere in Cardiff which knew when the Epiphany is.
On the Wednesday, I went with mum to the strange Wednesday evening Communion at the Cathedral. This uses an experimental liturgy by which I am not convinced. On the Thursday, it was supposedly 'bilingual' but we were in the Lady Chapel which doesn't have billingual books so all the Welsh we got was 'Tangnefedd yr Arglwydd' which was repeated in English (The Peace of the Lord) (and I was the only who responded in Welsh) and a paragraph of the Eucharistic Prayer. We'd had more than that on the Sunday! I did also attempt to say the Lord's Prayer in Welsh but it's difficult against the English.
On the Sunday, in order to avoid anticipations of the Epiphany and because I wanted to go to a Convenant Service, I went to Llandaf North Methodist Church. I realised after I left that I'd not checked the map and so was operating on memories a year before. I did find it (and with only one mistake). I love the Covenant service, but I do wonder what is so difficult to understand about the rubric that it 'is to be used in full'. After the opening prayers, in place of the collect, we had a mini-sermon, I suppose it might have been called a children's address. The content was good enough and the point about New Year's Resolutions not being an impossible task to set ourselves but something to help us become who we want to be and the Covenant Prayer not being about saying we've acheived this but that we want to was good. However, this meant it'd taken us half an hour to get through the first page, so we then skipped all but the Gospel reading (and so missing the readings from teh Law, the Prophets and the Epistles). The sermon was ok, although I can't remember a thing about it. The Covenant itself was powerful as ever (even in the watered down modern version). For some reason, Andrew ended the intercessions with the Lord's prayer not the one given to end them (we did at least omit the Lord's Prayer when we got to it later).
That evening, I went to Dewi Sant for 'Gosber Gorawl'. Seeing a priest in Cassock, Surplice, hood, scarf and bands was great. The sermon was preached by an Ordinand from St Michael's (in Cassock, surplice and hood which I later identified as BA Cymru). I was invited through for a `Paned' (a cuppa) and for the second time in just over a month realised tea is drinkable.
On the Eve of the Epiphany, Mum and I went to the Cathedral which was good enough.
The following evening, I headed of to Dewi Sant for what turned out to be a wonderful service. It was a slightly odd combination, a fact upon which Meurig remarked at the start of his sermon: It is usual to have a Mass to celebrate the Epiphany and to have one when the vicar is leaving, but combining the two is difficult. He did very well. In his sermon (which I can't remember as well as I'd like too) he drew on things which the bishop had said at his induction 5 years early. The first was about preaching the word and he had a great line that even though he was stood up there in silly clothes (i.e. vestments), he was still enough of a Welshman to value good biblical preaching. The second was about the sacraments and liturgy and included an impassioned defence of liturgy. It was what enabled him to worship and had kept him in the Church and he bemoaned the lack of places which did it well. The Church's year was also mentioned. I can't now remember the other point. The choir sang well and we have teenage girls serving (1 as crucifer, 2 as torchbearers and 1 to carry the gospel book). It would have been helpful had the torchbearers been acolytes and helped at the offertory but they didn't. Afterwards there was a good bunfight (with no quiche!) and then entertainment. In some ways, it was odd to be there on such a parish occasion having only been 5 times before but it was lovely. I get the impression that the Church has gone up the candle under Meurig and that the Church has grown (from a base of old people I think) that people appreciate the liturgy done well and there were positive comments about the keeping of Holy Week. I wonder what will happen now. Meurig was made Archdeacon of Bangor today (which promoted people to remark that the Bishop of Bangor was not a rugby fan!) so I wish him well in that job and pray for the future of Dewi Sant, Caerdydd.
That weekend, I visted Mark and we spent Sunday wondering round Bath. On the Sunday we returned to All Saints' Wraxhall who still can't sing but are welcoming (almost a bit much). I'm sure Mark was the only singing the 'not-quite Gloria' to the tune of Angels from the realms of glory. He reckons the organist doesn't play loudly enough to support them. I didn't sing much as I'd just come down with the cold which robbed me of much of January.
And so forward to Wednesday to Candlemas. 40 days from Christmas and a hinge to Easter. It was an amazing service. I'd gone from the Graduate Presentations (which had gone well and I think I managed to acquit myself ok as respondent to Geraldine) and hadn't really been expecting anything, but it was a wonderful service. The Church was beautiful with candles on the window sills. I was transported in some way. I'm not sure I can put it into words though. Then Cava in the parish room followed by a meal at the Sala Thong.
Certainly a good Christmas and Epiphanytide.
On Christmas Eve, we went into the prison for their carol service where my mum had volunteered my services on the flute. It was a good service. A sermon which talked about (and illustrated) the true scent of Christmas.
For Midnight Mass we went to Llanishen where my second cousin once removed is vicar (which my dad had learnt at a ringing event). Dad didn't think they'd be ringing so we didn't get there in time to join in even though they were. It was an okay service. Reasonably full. Slightly high of Middle in Churchmanship. I genuflected in the Creed. A small but ok choir.
Christmas Day we scattered. Mum was working so went of early. Dad and David went of to the Cathedral for the 9:15 and to ring and I (borrowing mum's bike) cycled into town to Dewi Sant to be Welsh. Small congregation there but it was a good service. High side of middle. Meurig trained at Westcott! I'm sure that the singing was better than it would have been with that number of English speakers! Having left last, I got home first and continued peeling sprouts. Dad's family (well except for his little sister and husband due to her being ill) came over later in the afternoon and we had Christmas Dinner in the evening, with 14 in attendence. It was good, but I felt strangely detached.
St Stephen's Day, we went as a family to the Cathedral which was having a 10am Eucharist (instead of the 8am, 9:15 and 11:15 Eucharists). Dad, David and I rang beforehand and got down during the first hymn. The chairs in the nave provide a good argument for pews as they're wooden and strapped together with bars of wood and they're too close together for comfort. My other memory is that, having celebrated at the Nave Altar, the Sacred Ministers walked up to the High Altar (carrying Our Lord) during the words of the prayer of Humble Access (Lord, we are not worthy to come to this thy table) which seemed really bizarre. One of my arguments against having a nave altar and a High Altar in line of sight is that there is a tendency for it to appear that the High Altar is 'too holy' for us to use. That use of the prayer really added to that.
Then I got up early for St John the Evangelist and walked to the Cathedral. Arriving slightly late, I saw mum there before me (even though she'd not been up when I left!) I ended up kneeling at the back without a book. Luckily, I could get through the Green Book better than I thought I could and someone passed me a book on the way back from Communion (which was just as well as we used teh option we never used in Aber). Last year, I worried my parents on that day by having got up and gone out without telling them. Actually I left a note, but not obviously enough!
Mum was working on the Tuesday (the feast of the Holy Innocents) and I cycled into town to go to Dewi Sant. First time, I'd been into their Lady Chapel. I talked to Fr Meurig and a woman whose name I've forgotten afterwards and they invited me to their service for Epiphany which was also his leaving service. I was glad of this as I was looking for somewhere in Cardiff which knew when the Epiphany is.
On the Wednesday, I went with mum to the strange Wednesday evening Communion at the Cathedral. This uses an experimental liturgy by which I am not convinced. On the Thursday, it was supposedly 'bilingual' but we were in the Lady Chapel which doesn't have billingual books so all the Welsh we got was 'Tangnefedd yr Arglwydd' which was repeated in English (The Peace of the Lord) (and I was the only who responded in Welsh) and a paragraph of the Eucharistic Prayer. We'd had more than that on the Sunday! I did also attempt to say the Lord's Prayer in Welsh but it's difficult against the English.
On the Sunday, in order to avoid anticipations of the Epiphany and because I wanted to go to a Convenant Service, I went to Llandaf North Methodist Church. I realised after I left that I'd not checked the map and so was operating on memories a year before. I did find it (and with only one mistake). I love the Covenant service, but I do wonder what is so difficult to understand about the rubric that it 'is to be used in full'. After the opening prayers, in place of the collect, we had a mini-sermon, I suppose it might have been called a children's address. The content was good enough and the point about New Year's Resolutions not being an impossible task to set ourselves but something to help us become who we want to be and the Covenant Prayer not being about saying we've acheived this but that we want to was good. However, this meant it'd taken us half an hour to get through the first page, so we then skipped all but the Gospel reading (and so missing the readings from teh Law, the Prophets and the Epistles). The sermon was ok, although I can't remember a thing about it. The Covenant itself was powerful as ever (even in the watered down modern version). For some reason, Andrew ended the intercessions with the Lord's prayer not the one given to end them (we did at least omit the Lord's Prayer when we got to it later).
That evening, I went to Dewi Sant for 'Gosber Gorawl'. Seeing a priest in Cassock, Surplice, hood, scarf and bands was great. The sermon was preached by an Ordinand from St Michael's (in Cassock, surplice and hood which I later identified as BA Cymru). I was invited through for a `Paned' (a cuppa) and for the second time in just over a month realised tea is drinkable.
On the Eve of the Epiphany, Mum and I went to the Cathedral which was good enough.
The following evening, I headed of to Dewi Sant for what turned out to be a wonderful service. It was a slightly odd combination, a fact upon which Meurig remarked at the start of his sermon: It is usual to have a Mass to celebrate the Epiphany and to have one when the vicar is leaving, but combining the two is difficult. He did very well. In his sermon (which I can't remember as well as I'd like too) he drew on things which the bishop had said at his induction 5 years early. The first was about preaching the word and he had a great line that even though he was stood up there in silly clothes (i.e. vestments), he was still enough of a Welshman to value good biblical preaching. The second was about the sacraments and liturgy and included an impassioned defence of liturgy. It was what enabled him to worship and had kept him in the Church and he bemoaned the lack of places which did it well. The Church's year was also mentioned. I can't now remember the other point. The choir sang well and we have teenage girls serving (1 as crucifer, 2 as torchbearers and 1 to carry the gospel book). It would have been helpful had the torchbearers been acolytes and helped at the offertory but they didn't. Afterwards there was a good bunfight (with no quiche!) and then entertainment. In some ways, it was odd to be there on such a parish occasion having only been 5 times before but it was lovely. I get the impression that the Church has gone up the candle under Meurig and that the Church has grown (from a base of old people I think) that people appreciate the liturgy done well and there were positive comments about the keeping of Holy Week. I wonder what will happen now. Meurig was made Archdeacon of Bangor today (which promoted people to remark that the Bishop of Bangor was not a rugby fan!) so I wish him well in that job and pray for the future of Dewi Sant, Caerdydd.
That weekend, I visted Mark and we spent Sunday wondering round Bath. On the Sunday we returned to All Saints' Wraxhall who still can't sing but are welcoming (almost a bit much). I'm sure Mark was the only singing the 'not-quite Gloria' to the tune of Angels from the realms of glory. He reckons the organist doesn't play loudly enough to support them. I didn't sing much as I'd just come down with the cold which robbed me of much of January.
And so forward to Wednesday to Candlemas. 40 days from Christmas and a hinge to Easter. It was an amazing service. I'd gone from the Graduate Presentations (which had gone well and I think I managed to acquit myself ok as respondent to Geraldine) and hadn't really been expecting anything, but it was a wonderful service. The Church was beautiful with candles on the window sills. I was transported in some way. I'm not sure I can put it into words though. Then Cava in the parish room followed by a meal at the Sala Thong.
Certainly a good Christmas and Epiphanytide.