Advent Sunday passed in a whirl of activity, which was nearly all good.The irony did not escape me when I picked up my wrist watch having been woken by the alarm on my phone yesterday morning, to discover that the battery had died. My theme for the "Thought for the day" at 8.00 (borrowed with grateful thanks from Anne le Bas)
"You know what time it is".
Well, maybe not after all - and I certainly failed miserably to answer the challenge I invited the congregation to share, of spending just 2 minutes each day with an open agenda for God, asking Him to direct how best to use the time.My diary was far too full for such indulgences!
However, despite this, there were many God-moments in the course of the busy day. Chief among them were the sheer shiney-ness of the children (far brighter than the candles) at the Christingle service, the beauty of the choir's singing during the Advent Carol service and, as always, the throat-catching moment at the beginning of the service when clergy and servers wait in darkness at the west end of the pitch-black church and gradually the young people of Koinonia, whom I love so much, bring us the light while the choir sing "Sleepers Wake".
Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light,
now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility;
that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to life immortal;
through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility;
that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to life immortal;
through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. Amen.
wow. that sounds like powerful liturgy.
ReplyDeleteI'm with more cows. This is the time of year when I hunger to be part of a more liturgical tradition.
ReplyDeleteironic indeed ... but if we can't give God two minutes at the beginning of each day ... sigh ... what on earth are all of us playing at? (And I stand among the accused in this ... when you think about it - who do I think I am to try to manage my day my way instead of asking His plans and waiting on Him
ReplyDeleteEcc 3 there is a time for everything - maybe we should read that there is time for everything He actually calls us to do
No criticism of you here - but wow - have you made me think this afternoon
hugs xx
Oooohhh tingles! Sounds so very beautiful.
ReplyDelete