For St Casserole

Sherry, and everyone else in Gustav's path.

When I was training, I had a wonderful placement in our Cathedral City's most multi-cultural parish, - where the core of the congregation were Afro Carribean, with an overlay of Iraqi Christians and some original white British too...I loved every second of my time there, the company of the vicar (who seemed gifted with perpetual youth and endless enthusiasm, despite being just a year away from his retirement at the time), the way he stopped before any and every event to make space and time for prayer, his motto for the parish
"We try to love God and love people and see what happens"...

I adored it all, though the happily chaotic liturgy was well outside my comfort zone.
Most weeks, worship ended with one of two choruses, sung as blessings.
When my placement ended, they gave me a wonderful basket of flowers, and a card signed by all and indeed sundry, and then sang me their favourite one again.
I've been singing it for my dear friend St Casserole, her people, her neigbours and all the residents of that wonderful area of the USA that I visited and fell in love with earlier this year.

May the love of the Lord Christ go with you
Wherever he may send you
May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you from the storm
May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you
May he bring you home rejoicing once again within your doors

I feel too far away tonight, and very very helpless - but I can at least pray, while wearing the earrings St C gave to me during the RevGalsBigEvent...The idea is that whenever I catch sight of myself, or an earring snags on my jumper, I'll remember to pray...Truly, tonight I don't need reminding.