What a marathon yesterday turned out to be.
There were three excellent services and St Mary’s was on the go from 0700 until late, late into the night.
First off was the BBC broadcast. If you missed it, you can hear it again on the BBC website for seven days. You can also find links to the script and the Pathways to Prayer study materials here.
Having got a big crowd (over 100 in church and over a million in radio land) out for the early service I thought that the 1030 might be a bit subdued but it wasn’t. I’ll be posting something about our numbers rising sometime in the future. At the moment we are running at a rate of increase of 15% year on year. Indeed, I’m just off to a clergy day to discuss how we cope with rising numbers and sustain that growth.
I was off to the wedding show again in the afternoon and met a number of people who might be interested in a West End Wedding in St Mary’s. Did you know we are one of the few places in the west of Scotland where you can have a wedding with really good music and church bells? I do have to say that after two days at the Scottish Wedding Show being the public face of marriage in the Scottish Episcopal Church, it would not bother me if it was quite a while before I saw another wedding dress. There is something rather menacing about massed brides.
Back to base in the evening, where a huge choir had gathered to sing Bernard Porter’s choice of music at evensong as a way of marking his 80th. It was not so much St Mary’s choir as the Bernard Porter Choral Society and he had no idea who would be there. As it was, folk had flown in from the USA and come from all around the country to be there. Bernard was still partying with the choir long after I gave up at 2330. One lovely thing for me was being able to catch up with Gwyneth Leech who did the stunning murals in St Mary’s. I love them and it was a delight to walk around listening to her describe the process by which they were done.
Just to say the link to the BBC website is broken.
The Sunday morning service on R4 is my regular church for now and it was brilliant to find it was with you yesterday.
Loved the service and the music, as always, was wonderful.
Thanks for the comments – the link is fixed now.
Lovely to know that Bernard Porter is still about. One of the kindliest and most tolerant musicians this ex-tv producer ever worked with. He provided superb accompaniment to at least 4 major choral programmes, and an exuberant and beautifully played Voluntary in Holy Trinity, Ayr- in 1973. I can still hear it in my head.
Thanks, Kelvin for a happy reminder.
Just wanted to say how much I enjoyed listening to the service on BBC 4 on Sunday – meaty stuff with good quality music. Was pleasant listening when normally just want to reach for the ‘off’ button. But then I’m biased going to a SEC church myself with social justice and ecumenical concern at its centre and being a choral singer!
What a wonderful tribute to a real gentleman. Sang under him over 30 years ago at Diocesan Festivals. Minimum criticism and maximum praise seemed to be his maxim…. something we could all use as a way of life.
Interesting review of Sunday morning here:
http://irenelancaster.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/02/the-bbcs-even-h.html
from the increasingly fantasy driven adviser on Jewish theology to the Archbishop of Canterbury!
Yes! I’m over in Vermont USA. Ain’t internet grand? It was to listen to the internet broadcast on R4. Thanks.
So sorry I missed “BJ’s” do! I remember traipsing round Scotland with him and the choir, singing in all seven main cathedrals in 18 hours! Boy did we have stamina then!
Hi, Tom! Glad to see that you haven’t changed. The fantasy is, as ever, all in your head! Although I’d be very pleased to take on this auspicious role at Lambeth Palace, as far as I know they have no plans to take on such a person as you suggest – for the present at least. All a figment of the imagination, then!!
I’m also terribly sad to have to inform you that I’ve just been invited to talk on the subject of my blog (to which you’ve kindly directed bloggers) at one of Britain’s most distinguished universities in the next few days (alas, not in Scotland, although I have lectured before now at Edinburgh).