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I remember only two things from my liturgy classes from my training. I learned a lot more from our liturgical formation as ordinands, and I think that is generally what was intended at the time. However, the two things that I remember from the classes were both things that Fr Ian P said. Firstly, he…

The local Amnesty International group meets in St Mary’s every Thursday evening. Last night was the first chance that I have had to pop in and say hello since I arrived in St Mary’s last year. It was good to see the group alive and well. Letter writing campaigns were in full swing and several…

The very idea of “Sundays before Lent” is an abomination before the Lord. Lent is plenty long enough. The C of E has multiple Sundays before Lent in its most recent Calendar. Today, we were caught out in the office by it. The trouble is, people who prepare “worship resources” devise their offerings according to…

Having dealt with footwear, I fear we must address hats. This question will take us in a sentence or two to Nigeria and back, but fear not, we will not be diving too deeply into the waters of controversy. I hope. Fr Gadgetvicar has been preaching on 1 Corinthians 11, which has the stuff in…

Good vestry meeting tonight. There are always hard decisions and so much that everyone wants to be able to say. We managed to finish within 2 hours, just. People often say funny things in Vestry meetings. The all-time funniest exchange that I ever remember went: Me: So, how many hoovers do we have then. Response:…

There is a press release on the Primates’ Meeting in Tanzania on the Anglican Communion website. It contains this: “This is the first time an Archbishop of York will officially attend a Primates Meeting. Canon Kearon said, “It is the hope that the presence of Dr Sentamu will allow more discussion of church life in…

Thanks to all who made the singing evening such a success on Thursday. We had to bring in chairs to accommodate the people, who turned up from all local churches imaginable. Two hours of new church music later, a very happy crowd went off into the night. All credit to the local ACTS (Action for…

There is a unique event tonight in St Mary’s Cathedral. It is an ecumenically organised event showcasing some new church music both choral and congregational. Two musicians join us to animate this event, both of whom work locally and on a world stage. John Bell will be working with a scratch choir and aiding the…

A quick roundup of news on the shoe question. Eileen the Episcopali-fem has posted a glorious gallery of footwear which might, or hopefully in some cases might not, be seen in the sanctuary. Madpriest thinks it is all a question of context. Tim, over in Canada has posted a pic of the most glorious liturgical…

The news is full this morning of the story that a prominent cleric has written to the government threatening to close adoption agencies if the government proceeds with its perverse idea that everyone in the UK should be treated equally. So, unless the government does what he wants, he will take actions which will cause…