What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • Sermon preached on 4 August 2013

    I used to work in a church with murals. Well one mural. It wasn’t this church and it wasn’t these glorious murals. It was somewhere else entirely.

    (By which I mean Edinburgh).

    Throughout the late fifties, the sixties and early seventies, a sustained period of liturgical reform had happened. The altar had been pulled away from the wall. The priest now faced the people. The peace was shared and communion started to happen every Sunday. Those of you who have been around for a bit might remember that story from all kinds of contexts. Those who are new to Episcopal worship might be surprised to learn that how we do things is not in fact as old as the hills at all.

    Anyway, these liturgical reforms in this church had left a big space to fill. Somewhere along the way, the East Window had been bricked up and whitewashed over and now there was a giant wall to fill.

    And, of course, just as we can be sure that someone was heartily trying to encourage the congregation to sing Kum By Yah. so, inevitably, someone got to paint a mural.

    Unlike Gwyneth Leech’s paintings, which surround me here in this church. this was a rather less successful piece. (more…)

    , ,

One response to “Love your enemies”

  1. Father Ron Smith Avatar
    Father Ron Smith

    Thank you, Far. Kelvin. Jesus does indeed challenge all of us on this theme – loving our enemies. It is one of the most difficult things to do – especially when one is persecuted for their received innate sexuality. You Scottish Episcopalians – together with your North American cousins in TEC – have helped our worldwide Anglican Communion to understand the need for Inclusive Church – being aware that God loves everyone God has created.

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous Posts

  • Keeping the Feast

    I’m not at all sure that we really lived up to the Feast of Corpus Christi this morning. I was rushing around just before the service looking for bread and wine and wondering how on earth we were going to celebrate this particular feast day without them. I’ve a feeling that Thomas Aquinas who thought…

  • The Convent

    Enjoyed watching The Convent last night. [Reality show where 4 women go live in a convent for 40 days and 40 nights]. I know it can be a hard life in monastic orders, but obviously a satisfying one. Wish more people did it.My only regret was that the programme was not called Big Sister.

  • Photoblog started again – see here: photoblog.thurible.net

  • Sinjoro, malfermu niajn lipojn.

    You can have 5 points if you know what this is:                  Sinjoro, malfermu niajn lipojn.     Respondo. Kaj nia buŝo deklaros vian laŭdon.     Presbitero. Dio, rapidu nm sa vi.     Respondo. Sinjoro, ne prokrastu nin helpi.