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…)

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6 responses to “10 10”

  1. PamB Avatar
    PamB

    Ahh, a pulley. I love my pulley – the authentic sound of the Scottish tenement is the screech of a laden pulley being hauled upwards. Connects me with my foremothers just like knitting with fore (sp. deliberate) needles does.
    BTW, did you know that the Norwegian for vacuum cleaner is stoorsooker (sp. conjectural)

    Reply
  2. David | Dah•veed Avatar
    David | Dah•veed

    So the condensing boiler, which I assume is to heat your home, also has instant hot water? Or how does that work?

    We have an old 100 L tank-style water heater, but I have been thinking of getting one of the new Japanese instant tankless heaters. They only work with natural gas or LP.

    Reply
    1. kelvin Avatar
      kelvin

      Yes – boiler uses gas, which is piped into the house, to heat water for radiators and (almost) instant hot water for taps too.

      I don’t know how it works. I’m just grateful.

      The graph above includes both gas and electricity.

      Reply
  3. ryan Avatar
    ryan

    Pulleys? I always assumed, perhaps unrealistically, that there’s some kind of centralised clerical dry cleaners, who take care of vestments, altar cloths,dog collars, liturgically-accurate black socks, etc etc 😉

    Reply
  4. chris Avatar
    chris

    Remember to remove the clean clothes before you cook anything smelly! What about a wee rope outside? Hang the washing out?

    Reply
  5. Zebadee Avatar
    Zebadee

    Your grandmothers and great grandmothers had a pulley. Why has it taken you so long to realise the benifits? It will also help you with the keep fit programme

    Reply

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