• 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…)

6 responses to “Animal Blessing Video”

  1. Stewart Avatar

    Given the rain this morning, Gwyneth’s image of the ark was particularly apt.

  2. Julie Avatar
    Julie

    TAPADH LEIBH to Provost Kelvin from Auchy cat…….I am truly a Scottish Episcopalian cat now.

  3. Lindsay Avatar
    Lindsay

    Gorgeous!

  4. Ruth Avatar
    Ruth

    Thanks everyone, it was a lovely service and a really enjoyable occasion – Opal would have explored happily all day. Sorry about the dirty pawmarks on the prayer table though!

  5. PamB Avatar
    PamB

    Julie – surely all cats are Scottish Episcopalian? Dignified, mysterious, of looong heritage, and with wonderful music ( oh, wait a minute……)

  6. Julie Avatar
    Julie

    Completely correct, PamB.

    A h-uile la sona dhuibh ‘s gun la idir dona dhuibh!

    (May all your days be happy ones)

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