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Chelmsford, Essex, United Kingdom
The occasional blog of an Anglican priest in rural Essex

Thursday 22 April 2010

The Equaliser

If you like sport, especially football (and Edward Woodward) you might like this The Equaliser

Friday 2 April 2010

Good Friday walk 2010

A much smaller body of pilgrims this year (due to adverse weather) began the day at St James Great Saling with refreshingly original reflections on the arrest of of Jesus and Peter's denial, before moving off to St Peter and St Paul Little (Bardfield) Saling for some excellent readings, reflections and poetry (by Carol Anne Duffy) imaginatively bringing to life the relationship between Christ and Pilate's wife, and Pontius Pilate himself.

Then, with some additional late risers we set out for St Mary's Stebbing, where there was a break for lunch and some liquid worship involving handprints in sand, a reminder of our baptism in to Christ's death, and some opportunities to lay our burdens at the foot of the cross. This was most effectively achieved by the placing of stones (picked up on the way or gleaned at the last minute from the churchyard) in a cairn befroe the cross, which we did in silence listening to "Jesus Remember me".

The highlight of that service though was an av presentation using images and music to express the need for salvation for the world, and the wonder of God's gift of the cross.
I wish I could share it with you but there are myriad copyright issues!
Instead you'll have to imagine it; you are looking at pictures of human suffering, war, terrorism and sin, listening to this. Then the images change to those of the passion and crucufixion of Jesus, and hte music changes to this.  I mean it was my idea, but it still reduced me to tears. I am very gratful to our av guru Richard for his hard work.

After that we set off in deteriorating weather conditions towards St Mary's Lindsell, where after rain and sleet and wind, we hled a service of an hour at the cross with more inventive and original reflections on the death of Christ.

Afterwards there were hot cross buns and hot drinks, most welcome!

Thursday 1 April 2010

A Facebook Passion

I almost broke my fast to post this directly on Facebook - just hoping enough people bother to read this when it posts there automatically.

check this out for a different take on Easter

h/t dmk

Maundy Thursday Chrism Eucharist

This is a rare thing - I don't usually get to take photos at church! This was the assembly of readers deacons priests and bishops outside the Cathedral following the service, in which vows of ministry and service are renewed and oil for anointing is blessed (and distributed - one of my containers leaked so there is a trip to the dry cleaners scheduled for next week!)

The service was great as usual and I enjoyed a bit of networking before and after. Facebook friends will be tagged on Sunday

Happy Easter!
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