And I don't know whether to laugh or cry ...

h/t Mike Griffiths

Ready to let go of the steering wheel

Especially after 1100 miles of driving! We went to Scotland on Easter Day and returned last Sunday - a typical vicar's week off after the festival.

Above is a shot of Fingal's cave, on the Island of Staffa. We went there on a boat trip which also took in seals and puffins. We landed on Staffa and were able to walk into the cave, and hear the weird sound of the waves.

The weather was truly great - sunshine every day, so we were able to go on several long walks, crabbing trips and the like, as well as visiting the local farm to see newborn lambs (aaaah! etc).

It always takes me about 3 days of a holiday to switch off from work, but Easter, though busy, was all good - a total of 222 people in church over three services on Sunday which is over 10% of the population of the benefice (fair play to the statisticians, some were family visiting for Easter). Generally the events of Holy Week had gone down well and had not detracted from the appeal of coming on Sunday too, as I have observed in other parishes in the past. I'm an empty tomb preacher on Easter Sunday because I am a crucifixion preacher on Good Friday. Can't understand why people get hot under the collar about which is most important; you need both!

My first prize

Just back from a fab week in sunny Scotland (no irony!)

so loads of catching up to do. Will just take time to thank Rachel for my award!

see you later

...was Crucified for me

In this benefice we mark Good Friday with a walk across the benefice, tracing the passion narrative from Gethsemane to the tomb of Jesus in four acts of worship, one in each Church. this year we started at 9am at Lindsell, with a reflection on the arrest, from Matthew 26, then set off for Stebbing.

We arrived early at Stebbing, allowing time for people to take in the all-age
stations of the cross which will be in the church over the whole weekend. The
youth group had also installed and illuminated in red a 12 foot high wooden
cross which left one with a powerful impression. The worship centred on a
dramatisation of Matthew 27, ending with a children's DVD depicting the
soldiers' mockery. I then led the congregation in an active prayer, inviting
them to come and touch the cross and pray silently for those who suffer. After
the service we had a relaxed lunch in the sunny churchyard before setting off for

Great Saling.

At this point inthe procedings the timing went awry; even though we left Stebbing before the advertised time (and so some people missed us) we still arrived at Great Saling late and in dribs and drabs so several people missed the third service including me, as I was in the churchyard "looking for angels" with my 6 year old daughter. However, I am confident the service was based around a quiet meditation on the crucifixion, from Matthew, Luke and John. I was getting stressed about the timing cock-up, but then I reflected that on the first Maundy Thurday/Good Friday every moment was totally chaotic as Jesus went from the garden, to and from his trials, and to the cross. We read it as flowing smoothly in the gospel accounts but, other than a resolute Christ at the centre of the vortex, it must have been as if a hurricane hit the city. In any event, slightly late, we departed for the last leg of the journey to Little Saling

The two Salings are very close; it's only about a 25 minute walk, but for those who did all 12 miles the tea and hot cross buns were very welcome. The final service, focussing on Jesus' death and burial, was very moving, quietly reflective, and with some good hymns. I was left turning over a new thought in my mind. Did Joseph of Arimathea give up his family grave out of pure devotion to Christ, or because he was expecting him to rise? Was he one who actually got the message about "and I will rebuild it in 3 days" etc. He is always characterised as a secret believer and bracketed therefore with Nicodemus; did he actually understand that he wouldn't be giving up the family plot forever? Just a thought.

The weather had been fab all day, but as we left the church at the end of the final service the rain came. Given that last year the rain and wind were constant, freezing and horizontal most of the day, this was felt to be a good result!

So with the ransomed we ... (titter ye not)

Went to Chelmsford Cathedral today. Pretty good going - once in 2 years and now twice in a week! It was the Maundy Thursday Chrism Eucharist and renewal of ministerial vows. Since Bishop John of Chelmsford is retiring in August, this was his last go, and so it was an emotional time for him. He preached on cheap grace vs free grace, since today is the anniversary of the execution of Dietrich Boenhoeffer.

This got me thinking a lot, especially about the difference between us knowing Christ and his knowing us. Bp John was right, I think, to put the emphasis on Christ knowing us, because this puts in counterpoint the way that lots of Christians and Churches put God in a box and make him be and do what they want, (Cheap grace) not what he wants (free grace).

I suppose I was watching out for this following the recent discussion at Elizaphanian (go to the comments section) about worship, plus also because of stuff going on here, but +John's words resonated for me; it's not that I don't believe in the importance of knowing Jesus personally, but I do think too many people regard worship as entertainment for them, rather than an offering to God. Yes, some worship can be crap, but the definition of that crapness (?word) is not merely based on whether or not I like it.

I for example have posted before about how I generally don't go in for Cathedral worship, and today was no exception, but because as I just said, it was John Galdwyn's last go, it was special. It was the only time I've ever agreed with people when they clapped the sermon (although that act in itself deconstructed the sermon by showing us all seeing it as entertainment for us!) In thinking about how we at Stebbing relate to the wider community there is a growing sense that our model of church is broken; we are stuck in the mindset that people are going to come to us and join in our fun (cheap grace), instead of looking to go out with the gospel and get involved where the rest of the community are (free grace, under God's inspiration and guidance). Watch this space for more on that as "Our Vision" develops.

You can take the boy out of Salisbury, but you can't take Salisbury out of the boy; a big highlight today was spotting Martin Court, who had followed me as curate in Blandford Forum, and is now the Vicar of St Chad's Chadwell Heath. He and I therefore both began our ministry in a place where Maundy Thursday was a three-line whip, write a grovelling letter to the bishop if you can't be there type service. This will explain to you why I haven't been for the last 2 years!
The service today was pretty much the same as back in the old country, but in a smaller and slightly less formal environment. Although I was a bit taken aback it was kind of nice, more real, to have the oil sitting on gopack tables in Ikea jugs and the bishop wearing a pink Madonna style mic on his ear/cheek. I also though it was great that there was the offer of prayer for healing and anointing with oil. It was a bit of a faff to queue for the oil but at least I met some new people along the way.

On another tack, here's a joke to liven up your (otherwise holy and devout of course) day

Knock Knock
Who's there?
I done up
I done up who?

I wondered what the smell was!