Category: Miscellany
Digital nativity
I’m always interested when people come up with new ways of presenting the gospel story. I was particularly intrigued, therefore, when I came across this ‘Digital Nativity’, which someone has put together for an age when so many people rely upon the internet for their communication. I thought it was rather good, though it might not be to everyone’s taste. I’d be interested to know what people think. It’s best watched full screen.
Liturgical dance Take Two
Posting the Youtube video of the acrobats at the Vatican brought to mind a Youtube video that a member of our congregation directed me to some time ago. It’s the entry procession at a wedding. I’m still waiting for a wedding couple to ask to do this at Saint John’s. It would be really cool, just as long as I didn’t have to join in.
Christmas services
Christmas services at Saint John’s, weather permitting, are:
- Sunday 19th: Nine lessons and carols at 6pm
- Christmas Eve: Crib service at 5pm, Midnight Mass at 11.30pm
- Christmas Day: 8am communion (BCP) and 10am Family communion
- St Stephen (26th): 10am Family communion
- St John (27th): 10am communion for the feast of our patron saint.
I have deliberately not called Sunday 26th Boxing Day. I did so in a previous post but a letter to the Church Times complained that Westminster Abbey had called the Sunday after Christmas Boxing Day. I’m not sure I agree with the correspondent. I think that the Boxing Day bank holiday is on Monday, but that Sunday is still most definitely Boxing Day. Though I stand to be corrected if you know better.
Liturgical dance – of a sort
Liturgical dance is one thing. Liturgical acrobatics at the Vatican is something else. I’m still not sure what I think about this. Neither, by the look on his face, is the Holy Father, but the nuns seem to like it.
The Hairy Fairy
From 9.30am on Tuesday 7th December Richard Holloway, a member of our church, began his challenge dressed as a giant hairy fairy by attempting to stay on a platform (8’x8′) for up to a full week at Knights Ivy Mill Garden Centre, Godstone to raise funds for St Catherine’s Hospice. The challenge will end as soon as he descends from the platform for whatever reason. If you would like to support Richard’s challenge you can make a donation online at www.justgiving.com/hairyfairychallenge, direct to St Catherine’s Hospice Tel: (Fundraising Dept.) 01293 447376 or via collection tins at Knights Ivy Mill Garden Centre. The entire challenge, which can be seen on webcam, can be followed here. You will see from the picture that he has a small cabin on his platform. Unfortunately the chemical toilet Richard has been given wouldn’t fit in, so he can only use it when the Garden Centre is closed, and just in case you were wondering he covers up the webcam at appropriate moments! I’ve told Richard he must be completely mad – please give him your support by making a donation!
Rescue mission!
We may well be snowed in at the vicarage, but the curate I live with and I are now feeling suitably pleased with ourselves as we have just been out (and, yes, it’s snowing again) and mounted a rescue mission. The bird table had about 8 or 9 inches of snow on the roof and our local magpies and collared doves couldn’t land. I had to re-dig the path that I dug yesterday to bring new emergency supplies and fresh water and to clear the roof. The nuts that I completely replenished yesterday were half gone – we have never seen so many tits queuing up for food.
It’s all very well having a nice new vicarage in a brand new cul-de-sac but it has its drawbacks! There’s a lot of snow out there, this part of Surrey being one of the worst affected areas in the current snowy conditions, and with only two houses occupied so far that means an awful lot of digging to get out to Crescent Road, let alone the main road. 
Today is the feast day of 
View from the Valley 