Sanctuary Tiles and How Not To Behave In Church

Remember on Thursday I said that the new encaustic tiles in the Sanctuary had finished being laid?
Aren't they wonderful? Each colour is a different tile.

Today's Gospel reading was Luke Ch 4 v 1-13 and the Dean spoke about the purpose for Lent, based on Luke. He said we should be looking at the effectiveness of our witness for God and also be willing to lean more on God for strength.

Firstly, the Holy Spirit can only fill the space we give it, so if unGodly things are cluttering up spiritual space then some Spring-cleaning is required. The purpose should be to get rid of anything in us which is taking up space that the Holy Spirit could be using, otherwise we will be running on half empty tanks!

Secondly, we do not do this journey alone. The Church and our fellow Christians are there to help, encourage, and to be helped and encouraged. We need to commit to walking together and not all doing our own thing and hoping for the best.

The first point about the holy Spirit's space struck home with me particularly- clearing of clutter is definitely on the agenda for this week!


There was a Baptism during the Service, and since the Font is at the back of the Church, everyone turned round to face the opposite way to share the event. As a result the two children sitting beside the organ were then in front of me, so when the Dean was sloshing water over the baby's head and was hidden behind everyone I lent forward and whispered to S and I; 'This is when the Dean takes the baby by his feet and holds him upside down over the font to dunk him like a chocolate biscuit. He did the same to you when you were baptised.'
They started giggling and their Granny turned round to hiss at them, saw it was me, rolled her eyes and gave up! (Their Granny was my Sunday School teacher when I was their age and still tries to keep me in line...fails miserably but not for the want of trying!)

Thankful Thursday and a Funny Story

My! Don't Thursday's come around fast!

1. After yesterday's grizzle, just look what we got up to today!

Blazing sunshine, blue sky, and scarcely a cloud in sight! Oh THANK YOU LORD!

2. Here we have a 22 year old sewing machine (ignore the mess please, its not part of the Thankful) which has been in use almost every day of its life.

Mom brought it out to East Africa as a Wedding present for us, and promptly set it up on the dining table and made my wedding dress! (Well she made her own, and her bridesmaids' dresses so why stop at that?)

Thankful for this machine and the employment it gives me- to occupy me, to save money (as in clothes and curtain making), to earn something (as in sewing for other folks), to make friends (as in quilting circles and household mending for people); its been bumped and bashed halfway round the world and back, and I haven't arrived in a new home until it is set up!

3. Behold! An equally battered piano! Although this is not my original piano, we bought it soon after we arrived in 2000 and it has done trusty service albeit rather tuneless at times. (please excuse the black tail, Ben thought I was photographing him!)My two Grandmothers gave us Wedding money which was used for the first piano as I was teaching Music at the time, and to be able to do so from home was a financial asset, but in 2000 we sold that piano to pay for our air fares to move back to Ireland.
Thankful that I can sit down and play any time I want or need to; for me, playing the piano has always been a safety valve!

4. I know you have met these two lunatics many times before!
Caption:

Bertie, 'Why the heck won't she open the door? Its freezing out here!'

Ben, 'Photo op, bro, keep your fur on!'
Thankful for these two, their attention, nosiness, and especially their 'new-every-morning' attitude to life!

5. And after the long day that's invariably in it-
...my comfortable African bed!

Those are my regular, un-Godly, material, non-essential, everyday Thankfuls, all else is transitory!

Funny Story

As you'll know, yesterday was Ash Wednesday and as it happened, I was playing for the Evening Service. We had a clergyman who comes to us once every three weeks to help our rector, so although folk enjoy his preaching (good solid Bible based), as yet he doesn't really know us and our congregational idiosyncrasies...(this is relevant to the amusement factor!)

Last night, after the Penitential Service of Holy Communion, whilst I was playing the Recessional Voluntary, I watched the congregation file down the aisle to the porch, shake hands with and thank the Canon, then loop back and file solemnly back UP the aisle to the sanctuary...I don't think the Canon realised as he was busy greeting, and the look on his face when he came through the porch doors and saw most of the congregation on their knees by the altar rail was PRICELESS!

(The Altar is in the Chancel at present.)

Well the reason for it all is this: some years ago the vault under the Sanctuary pushed up and destroyed the floor. Now the vault is repaired, the floor replaced, and over the past five weeks a craftsman has been laying a new 'encaustic' tiled floor. Last night it was complete except for the grouting and it is simply a work of art...hence the viewing from hands and knees at the altar rail!!!!

(I'll try remember to take a photo on Sunday for you!)