Mike's musings

BCP

Today, I took two BCP services - my second and third ever - in two churches I'd never visited before (and which took some finding, as it happened): Belchamp Walter and Foxearth. Two more different churches you'd struggle to find. The first has possibly the best acoustics I've ever come across in a parish church, and the most beautiful wall paintings: the one of the nursing Virgin is stunning, and I'll try to post a photo of it soon. The second is a classic Victorian Tractarian church, with wall paintings in a classic neo-gothic style, a Father Willis organ, and six candles on the altar.

The main thing they had in common was that both had altars against the east wall, which meant that for the first time, I had to celebrate facing away from the congregation, which I found very odd. I need to spend some time thinking about this, and also talking to John, my boss, but I made the decision to say only the actual prayer of consecration facing east, and to face west (and the congregation) for the rest of it. I also elevated the host for the Fraction: something I also need to think about, but which felt right.

Afterwards, we headed out for a Chinese meal with the girls, and then to a doom-laden Sainsbury's trip which was so awful that it was actually funny. And then we got back and said the girls could play outside. And Miri fell in the paddling pool. Through the ice. Jo did a great job: told her to get out (possibly helped her, I don't know), told her to hop up and down to warm up (huh?), and then came to get one of us, and Miri was absolutely fine (stripped off and in a shower immediately), but a great end to a slightly hysterical day.

Moo's done great tidying and cleaning, and I've mainly been in charge of the girls, but a big thanks to Moo.

Labels: eucharist