Up early this morning to drive to Ely and celebrate the eight and ten o'clock Eucharists. The Norwegian massacre has been much on my mind, so I preached about it, and how Christians fully engaged in building community and caring for others could contribute to overcoming the tendency to violence. It is so much part of human culture almost everywhere now, that we hardly notice it.
How difficult it is for anyone to get alongside someone with repulsive opinions and behaviour to show them another better way. We hardly know where to start. In this tolerant laissez faire world, it's all too easy to avoid challenging the unacceptable, with the excuse that 'everyone's entitled to their opinion and their own way of doing things' - but surely not if it means harming others? Yet, harm is so often what happens. Overnight, news came in of a gunman in Texas killed four and injured three before killing himself in an altercation at a birthday party.
This afternoon I presided at Solemn Evensong and Benediction at St German's for the first time. I was glad of the support of the assisting ministers as it's nearly a decade since I was last called upon to do this, and I needed reminding. I'll be officiating at Benediction weekly over the next couple of months, as one of the duties I've taken on during the Parish interregnum.
Archbishop Barry was there to celebrate the morning Eucharist, during which there was an unexpected infant baptism. Believing they'd made a firm arrangement when they'd previously visited to enquire, a family just turned up for the service ready with their baby decked in christening robe. They were welcomed, made to feel at home. The surprise was taken in its stride by all, and recalled with a confident smile. Despite the semblance of formality in the ritual at St German's, they are in reality relaxed, flexible, ready to respond - a result of having to think a lot about what they do and why they do it.
How difficult it is for anyone to get alongside someone with repulsive opinions and behaviour to show them another better way. We hardly know where to start. In this tolerant laissez faire world, it's all too easy to avoid challenging the unacceptable, with the excuse that 'everyone's entitled to their opinion and their own way of doing things' - but surely not if it means harming others? Yet, harm is so often what happens. Overnight, news came in of a gunman in Texas killed four and injured three before killing himself in an altercation at a birthday party.
This afternoon I presided at Solemn Evensong and Benediction at St German's for the first time. I was glad of the support of the assisting ministers as it's nearly a decade since I was last called upon to do this, and I needed reminding. I'll be officiating at Benediction weekly over the next couple of months, as one of the duties I've taken on during the Parish interregnum.
Archbishop Barry was there to celebrate the morning Eucharist, during which there was an unexpected infant baptism. Believing they'd made a firm arrangement when they'd previously visited to enquire, a family just turned up for the service ready with their baby decked in christening robe. They were welcomed, made to feel at home. The surprise was taken in its stride by all, and recalled with a confident smile. Despite the semblance of formality in the ritual at St German's, they are in reality relaxed, flexible, ready to respond - a result of having to think a lot about what they do and why they do it.
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