(For anyone carefully counting, this is the fifth reflection, but as the fourth was on the Home Communion not a service, I've renumbered!)

It continues to be a pleasure to listen to the podcasts of services at the Gathering Place, providing a sense of connectedness even if running a week behind!  The service from last Sunday, which I listened to this morning was another I really appreciated.  It was also one that took my thoughts in directions less about the sermon (sorry M!) and more about factors that are worth considering for future worship leading in the light of my experience today.

First, though, some thoughts on the sermon.  I liked the way the sermon made connections between two very different stories from the life of Jesus - the Presentation in the Temple (technically the Candlemas gospel reading) and the Transfiguration (traditionally the one just before Lent). 

The implied question of "who is this Jesus" was explored in the light of the reactions of the witnesses in each case, with time allowed for the congregation to ponder for themselves their own response to the question. 

There was skillful link noting the potential 'Law and Prophets' motif evidenced in each event.  I say 'potential' not because I don't think it is discernible, but because I would make it on a different basis from the preacher.  During the sermon, reference was made to Simeon being a priest, and my immediate reaction was "it doesn't say that!"  I checked.  It doesn't.  It refers to him as a righteous man.  However, a little bit of online research revealed that many people consider it 'implicit' in the narrative that he is the priest to whom Mary and  Joseph came with Jesus.  Certainly plausible but not proven and, forgive me, I'm not yet convinced... if, as I've always been told, Luke was a Gentile writing for Gentiles, then I think he would have named a priest as such rather than as a righteous man.  Even so, and even if Simeon was not a priest, he appears in the story at a point where the demands of the Law are being met - affirming that Jesus is a 'kosher' Jew if you like.  And that is important.  Simeon stands within that tradition and so, if only indirectly, may well represent the Law.  To set alongside each other Simeon & Anna and Moses & Elijah, and then Simeon & Anna and Peter, James & John was novel and clever... and merits some more pondering on my part.

But it wasn't the sermon that struck me this time, it was the difference it makes to be listening to the service via a podcast compared with being present in the Gathering Place.  And I don't mean the obvious things, such as that visual material does not and cannot 'translate', but things such as announcing the hymns.  Increasingly, I don't give out hymn numbers, or at least not all of them, not because I like to project words on-screen but because it sometimes feels clumsy.  Yet, as I've listened to services, I've found it really helpful to known which book and what number, so that I can turn up the words if I don't know them.

The other thing that struck me was the Communion, and how dependent that can be on visual cues, as well as how odd it is to listen to it without actively participating.  Many moons ago there was a Sunday morning television broadcast that included communion-by-any-other-name and for which viewers were invited, if they wished, to join in by lighting a candle, eating some bread and drinking some wine/water/juice.  I think I should have thought of this, and prepared myself better!  Even so, because of slight differences in how Communion was shared (in terms of words) the cues on when to eat and when to drink were less clear than I am used to.  More food for thought!

So, today I learned something about Simeon - maybe! - that forty years of consitent church attendance have never before revealed.  And I learned some useful tips that will mean future services I lead might be more accessible when podcast.  Each of these seems equally valuable in its own way.

If nothing else, maybe this reflection may help to illustrate that there is no one 'right' message to take away from an act of worship!!