What a wonderful Easter Sunday at the Gathering Place - full to overflowing (we had a full row of people on the 'upper deck' and a debate as to whether those were the cheap or expensive seats!), full of colour, full of music, full of laughter and full of love. Woo hoo! A great celebration of Resurrection.
Here is the table set for breakfast. We feasted on bacon rolls (or vegan alternatives), assorted cheeses and preserves. Then we remembered the story behind the gathering, the meal in the upper room, and we shared in a simple communion.
Around twenty of us at 8:30 on a Sunday morning, sharing laughter and food, sharing a moment of holy remembering.
It was good.
Then at 11 we began our all age act of celebration worship. Our African students arrived resplendent in national dress. A number of visitors found their way into our midst. We had an almost complete contingent of children (I think only three away) the perverse benefit of those school systems that have moved to standardised terms. We had a trumpeter, a cellist a clarinetist and an African drummer (player of African drums, who happened to be African).
We thought about Easter customs, we heard the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar, we played 'spot the difference', we heard the story of Mary coming to the garden (from John 20) and then whilst the children created the most amazing butterly collage, the adults pondered Easter sees everything 'the same but different.' After a rousing rendition of 'Thine be the Glory' (proper words edition!) and some piano music we were treated to some spontaneous African drumming in celebration of resurrection.
Truly a day of blessing for me.
