A Skinny Fairtrade Latte in the Food Court of Life

Sending to Coventry

noreply@blogspirit.com (Catriona) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 08:05:00 +0000

Today my wrinklies are off to Coventry - one of my favourite places in the whole world, not that I've seen much of the whole world you understand, but I love spending time in the two cathedrals. My dad always claimed that Bishop Gorton of Coventry was a relative of ours; I'm not so sure, but he (the bishop, not my dad) was there around the time of destruction and resurrection, so it's a good claim to stake!

There is an eerie beauty about the bombed out cathedral that refused to die, something powerful about the way that it has been preserved not in aspic but as a living place of quiet, hope and possibility. There is in the new building a sense of continuity and calm - it doesn't pretend to be an ancient building, is unashamedly of its time and yet has that same cathedral ambience of air heavy with a thousand prayer. Together with Paddy's Wigwam/Birthday Cake it is a fine example of twentieth century cathedral architecture, and I have been privileged to worship in both.

It is likely that many of the wrinklies will head for the shopping centres to snap up bargains. It is likely I'll end up with a little group of unwanted odd-bods to chaperone. But above all, we'll have a great time of laughter and love, and somewhere, when we're not quite looking, I reckon Jesus may just tag onto our group - I hope so anyway!

PS Comments relating the Reverends Gorton to building projects are not required!!

Newer Hymns Worth Singing

noreply@blogspirit.com (Catriona) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:09:41 +0000

If you don't have BPW then you won't have this hymn, which I recently discovered and think is worth singing. If you do, it is number 103 but I don't know the set tune, so I substituted 'Ellers' which is 624 (ii) (are you impressed? I am!). Chris Ellis, who wrote it, is currently minister of a church in Nottingham.

Open this book that we may see your word

Embodied in the drama of our earth -

Stories of people that your Spirit stirred,

Glimpses of hope and visions of new birth.

Open this book that we may meet the one

Who came as word-made-flesh for all to see;

Show us his life, all that was said and done,

That we might see ourselves as we could be.

Open our ears that we may hear you still;

Teach us to live as well as speak your word.

Open our eyes that we might face your will -

The word-made-flesh in those who call you 'Lord'.

(c) Christopher Ellis

Youch!

noreply@blogspirit.com (Catriona) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 08:52:23 +0000

Yesterday I met with my deacons to review the offers we'd received for sale of our building. Secretly, I was pleased we'd had any offers at all in the current market. We have now agreed to proceed with one of them (the highest, obviously). The 'youch' factor was that it was 23% lower than the valuation we had in April - an average fall of almost 2% per week. What use this sum of money (net of fees and repayment of advances from the trust company) will be remains to be seen, but at least (if it all goes through) it will allow us to close a chapter, to move on and put our energies into something else. I hope - and pray - that church folk will see it this way when we report back on Sunday.

Many thanks to those loyal readers who have offered practical and prayerful support during the process so far - hopefully the 'end' is now in sight...