The Light of the World.

The Acer Japonica in the AW Blue Peter garden is turning it's vivid red colour which means that Autumn is most certainly upon us. Soon all the leaves will drop off and Winter will be welcomed with the almost black branches which will, before we know it, shoot forth anew, ever increasing the size of the tree. Not that I will be around to see it, I suppose. One of the odd things about looking for a curacy (which is a peculiar process and not at all straightforward) is that it underlines how everything else will change. My little garden will no longer be my little garden, but somebody elses and this house will no longer be my house. Ah well. My life has been dictated by the Church for some time now, so no change there! Usually I am excited about the future, but sometimes I wish things would resolve themselves a little faster, so I know where I will be going.

One of the greatly foolish things in Church advancement over the last fifty years has been the removal of pendant lighting and the installation of halogen bulbs hidden in the uppermost crevices of the building. With a few noble exceptions like Saint Silas, Kentish Town, Church lighting is poor, generally using the model of the searchlight, casting as much light as possible into every corner, which highlights, mainly, the bulbs which blow as the unilluminated part is suddenly cast into deep shadow. Last night the local electrician tried, during the prayer group, to change the bulbs at the back which had gone, but I think it will be another job for another day. Bulbs seem to be made and then changed with astonishing regularity, rendering fittings obsolete.

This is the back of the organ, the door in front by the little bell leads out into the Holy Souls Chapel and the door behind leads into the community room, where the cafe is situated, where the choir rehearse, where the prayer group meets in Winter, where the bingo is called and the fellowship group meets and where drinks are served after Sunday Mass. Last night it was where the Bible Study group met, we said Vespers and then looked at the goings on in the Church and where we stand, taking passages from the Gospel of John, the first letter of John and the Revelation of John as illustrations of scriptural orthodoxy and examples of faith. There was some discussion as to the authorship of the three texts and the readings were taken from the Nicholas King Translation, as is our tradition at these events. I was pleased with the turnout and we began by reading the post from Father TE Jones of London Docks concerning vocations. I was delighted to see the local lay chair of Forward In Faith with us, she showed me a leaflet she has produced to hand out at Mass on Sunday underlining our position, which I am ninety percent happy with! That will do.

All hands are on deck today to prepare the Church for the Winter Fair tomorrow. Alas I will be away (rubs hands in glee) on a retreat day looking at the technique of religious art. I shall of course entrust the AW camera to a Hildaite so that you need not miss a second of the excitement!