Friday...

I have to say this is deeply unimpressive. It’s only my third post and I am already lagging behind…

Fridays is one of the days that we meet in fellowship groups for Morning Prayer rather then in chapel. So there we all were sitting down with our common worships ready to begin when one of the staircase stewards announces that we are going to go and pray for all our rooms, in each room, instead of Morning Prayer. Somewhat of a surprise for us newbies I can tell you.

While on the one hand I think this is a lovely idea and it was fantastic to have a group of people praying a blessing on my room and the work I shall do there I have to say the less spiritual/more practical side of me immediately went into panic mode trying to frantically think if there were dirty washing scattered on the floor or if the bed was made. Fortunately I had actually tidied up the night before (a word of prophecy perhaps!) so it wasn’t too embarrassing!

Immediately after that we had the second of our “foundation lectures” which is a series of college lectures to get us into the swing of studying before the academic term starts. We had the most amazing talk on “The dynamics of Grace” which was really inspirational and the one and half hours flew by. What’s so lovely here is that we start the lectures with prayer and end in worship, somewhat different from my last college experience! but so affirming. I am not sure the librarian is so keen however as the main lecture hall is below the library and we apparently can get a little too loud with the singing – oops.

I barely had time to catch breath before I went along to look at a church where I may do my attachment. I had said that I would be interested in being attached to an anglo-catholic church as pretty much all my church experience has been in the evangelical wing of the church and boy did they take me at my word. I went to “low mass” but even this involved processions, server, tinkling bells and lots of bowing. Most disconcerting of all was the fact that the priest has is back to the congregation almost the entire time. I can’t wait for Sunday for the full on “High mass experience” ! I am really exited about being attached to this church because there is so much to learn and I think the priest will be a great person to learn from. He seemed really open and welcoming and not at all phased that a random evangelical ordinand had turned up out of the blue :O)

Now where did I put that thurible…