I am feeling jocund....

I went to a carol service last night in the Parish Church. At this time of year it is all work, work, work; I did one reading, then was forced to stand around talking for an hour, drinking wine and eating food. It is a hard life. It took me a few years to tumble it, but Anglicans do better socialising- booze in church- fantastic!

It was a traditional 9 lessons and carols- this is where ecumenism works- I couldn't have done this without it sounding contrived- they did and the place was heaving.


For the first carol we went all medieval ( I think- my knowledge of hymnody and hymbigears.....think about it...oh you just did-now that was lame) and sang the lines:-

'While our happy voices rend,

The jocund air asunder'.

Aren't those words both incomprehensible and wonderful? Doesn't that make you glad to be British? I did not have a clue what I was singing. Apparently 'jocund' is an adjective (I am only dimly aware of what an adjective is- I was educated in the 70s and 80s and despite 3 degrees still can't 'do' grammar). It means; 'of a humourous temperament or merry'.

I am going to try and use that word today- 'jocund'; 'I am not feeling particularly jocund about the fact our kitchen has not been finished.' 'I am feeling jocund today' or even 'This is the day that the Lord has made; let us be jocund!'

Go on- you try and use it today. You know you want to....




This cartoon is from the 'naked pastor' (see links below- I know this page is all over the place- I've been trying to move the links to the side, but I have, as yet, not managed it)- he is always thoughtful. Last night they read exclusively from the 'King James' and in so doing, in context, stepping out of this cartoon.

They don't normally use this version, but the type of people who look for this service ; they come to the Anglican church regularly- once a year and never miss- look for this. That is one thing about being 'missional' I guess- what is God doing 'out there' ( although 'out there' is not a biblical term methinks...) & how can we join in? So, whilst keeping in harmony with what they do, they changed subtly to the 'felt needs' of those coming.

So there we go--- a bombshell. I said 'yes' to the KJV and what is more, I feel jocund about it...

Advent again

This is another lovely image from http://davesdistrictblog.blogspot.com/. I passed over it at first but it has come back to haunt me. Do I do this during advent? I'm not sure that I do- you will have seen my previous posts on being a 'homeletical battery hen'. I'm so busy telling others to be aware that I'm not aware or trying to be aware myself.

Yesterday, in a reception class and today in a prayer breakfast (there is usually a lot of breakfast! Hey, but isn't that a great illustration that something used 'for children' actually speaks to us all and helps us all get inside a story?) I used a child's nativity set to tell the story and to get people to react so that we all became 'interpreters of the Word'. It just struck me in retelling the story, how often God came to the marginal, the unexpected and not those in 'the centre'. Maybe the word 'godforsaken' should be taken out of every Christian's dictionary. Taking the story seriously, nothing can ever be 'godforsaken'.

I've just reread what I wrote- maybe I just did 'Stop Look Listen be aware of God'.....