Category: Church

Thank you for the music (again and again)

Since I became an Authorised Lay Minister in Worship Leading in the Church of England in 2010, I have had the pleasure of occasionally leading the “Songs of Praise Service” at Ss Peter and Paul, Shadoxhurst.  It is a wonderfully informal service, where people turn up and select the hymns they want to sing.  It can be a hymn they sang at school or has moved them as part of their faith journey as a Christian.

What has always amazed me is that no matter what hymns are chosen, the reading or talk we have, there is always a theme that comes out loud and clear.

On Sunday 26th May 2019, I had the pleasure of leading one of these services again.  Some amazing hymns were chosen by the congregation and it was a darn good sing.  I chose the reading of the Temptation of Christ in the desert (Luke 4: 1-13) and in the talk I gave afterwards, I linked it to the Presidents of the United States of America.  If you are intrigued and would like to read the “talk” I gave, message me and I can either post it or send it to you.

However, a couple of hymns after the talk, one of the congregation said could we sing “We have a dream” because the words are taken from Martin Luther King’s famous speech.  She explained that she had no intention of picking that hymn, but noticed that it was based on MLK’s famous speech (a good American link).  It was also set to a good and well known tune so we all sang out well. I post the Lyrics below.

“We have a dream: this nation will arise,
and truly live according to its creed,
that all are equal in their maker’s eyes,
and none shall suffer through another’s greed.

We have a dream that one day we shall see
a world of justice, truth and equity,
where sons of slaves and daughters of the free
will share the banquet of community.

We have a dream of deserts brought to flow’r,
once made infertile by oppression’s heat,
when love and truth shall end oppressive pow’r,
and streams of righteousness and justice meet.

We have a dream; our children shall be free
from judgements based on colour or on race;
free to become whatever they may be,
of their own choosing in the light of grace.

We have a dream that truth will overcome
the fear and anger of our present day;
that black and white will share a common home,
and hand in hand will walk the pilgrim way.

We have a dream; each valley will be raised,
and ev’ry mountain, ev’ry hill brought down;
then shall creation echo perfect praise,
and share God’s glory under freedom’s crown!”

Now I make no secret of the fact that my favourite hymn of all time is “Mine eyes have seen the Glory of the coming of The Lord” (Glory, Glory Hallelujah) to the tune of the “Battle Hymn of the Republic”. I love it for two reasons. One is it is an amazing tune but also having worked for an American company for 11.5 years, whenever I hear it, I always think of my American colleagues and smile……oh ok I’ll be totally honest, I cry. Purely because the hymns moves me on so many levels. 

So after the talking about The American President’s in the talk/sermon at this service.  The member of the congregation picking the hymn “We have a dream” what other hymn could I pick to finish the service.  Yep….”Mine eyes hath seen the glory”.

It was just another amazing opportunity for me, how God works in my life and links all the strands of my life. 

Again, thanks or reading.

Don’t look to the past (but memories can be happy ones)

St Mary’s Church, Kennington, Ashford

I have always been a person that does not try to hold on to the past and I believe that is a good policy to have.  However, memories can let you remember the good times.  However, you should not dwell on them (in my opinion).

I have had two examples last week where happy memories have come to the fore and bought back happy feelings and even tears of happiness.

With my job, I have recently moved to the church office at St Mary’s Kennington.  Which for the reason alone of living in Kennington, I have a two-and-a-half-minute commute (compared to the two and half hour commute I have when working in London). 

St Mary’s Kennington has a special place in my heart and has since I was born.  Firstly, I was Baptised there in 1976. My cousin was married there; his children were all baptised there. I was Director of Music there from 2014-2017, Church Warden from 2017-2018.  So it is my family church, as well as having worked a lot in different roles.  I am now the Office Administrator. 

Now, I opened my office window the other day and saw the view from the picture, I have posted at the top of this post.  I have seen this view many times, but for some reason, with the sun shining, the view just hit me, and it just made me feel warm, comfortable and happy as I start the new this new chapter at St Mary’s. 

Another church that has been a big part of my life is St Michael and All Angels Kingsnorth.  I took my first Director of Music post there under Rev Canon Sheila McLachlan in 2005 until 2013.   On Sunday lots of people predominantly from Kingsnorth went to All Saints Lydd to attend a service to celebrate Rev Sheila’s 25th anniversary to the Priesthood.  It was an amazing service; we sang all the hymns we used to sing when we were at Kingsnorth.  The hymn that made me “well up” was “To God be the Glory”.  It is one of those hymns that has great words and the music is a great belter of a tune.  Full of emotion and happy memories.

So what am I trying to say in this blog. The past is full of happy (and sometimes sad) memories, however, when you look back on these memories, you should look back on them as what kind of person they have made you rather than trying to cling on to them.

As always, thanks for reading.