Thursday, 12 May 2011
Staying in a Franciscan Friary
Since Monday 9th May, I've been staying in Alnmouth Friary which is a small community of 6 Anglican Franciscan brothers. The day begins with Morning Prayer at 7am, followed by personal prayer time, silent breakfast at 8.05am until 8.45am when silence ends. Nothing is then timetabled until noon, Midday Prayer, followed by Holy Communion at 12.15pm and lunch at 1pm.
Then tea and biscuits at 4.30pm, Evening Prayer at 5pm followed by personal prayer, supper at 6.15pm, and Compline (Night Prayer) at 9pm.
Of course this is all voluntary and you can attend or miss whatever you like (giving notice re meals).
I only attended Mass once, which was pretty straightforward. However the community is Anglo Catholic and so includes some prayer to the Virgin Mary at each service. I was expecting this and so just let it go by me as it were, but it would not suit everyone.
The house has stunning views of the sea, being high above the shore. In the early 19th century Alnmouth was cut in two by a devastating flood which was so strong that the river Aln carved a new channel to the sea, sweeping away the lower part of the village in the process. It now requires a 3 mile walk avoiding dangerous estuary and tidal waters and saltmarsh, to get to the remnant of the old church on Church Hill across the river, just 300 yards as the crow flies! I have not done as much walking as I intended, being here for only 3 full days.
Tomorrow, Friday 13th, I'm setting off as early as possible on a five hour drive north to Oban in Argyll on the west coast of Scotland. I'm staying overnight and then catching the ferry to Mull just before noon. All being well I hope to arrive on Iona at around 2.15pm.
Then tea and biscuits at 4.30pm, Evening Prayer at 5pm followed by personal prayer, supper at 6.15pm, and Compline (Night Prayer) at 9pm.
Of course this is all voluntary and you can attend or miss whatever you like (giving notice re meals).
I only attended Mass once, which was pretty straightforward. However the community is Anglo Catholic and so includes some prayer to the Virgin Mary at each service. I was expecting this and so just let it go by me as it were, but it would not suit everyone.
The house has stunning views of the sea, being high above the shore. In the early 19th century Alnmouth was cut in two by a devastating flood which was so strong that the river Aln carved a new channel to the sea, sweeping away the lower part of the village in the process. It now requires a 3 mile walk avoiding dangerous estuary and tidal waters and saltmarsh, to get to the remnant of the old church on Church Hill across the river, just 300 yards as the crow flies! I have not done as much walking as I intended, being here for only 3 full days.
Tomorrow, Friday 13th, I'm setting off as early as possible on a five hour drive north to Oban in Argyll on the west coast of Scotland. I'm staying overnight and then catching the ferry to Mull just before noon. All being well I hope to arrive on Iona at around 2.15pm.
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
God in our weaknesses
God's word to Paul when he repeated prayed for healing was "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." 2 Cor 12:9. That is some consolation when you are very conscious of your own weaknesses. God delights in using ordinary weak people rather than superstars, so that they are not tempted to think, when good things happen, "I did that". This is all by way of introducing how my weaknesses having been playing out.
First of all I travelled North to Gateshead in a car which had been giving problems starting. This was due to my weakness of procrastination. having had a note on the desk for all of last week saying 'Book car in'. So when after two days with Peter and Judith, I got into the car to reverse out of their drive and head up the coast, there was just a dull thud instead of a brisk roaring into life. Peter and I nearly both brought about our early demise by pushing the car onto the road, where fortunately a slight slope came to the rescue and I did a bump start.
So here I am driving up the coast road towards Alnmouth, my next stage. At that point, problem two of my weaknesses kicked in. I realised that I had left some stuff behind with the Swords. I also knew that no-one was now at home and I had no way of contacting either of them.
I suddenly realised that instead of enjoying a sabbatical rest I was busy worrying and planning and full of anxiety about the next two weeks. Especially how I could leave my car for a week whilst on Iona with any hope at all of restarting it when I retrieved it. The stuff left behind was also a minor niggle. So with this great revelation that I was worrying instead of resting I gave both problems to God. Amazing - how did this man ever get to be a vicar?
I suddenly realised that what I needed was John Beynon. John is a Christian who runs a motor garage in Fleckney. I didn't expect the Lord to transplant him to Northumbria, but he knows what I mean. Within minutes I am passing through the little town of Amble and there on the main road is a motor garage. I stop and the owner directs me round the corner to his friend with the Auto Spares shop. A little gizmo is applied to my car, the problem diagnosed as a dud battery, and in half an hour I am on the road greatly relieved of worry and a mere £45.
Arriving at Alnmouth around 11.30am it turned out I wasn't expected until 4pm, so had plenty of time to return to Gateshead - a half hour drive - and pick up my forgotten bits. This time the blessing in weakness was that having avoided the A1 in the morning, I took it to save time in the afternoon and discovered a little place that could be the answer to my need for a special wedding anniversary present later this year. So, God is good and uses even our weaknesses to bless us.
First of all I travelled North to Gateshead in a car which had been giving problems starting. This was due to my weakness of procrastination. having had a note on the desk for all of last week saying 'Book car in'. So when after two days with Peter and Judith, I got into the car to reverse out of their drive and head up the coast, there was just a dull thud instead of a brisk roaring into life. Peter and I nearly both brought about our early demise by pushing the car onto the road, where fortunately a slight slope came to the rescue and I did a bump start.
So here I am driving up the coast road towards Alnmouth, my next stage. At that point, problem two of my weaknesses kicked in. I realised that I had left some stuff behind with the Swords. I also knew that no-one was now at home and I had no way of contacting either of them.
I suddenly realised that instead of enjoying a sabbatical rest I was busy worrying and planning and full of anxiety about the next two weeks. Especially how I could leave my car for a week whilst on Iona with any hope at all of restarting it when I retrieved it. The stuff left behind was also a minor niggle. So with this great revelation that I was worrying instead of resting I gave both problems to God. Amazing - how did this man ever get to be a vicar?
I suddenly realised that what I needed was John Beynon. John is a Christian who runs a motor garage in Fleckney. I didn't expect the Lord to transplant him to Northumbria, but he knows what I mean. Within minutes I am passing through the little town of Amble and there on the main road is a motor garage. I stop and the owner directs me round the corner to his friend with the Auto Spares shop. A little gizmo is applied to my car, the problem diagnosed as a dud battery, and in half an hour I am on the road greatly relieved of worry and a mere £45.
Arriving at Alnmouth around 11.30am it turned out I wasn't expected until 4pm, so had plenty of time to return to Gateshead - a half hour drive - and pick up my forgotten bits. This time the blessing in weakness was that having avoided the A1 in the morning, I took it to save time in the afternoon and discovered a little place that could be the answer to my need for a special wedding anniversary present later this year. So, God is good and uses even our weaknesses to bless us.
Sunday, 8 May 2011
First Sabbatical Report
I'm sitting in a front room in Gateshead on Sunday 8th May. It's 10 past 1 and the smells of cooking are making me salivate. I'm staying with my friends of old, Peter and Judith, and have been to church with them this morning. Our friendship goes back to the 70's when Peter and I were both in Christian bands, trying to spread the gospel through music and preaching, and in my case, through Christian poetry. We dropped immediately into our typical heated theological debates. Peter on the more exclusive side of predestination, me on the more universalist side.
I confess that I wouldn't be a comfortable regular worshipper at their church. But I found that God spoke to me through the Bible reading and the prayers. I have been praying and asking God to speak to me during this time, and especially asked for help to listen for his voice even when, like this morning, I knew I might have a slightly critical spirit. The vicar in his prayer, asked God to rouse us from our sleepiness and wake us up. My attention sharpened at those words. That was particularly apt for me as I have been struggling with sleepiness (physical rather than spiritual) for the past two or three years to the point where I recently had an appointment in a sleep disorders clinic. Is that relevant you might ask? Well I often find God gives small pointers like this to focus our attention.
The Gospel reading was from John 10, the Good Shepherd. Verses from that reading have been haunting me, if that's the right word, since it appeared in the Morning Prayer lectionary last autumn. Especially the references to hearing the Good Shepherd's voice, recognising it, listening to it and following it. When I composed a prayer for people to use for me on my Sabbatical I included a sentence about asking for me to hear the Good Shepherd's voice.
Tomorrow I'm heading north along the coast to Alnmouth Friary to have a time of retreat.
I confess that I wouldn't be a comfortable regular worshipper at their church. But I found that God spoke to me through the Bible reading and the prayers. I have been praying and asking God to speak to me during this time, and especially asked for help to listen for his voice even when, like this morning, I knew I might have a slightly critical spirit. The vicar in his prayer, asked God to rouse us from our sleepiness and wake us up. My attention sharpened at those words. That was particularly apt for me as I have been struggling with sleepiness (physical rather than spiritual) for the past two or three years to the point where I recently had an appointment in a sleep disorders clinic. Is that relevant you might ask? Well I often find God gives small pointers like this to focus our attention.
The Gospel reading was from John 10, the Good Shepherd. Verses from that reading have been haunting me, if that's the right word, since it appeared in the Morning Prayer lectionary last autumn. Especially the references to hearing the Good Shepherd's voice, recognising it, listening to it and following it. When I composed a prayer for people to use for me on my Sabbatical I included a sentence about asking for me to hear the Good Shepherd's voice.
Tomorrow I'm heading north along the coast to Alnmouth Friary to have a time of retreat.
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