Month: November 2012

Good problems

Byartsyhonker November 24, 2012 0 Comments
It's getting near the time for the annual Carol Service at St Andrew's Leytonstone, and rehearsals started last night. For the Carol Service we have a "Community Choir" -- people from the community, and people from church who don't usually sing in the choir, join us for four rehearsals (plus a run-through on the day) so that we can do some repertoire that just won't work with lower numbers. The...

General advice during General Synod, part II

Byartsyhonker November 20, 2012 12 Comments
Well, that's a bit embarrassing. For the measure on women in the episcopate to pass, it needed a 67% majority in all of three houses: bishops, clergy and laity. It got 94% in the House of Bishops (Yes 44; No 3; Absentions 2), 77% in the House of Clergy (Yes 148; No 45) , 64% in the House of Laity (Yes 132; No 74). So it lost by a whisker, really. Six votes -- or fewer than that and a few...

General advice during General Synod

Byartsyhonker November 19, 2012 0 Comments
The Church of England's General Synod is meeting today and tomorrow. They'll be discussing the Living Wage, other important matters, and also the latest attempt on legislation to include women in the episcopate. Here are some things to remember: 1) We have already decided to have women in the episcopate. Whether it is right to ordain or consecrate women is not up for discussion. What Synod is...

Compline cards

Byartsyhonker November 19, 2012 1 Comment
We've been having sung Compline on the first and third Monday of the month at St Andrew's since September. I wanted to be able to give people something to take with them: something to help them pray during the week, perhaps, but also to stick on their refrigerator/corkboard/whatever to remind them about when the next services are. I didn't want to just give them a pew slip from the day before,...

AcWriMo 10: Colworth CM

Byartsyhonker November 12, 2012 0 Comments
Since I stumbled across them in the "confirmation" section of the New English Hymnal -- in fact the one hymn makes up the entire section -- I've liked these words by Matthew Bridges (1800-94): 1 My God, accept my heart this day, And make it always Thine, That I from Thee no more may stray, No more from Thee decline. 2 Before the Cross of Him Who died, Behold, I prostrate fall; Let every sin be...

AcWriMo 9: Poppleton 887 887

Byartsyhonker November 12, 2012 0 Comments
This text by Ben Jonson is often sung to Melita: 1 I sing the birth was born tonight, The Author both of life and light: The angels so did sound it; And like the ravished shepherds said, Who saw the light and were afraid, Yet searched, and true they found it. 2 The Son of God, th'eternal King, That did us all salvation bring, And freed the world from danger, He whom the whole world could not...

AcWriMo 8 & #10eleven12: Leyton DCM

Byartsyhonker November 12, 2012 2 Comments
I completed this on Saturday, 10th November as my contribution to 10eleven12 but didn't get a chance to transcribe it and upload it until today. Words by Thomas Thurman: Elijah thought he stood alone; you spoke of his mistake, but took no form throughout the storm nor showed within the quake. O Lord, whose peaceful whispering within the silence stirred give now to those who bear your name an ear...

AcWriMo 7: Old Street CM

Byartsyhonker November 9, 2012 0 Comments
I like these words by Isaac Watts, but the only sung version of them I know is a bit difficult for congregational singing. You can hear it about 33 seconds into my Easter Journeys contribution from spring 2012: Now, I'm sure there are other tunes. "Martyrdom" is certainly used sometimes, but that is now so closely associated with "As pants the hart for cooling streams" that it feels a bit odd....

Subversive, wonderful economic activism: Rolling Jubilee

Byartsyhonker November 9, 2012 0 Comments
I've commented a few times on Twitter that we in the West do not have a debt problem so much as a usury problem. I won't say that charging interest is always evil: in the case of someone starting a new business and needing to borrow in order to do so, or someone buying a home and needing a mortgage, I believe it is fair to charge some interest. I do think that punishingly high interest rates are...

AcWriMo 6: Domine, fac me servum pacis tuae CM

Byartsyhonker November 8, 2012 0 Comments
I'm pleased with this one. Some months ago I asked a few friends if any of them would like to write a metrical version of the Prayer of St Francis of Assisi, as I've long been mildly dissatisfied with "Make me a channel of your peace". Alex Roberts obliged with this lovely Common Metre version: Make me an instrument of peace, To do your bidding, Lord. With love let me bid hatred cease, And bring...