What a week....

It has been a very busy week in the parish this week - hence the lack of posts on the blog.

Monday saw an unexpected and very short notice meeting about the future of our former Parish Hall - the proceeds from the sale of which (when completed) will pay for the extension to the Parish Church in Stony Stratford. The rest of Monday (apart from Stations of the Cross and the Lenten Study Group in the evening) along with all day Wednesday and Thursday were filled with Pastoral Visits and Home Communions. Friday saw more visits plus all my desk work except for the evening when I was invited to the local Greek Orthodox Community for their celebration of the Salutation of the Blessed Virgin Mary during which the Akathist hymn was sung - this makes Anglo-Catholic devotion to Our Lady look very tame indeed.

Today was our Day of Teaching, Reconciliation and Healing. Bishop Andrew and Bishop Keith gave us a whole day in which over 60 people participated and learnt more about the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Anointing. The Laying on of Hands for healing by the Bishops during Vespers was very moving and I am sure for the bishops themselves was very special as we gave people the space and privacy (by quiet organ voluntaries) to voice their ailments and problems to the Bishops before the Laying on of Hands.

The next day of Teaching will be on the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. The day on the Eucharist was three years ago and was held jointly with our local Roman Catholic Church followed by a joint Corpus Christi Procession and Benediction. The final day of Teaching on the Seven Sacraments will be on Marriage and Ordination and will have a slightly wider focus of Vocation and the Christian Life.