Design and Technology

When I was a schoolboy (many decades ago!) one of my favourite subjects was woodwork. I was quite good at it (unlike my ability at some other subjects) and to prove it, my parents still use a tray that I made over 40 years ago - a real piece of craftsmanship!

I was not pleased when metalwork was introduced into our lessons at Leeds Grammar School, as I found wood a far more pleasing material to work in. I still love good woodwork, and am the proud owner of quite a lot of furniture manufactured by Thompson's of Kilburn - the famous 'Mouseman'.

Today we no longer have carpentry shops in schools - rather Design and Technology Departments. I often wonder what Jesus (and Joseph) must make of such a change! Well, I guess I should be grateful for the change, as our excellent DT Department at Latymer recently came to the rescue of the altar candlesticks in the Chapel. It is particularly pleasing to record that the whole exercise was expertly supervised by Mr David Baker who is a devout Jew. He has shown much interest in our liturgy in the Chapel, and is always pleased when we can trace our practices back to our Jewish roots.

The problem all revolved around our Paschal Candle! As you will appreciate, this is a very important feature in the Chapel of the Resurrection - and we like to have a really impressive candle every Easter. (You can see this in the general photo of me in the Chapel of the Resurrection.) I order a 3' tall candle 2" wide, and by Pentecost it is still 2'6" long. With few Baptisms and no funerals in a typical year, what do we do with the enormous 'tab end' when we come to next Easter? I could of course order a shorter candle (say 1') - but that would hardly make much of an impression - or I could make the candle last several years - but I don't like that idea, or I could keep the candle lit all day during Eastertide - but our fire officer would have a heart attack if I did that! So instead, we decided to chop the candle in two so that we have two candles just over 1' long to use as altar candles. All well and good, but the altar candlesticks were for 3/2" candles, not 2" candles!

This is where the Design and Technology Department came to our rescue. They have adapted our existing altar candlesticks so as to accommodate 2" candles. The two photos show Jay (the Departmental Technician) doing a most skilled job. The candlesticks are due to be returned to the Chapel over the next few days and I will post a photo of the finished job once they are back in their rightful home.

Will they still be in use in 40 years time I ask myself? I hope so. I sincerely hope that everyone is not using electric Paschal Candles in 2047!

Sung Mass

We were delighted to welcome Fr Robin Burgess again when he came to celebrate Mass for us earlier in the week. He is pictured here along with the humble deacon and our excellent team of altar servers. We normally have four servers at our weekly services in Chapel, but they were all so keen to serve that we had to have five servers this time. Splendid!

God save our gracious Queen!

Today we celebrate the 55th Anniversary of the Accession of Queen Elizabeth II. She became our Queen following the death of her father on 6 February 1952. I was not born until 1953, and so feel that she has been our Queen for a long time. I think she is a wonderful Queen, and so happily pray today:

God save our gracious Queen,
Long live our noble Queen,
God save The Queen!
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us,
God save The Queen!

Thy choicest gifts in store
On her be pleased to pour,
Long may she reign:
May she defend our laws,
And ever give us cause
To sing with heart and voice
God save The Queen!

Back to Ordinary Time!

At long last the Chapel is back in Ordinary Time after our extended Christmas Celebrations which lasted until Candlemas on Friday 2 February.

St Blaise's Day

A priest friend phoned me at home this morning and left a message on my voice mail. The message said -'Peter, I've got a cold and a bit of a sore throat and so will not be able to sing the Preface at Mass this evening - though I will be able to preach.' I naturally hope my friend will soon feel much better (until recently I had a dreadful cough) - but I thought to myself - does he realise that today is the Feast of St Blaise?!

We certainly do in the Chapel of the Resurrection, and here are two photos of me giving the blessing to our altar servers and members of the congregation.

Through the intercession of Saint Blaise, Bishop and Martyr, may you be
preserved against diseases of the throat and from all other infections. In the Name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

We pray for all those who are ill at this time of the year, and wish them a speedy recovery.

Presentation in the Temple

Here we see Mary and Joseph bringing Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem for the first time when he was 40 days old. They had come to 'present him to the Lord' - something which hardly needed doing in his case - but still, they did so in obedience to the Jewish Law. We see Mary holding a pair of turtle doves which she offered in sacrifice.

We also see Simeon and Anna. Simeon told Mary that a sword will pierce her own soul - Jesus himself is to be the true sacrifice which will take away the sins of the world.

So Candlemas Day looks back to Christmas Day, but also looks forward to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. As a Candlemas Carol puts it so well:

When candles are lighted on Candlemas Day
The dark is behind us, and Spring's on the way!
The candles invite us to watch and to pray,
When Christmas greets Easter on Candlemas Day!

I don't know about you, but I am certainly pleased at the thought that Spring is on the way!

A light to lighten the Gentiles

Tomorrow (2 February) is Candlemas - the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple. The feast is celebrated 40 days after Christmas Day and brings Christmastide to a close.

The lighted candles remind us of the words of Simeon 'a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel'.

Our fully lit Advent Wreath is a lovely symbol of Jesus Christ - the Light of the World.