Swapsies

I decided to put this image here not because Swanvale Halt is anywhere near Wisbech, but because when Googling for 'Churches Together' I found this and rather liked it. I like the fact that the fish has an eye, you don't often get that. I like the fact that it says 'Church Together', implying that this ecumenical structure only actually involves one congregation. That's the sort of ecumenism we approve of.

To adapt an old joke, clergy, to have their best effect rather than lying around making a smell, should be spread about, like manure. So in Churches Together in Hornington & District we managed last Sunday to move a few of the ministers around, 'pulpit swapping' as the phrase is. I went from presiding at our 8am mass to speaking at the Roman Catholic one which follows immediately afterwards, and then to the Baptists to preach there while our Anglican congregation was addressed by one of the Sisters from the local RC convent.

Certainly it was a valuable experience as far as I was concerned. I spoke to the RCs about what the primacy of Peter meant in an Anglican understanding, and found the service straightforward and understated, very much like our 8am mass on a larger scale: it's the sort of thing you'd go to if you wanted a meditative, calm and quiet celebration of the sacrament to set you up for the week. The Baptist service had a warmth and gentleness about it which was very welcome too, and not really what I expected. So I got quite a bit out of the exercise; can't speak for the people, of course.