The Other Royal Wedding

The Day Nursery Royal Wedding (image with permission)

I can disclose this very day that it is remarkably good fun being a priest. You may think that it is all laborious funeralising, PCCing, collar-starching, lace-choosing, sacrament elevating stuff (and for those priests who have no idea what I have just said, I shall be running a course in the autumn - 'Anglo-Catholicism for the Uninterested'). On no - we priests have fun too.

It seems that in my three years here in Aylesbury I have built for myself a reputation for being an idiot relaxed and accessible in my faith and work. It meant that in the run up to the  practice Royal Wedding, I was asked to preside at the real thing. An archbishop I may not be, but preside over a whole Royal Wedding I did, and not just bits of it. At my local day-nursery, that excellent establishment that largely raises my daughters and teaches them manners, we had a proper Royal Wedding with a prince and princess, flower-girls, Royal car, rings, a congregation, vows and declarations (and a blessing too, after a fashion). Being me, I agreed whole-heartedly to help out and acceded to their requests that I wear all my finery. Cassock, lacy cotta, gold/red cope - the works. Their efforts on the day, it must be noted, far exceeded mine and they all looked beautiful. And a wonderful event it was, though more due to the delightful kids than the barmy vicar!

I have posted on numerous occasions on the predisposition to the dour and self-flagellating on the part of many Christians. I have never understood this tendency to take faith and religion so heavily and with such little light-heartedness and fun. I have always regarded it as vital to enjoy worshipping God, and to show that enjoyment to a world where enjoyment is so elusive. Would I join a crowd of the Poe-faced if I didn't have to? Of course not. I have always devoted many hours to my religion and God, so always wanted it to be uplifting time, happy time (even in penitential moments). This stuff can be fun and serious all at the same time, and to have a chance to show that to the under-fours is a gift to me. I am now known, by thirty-odd kiddies as 'The Funny Man Vicar'. 

Is that not evangelism? I hope it is, because it is what I do. 

The Royal Wedding

Blessed are you, O Lord our God,

for you have created joy and gladness,

pleasure and delight, love, peace and fellowship.

Pour out the abundance of your blessing

upon William and Catherine in their new life together.

Let their love for each other be a seal upon their hearts,

and a crown upon their heads.

Bless them in their work and in their companionship;

awake and asleep,

in joy and in sorrow,

in life and in death.

Finally, in your mercy, bring them to that banquet

where your saints feast for ever in your heavenly home.

We ask this through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and for ever.

Amen.

Taken from CW 2000 Pastoral Services

WiWa and KaMi To Marry

I started the day with some mixed feelings about the now heavily publicised news that Prince William and Kate Middleton are to marry. We all knew that they would, and have known that for years - so it is not a surprise to any of us. The ring thing is, I grant you, a surprise. Using the engagement ring that Dad gave Mum - one can only assume that the royal PR people were behind that. For me, it is not what I would have done, and the headlines in all this morning's bile-sheets had his mother's name all over them without exception, and not always Kate's. 

Anyway ...

Part of me didn't think I cared. Then the other part 'had a word' and now I have a different perspective on things. I think that the 'Widdleton' machine will now chug to full pelt with conventions for this, precedents for that, titles here, processes there. The lovely couple assure us that they will try to be 'hands-on' with their marriage service, but I remain as yet unconvinced. There will be little old geezers, who had nothing to do for years because their jobs as Madge Splicers have not been called upon for a while. They will have hidden in cupboards until the next wave of royal loin-fruits made their momentous decisions, and will now stir into a fury of activity and constitutional correctness. It is all very quirky, very quaint, and very very English.

...A little like the Church. We are certainly quirky, entirely quaint, and awash with wonderful individuals who have their jobs to do (and do them well).

Ours is a very cynical society in so many ways. Its cynicism is part of the reason why faith in all its forms struggles. Cynicism is the reason why the Royal Family have not enjoyed good times recently. We assess usefullness along lines that institutions like monarchies and churches find hard to make the grade. This is also partly why society doesn't seem to favour weddings or often commitment in any form - because we just don't see the need or the point.

I am delighted that the institution of marriage is recieving such a boost. The bandwagon classes will start to book their nuptials like mad in the next few months so that they too can have a 'Widdleton' style bash. But I am glad. I am glad that we now have a chance to see the monarchy in ascendency again because I believe it will have a positive effect on the church. Cynicism might be lulled by quirky fairy-stories once again, as we were all raised hearing tales of princes and princesses. Once again we will all be given permission to have a little faith in things beyond ourselves, and for that I am glad. 

For my part, I wish Prince William and Ms Middleton a long and happy marriage; one that is fruitful and one where they may be allowed space to preserve themselves and the family I pray they are granted. They have given us all a little hope ... and that is a great gift to a nation.