The organist librarian

Sophia is 2. Caravaggio's Doubting Thomas. To Coulsdon where we sang Rutter Gloria and Celtic alleluia. 3 of choir in congregation so we could have managed the Rutter acclamations - instead they were said as it would have meant everyone having yet another sheet of paper to hold! I played lots of Bach and the Hallelujah chorus. I particularly like Bach's 2 part variations on "Christ lag in todesbanden". Dennis was home and Liz returned from the cathedral where they had the Lassus choir from Dublin at Mass. To Sophia's 2nd birthday party - nice eats. Grandma came too and Hannah was there. Nice to see everyone again 3 years since the wedding. I went to part of Matthew Martin's organ recital - had to go and ring Fr Michael about confessions - he had the wrong time. Matthew played Buxtehude. I cantored at Mass with Simon - the Cardinal celebrated and preached really well about Thomas. Michael O'Boy also there and Nick flapping with lots of servers although it w...

Tram into the station where we left the luggage. Bought a German foldup umbrella and ricola throat sweets. To Schiller's for cappucino and Danish pastry. Got the train at 11.56 a.m. on the dot. It was full so good thing we had booked seats. Bus to terminal 2 at Frankfurt airport only to learn that British Airways had cancelled the flight so we transferred to Lufthansa and got train back to terminal 1. We probably could have caught the 3.10 but in the end we were on the 4.20 which was not full. Terminal 5 at Heathrow is in chaos. We arrived at terminal 2 got case and buses to car at Feltham. We arrived home at 8 p.m. having picked up fish and chips. Dennis was already there and he went with Liz to see Grandma. Usual pile of post and emails.

Wurzburg library! To Rontgen's laboratory where he discovered X-rays. To St Gertrud's church - Gothic and rebuilt. To sewing shop where we bought little carol singers group. Spaghetti ice and chocolate in bistro then we split up. I visited the chapel at Burgerspital with a fine courtyard. To St Johannis the protestant church where someone was practising Franck on the organ! Sat in the lovely baroque garden of the Residenz in the sunshine and read Tablet. To shop next to the cathedral and bought postcards of art works. To Franciscan church and past the university church to St Stephen's where confirmation class was in progress. This too has a fine organ and a lovely crypt which was not burnt out. To St Peter's church Baroque and Carmelite church which had a pink organ case and horrid fresco behind the High altar. Nice statue of Terese of Lisiuex. Saw a man practising tightrope in the park - he fell off. Helga de Wall was at the flat and we had tea. We are taking Ann and ...

St Burkhard church A fine sunny day. Dieter showed me some more pictures including a Picasso and Dufy print! Ann met us at the tram stop on Lion Bridge and we visited St Burkhard which is lovely. Nice walk up to the fortress and visited the Prince's rooms and history of Wurzburg museum with fine pictures and models. My lunch took ages to come but the wurst was good - there had been a mix-up in the kitchen. To the Frankisches museum which has fine Gothic art and Tiepolos. Interesting bronze age section and folk art section. Looked in the church and the well. St Sebastian and St Hieronymus keep cropping up. Bought a postcard of St Stephen by Riemenschneider. Taxi to Kapelle which has fine views and a miracle chapel to Mary. Bought a small Easter candle. The organ looks very grand. Walked down the Way of the Cross with lovely cupolas. To restaurant where we ate on Monday Vier Jahreszeiten but booked out for tomorrow so across the road to Wienhaus Stiebel to book. Tram back to superma...

Dr Lennox deep in thought! More snow but we went with Ann to the magnificent Residenz where we saw the Hofkirche and had a tour in English. Wonderful Tiepolo frescos and mirrored room, also a lovely green lacquered room with a beautiful floor. Amazing how it has all been restored since the wartime devastation. To bookshop for lunch with chocolate drink. Tram to Kulturspeicher a modern art gallery in a concerted granary. Nice 19th century painting and concrete art from 20th century and also a special exhibition by Australian artists. To Paul's office and met Helga de Wall who is planning a visit to Australia. Shopping and a nice meal at Ann and Paul's then watching Fawlty Towers.

Cathedral organ console Cathedral Easter street decorations Car on back of barge! Barge in lock On the bridge Rathaus seen from main bridge. Kapelle. Tram into town after a good breakfast of cheese, cold meats, rolls, orange juice and coffee. It had been snowing overnight. With Ann to the cathedral where we met the organist before the midday meditation so we saw the console and enjoyed his improvisation on "Victimae paschali". Snowed very heavily while we were in the cathedral shop buying confirmation cards so to nearby cafe for cake and cappucino. To Museum am Dom where modern and old are placed together sometimes very effectively and an interesting exhibition by Jewish artist Jehuda Bacon. He survived the concentration camps and lives in Jerusalem. Interesting use of Masaccio's Adam. There was a particularly striking portrait of Judith a woman in a fox cape with the Crucifixion of a young man behind her. To the cathedral treasury - very fine chalices and copes i...

Up at 3 a.m. to drive to Feltham and park car where minicab met us so we were at Heathrow by 5.10 a.m. We had booked in online for British Airways so went straight through. The flight to Frankfurt was only an hour and very smooth. The pilot greeted us as Boys and girls! We had a long wait at Frankfurt airport for our train direct to Wurzburg. A lovely ride through snowfields. We were early and Ann and Paul had not arrived back from Vienna so we walked into town with out luggage and found a good pub 4 seasons serving Wurzburger Hofbrau. Liz had fish and I had pork. We then went by tram to the apartment which Helga had let them use - very nice. After having pasta we took the tram with Ann to Rottenbauer and found the b and b. A lovely home and very friendly couple. They have lots of picture including a Braque. It is about 20 minutes on the tram. We were both exhausted and slept well.

The Westminster Cathedral Easter candle - the Coulsdon one is much smaller! All went well at Coulsdon. There was light snow as we left and a service from Liverpool Anglican cathedral on the radio with Mozart Spatzen Mass and tremendous organ sound. We had a mini-Vigil with Exultet version sung to Woodlands preceded by fanfare by Andrew Moore and bells and noise! Christ the Lord is risen today was shortened as there was no decorating of the Lenten cross with flowers. Haydn Missa St Johannis de Deo but no Benedictus. Bob Witham sang tenor. Now the green blade, Jesus lives! Christ is alive! and The day of resurrection were the other hymns. At communion the choir enjoyed "This joyful Eastertide". at the end I played Saraband for the morning of Easter by Howells. Sherry afterwards and met Reg who is a baritone and seems keen on the choir. Suggested to Dudley he should come along too. Got petrol on way home and have had 2 little chocolate eggs so far. To the Jugged Hare for roast ...

Here is Liz holding the cardinal's mitre at Easter Sunday mass at the cathedral. There were so many there the doors had to be closed! Dennis on Skype from Dublin. Our cottas will need washing - the gallery is pretty dirty and we were leaning on the edge to light the night lights. I fell asleep on the settee last night and woke up to do blog in the early hours then slept again. The break in Germany is much needed. Ann and Paul are currently in Vienna, Louise and Tom in Ireland. Have not heard from Bruce.

Welcome back Solomon I have surpassed thee! It was so good to see you at Mass again but please do not overdo it! To work and it was quiet so caught up on admin prior to our week in Germany with Ann and Paul. In the car enjoying the new Cathedral CD of Palestrina Lamentations. The weather was 4 seasons in one day including squalls of snow and sunshine. The library was cold so we were wearing our coats. There was one unfortunate episode when a member of staff took a fan heater out of the study room to warm up the staff room and did not offer an alternative heater. Mind you the person concerned was wearing a short sleeved shirt and no coat! Liz spent the day after attending morning prayer cleaning and preparing for the vigil. I made copies of the prayers for Holy week for the servers and publicity for the interfaith group. I arrived at the cathedral at 5.30 p.m. for the rehearsal. I checked my route up to the gallery where Liz, Lerone and I lit hundreds of nightlights right round the buil...

DC OLV Happenings: Easter Weekend --- 2008 An excellent meditation

What an immense privilege to be mitre bearer for the Cardinal at this service which has such simple drama in a packed but empty church because the cross and candles have gone. I think particularly of Thomas the precentor, Fr Mark and tenor Nick standing before the throne waiting while the choir sings Bruckner "Christus factus est" and then they move to the pulpit to sing the Passion. The Cardinal spoke about Zimbabwe. The Veneration is always a deeply moving moment. We all genuflect 3 times keeping time with each other as we creep towards the cross held up before the high altar. The choir sang Improperia by Victoria. As the boys venerate the men sing Crux fidelis. We all kneel and sing "When I survey". At communion "Tristis est anima" of Poulenc and O vos omnes by Casals. Paul smiled when he commented that I had the mitre bearer's humeral veil tied at front and not at the back at the start - we got it right when I put it on at the end. Liz remained to ...

A day of deep emotions. To the cathedral for 10 a.m. Morning Prayer. The choir sang Victoria Lamentations as at Tenebrae last week and we knelt for the first part of Anerio "Christus factus est". We used to sing this at Addiscombe and this day always bring back painful and joyful memories especially during the Reproaches. A great joy to see Father Mark back and singing as well as ever. To Marks for a coffee with Francis and Deacon Peter whose blog on the Stations has been an inspiration in these last days of what has been by and large a good Lent. At least I stuck to no alcohol and read "The Imitation of Christ". The Lent group "Who is my neighbour?" took 5 weeks to really get to the point of welcoming migrants in church. "Understanding Islam" will have a long term effect I know. Bishop John Arnold spoke in his homily about the bewilderment and shame of the disciples on this day. Got the bus to outside Methodist Central Hall where we joined the p...

Remember that Christendom has long likened the House of God to a ship, in which we are held safe from the storms of time. Pray therefore: + Lord my God, I come to you from the stress of my day. Keep me safe in your protection. Let me find peace in your presence, and help me do that which is right. Amen. In the House of God, our eyes are drawn to the altar. It is the place of Holy Sacrifice and Prayer. It calls you also to prayer and thanksgiving. Pray therefore: + Lord Jesus Christ, you are the bread of life. Feed me with eternal food. You are the holy grapevine: let me remain in you, grow and bring forth fruit, which shall endure to eternal life. Renew my spirit both body and soul as a dwelling place for you. Amen. Above the altar you see the image of the cross. It reminds you of the sin of the world, which is also your own. Remember, that on the cross of the Lord, God’s Love opens his arms for you. Rejoice before it with all the redeemed: + Your battle is my victory, your death is my...

Thanks to Audacious Deviant for the whole picture from which a detail appeared earlier. It is by Rogier van der Weyden. I have woken up in the middle of the night again having slept a bit on the sofa when I got in last night. I was checking blogs and noted the punishing singing schedule of the choir librarian at Birmingham Oratory especially today. My own programme is bad enough but at least the singing is not so intensive. I was singing well last night in the Wood setting and the Byrd Ave verum and John and I blended well in the plainchant I think. Last night we rehearsed this hymn to Tallis's Third mode melody which Vaughan Williams used as a the basis of his Fantasia. The words are by Fred Pratt Green. We did not have time to sing this as the Byrd motet was long enough to cover the communion. To mock your reign, O dearest Lord, they made a crown of thorns; set you with taunts along that road from which no one returns. They could not know, as we do now, how glorious is that crown...

Swam 30 lengths and saw Humphrey and the kids on my train. Weather has turned cold again, In the afternoon 2 staff training sessions in the learning centre and we looked at Our reading futures website and different scenarios. Home to get keys (Liz had gone to the cathedral)and traffic was bad but I got to Coulsdon by 7 p.m. The service went really well and the choir sat in the transept creating an upper room feel. Vicky said all was well and she had spoken to the bishop at the Chrism Mass. We sang Byrd "Ave verum" - there were 12 in the congregation so no need for "To mock your reign" Psalm 116 to Goss chant, Psalm 22 to plainchant and Taize "Stay with me". The tricky bit was when the lights were turned off during the psalm! I did stay for a while - a beautiful altar of repose and I read Thomas a Kempis. To swimming pool to pick up swim stuff and home at 10 p.m. for dinner.

I could not resist this wonderful picture from Whispers in the loggia! It is the moment when the bishop breathes over the oil. He also has a fine video by Fulton Sheen about spectators at the crucifixion.

To post office to renew freedom pass. To Coulsdon to choose May music with Vicky - there is "trouble at mill". To Windmill pub for lunch with Gerry and David. I took the wedding photo book and enjoyed roast lamb. The pub has been refurbished very well although it seems very echoey. Came home to sort out Coulsdon matters. To Hinsley Room for last Lent group session - 9 came and at last we got to the point on welcoming migrants. We also completed the evaluation form with a unanimous request for courses on the Bible. Hannah was particularly vocal on this so much so that I twice had to ask her to let others speak! They enjoyed the wedding book. To Westminster Abbey for evensong sung by the lay clerks - Tallis. The third lecture by the Archbishop of Canterbury was well attended. It was on Faith and history but seemed to be mostly about the historical Jesus. I did drop off for a bit! There was a 10 minute break for questions to be handed in and assessed during which the organist pl...

I can just be seen behind the crucifer a first year at the seminary. 40 lengths and saw Andrew. I put in a comment about the fact that the pool is open right through the Easter weekend - do the staff get a break and do the Christian staff get it off. Also the shower in gents change room is stuck again wasting water and heat. The Readingfutures training course and it was great to see old friends like Carol and Ruth. They loved my picture gallery in the staff room including me with Princess Anne! To the Chrism Mass for 12 noon. A most impressive procession and Liz and I sat together behind the priests as we were consecration torches. Saw Fr Allen, Fr Aidan, Fr Jim from Chiswick and Fr Richard. Fr Mark was there and the seminary students. Lots of Macmillan but did not much like the Gloria from the Westminster Mass. Hymns were "My song is love unknown" O godhead hid and The royal banners with one about the oils to "Eisenach". Hard to hear Cardinal's excellent sermo...

Swam 22 lengths and got early train as the library learning centre is in use for 2 days. Lots of colleagues from other branches came for the training on the website ourreadingfutures which is excellent and I was on the course in the afternoon. Nice to see Margaret Merrall. To Croydon Parish church for 9 p.m. Chemin de la Croix French poetry with fine improvisations by Andrew Cantrill. I liked the ending on Noel nouvelet. It was rather cold - no boiler at work so relying on fan heaters and the church was not very warm. A rare sighting of a lady I take to be Mrs Boswell with Colin.

This is better and wonderful picture!

Dresdner Kreuzchor version - a tad fast for my taste!

A detail of Mary Magdalene and a donor from the Deposition by Roger van der Weyden. I've been thinking about feet in view of the foot washing ceremony on Maundy Thursday. Washing someone's feet and having feet washed is a humbling experience. Some years back I had a knee op just before Holy Week and a nurse washed my feet. That was an amazing week teaching me that I am not indispensable at church. "How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace" - Handel sets this so well in "The Messiah". "Christ has no body now but yours .... yours are the feet with which he walks" Let us all follow in the footsteps of Our Lord in this Holy Week. "O let me see thy footmarks and in them plant my own; my hope to follow duly is in thy strength alone: O guide me, call me, draw me, uphold me to the end; and then in heaven receive me, my Saviour and my friend." It is Mary who washes Christ's feet with her tears and wipes them with her ...

Peter died on Friday of lung cancer. He was for many years a teacher at John Fisher school and lived in Coulsdon. We well remember when his wife Christine died and I organised a requiem Mass at Addiscombe for her. Peter sang with us in the Nicholson Singers and joined us at Coulsdon and Upper Norwood for big events. He had a sonorous bass voice. We shall miss the funeral as we will be in Germany. That's the third funeral I've missed this year. He was 61.

Liz was due to be cantor at 5.30 mass but had train problems and when she tried to drive up she got stuck in traffic. I listened to evensong from Windsor which included My song is love unknown and Bach's Passacaglia played by Roger Judd. I also did the April music list. Earlier I was watching "The hidden face of Jesus" which claimed links with other religions. To St John's Upper Norwood for service of meditation on the Passion. John Linley was there with Bob Atkinson. We sang Blow Salvator mundi, Greene Lord let me know mine end, Crux Fidelis by King John of Portugal and 3 negro spirituals including 2 arranged by Tippett. Cathy sang sharp as usual. It was hard to hear Beverley at times. The service began with Vexilla regis. Kit plays the hymns far too loudly. 11 in the congregation. Adrian's Mum is sinking fast - Joy said it would not be long now. Watched part 1 of The Passion on TV - bit hard to follow at times but I was a bit tired.

The Cross and Holy Week Lent is ending, Holy Week is approaching. As we turn our minds and hearts to the Passion, I want to offer this meditation on the Cross I got from Beliefnet, it is very profound. Two thousand years ago, outside the city-gates of Jerusalem, Jesus of Nazareth was crucified as a common criminal by means of crucifixion. This is the historical fact. Now, the truth of faith: He died for me, and for you. He died for all people. God became a man and lived a relatively short life. That life was ended by means of a cruel arrest and a horrible sentence of torture and death. Our hearts sink heavy with the realization that he died because of our sinfulness. We could not save ourselves. We needed a Savior-a Divine, sinless Savior. Look with the eyes of faith, and behold this gentle and willing Lamb stretched out in agony on the wood of the cross. Here is a mystery played out so pitifully and yet so beautifully. The mystery of love is emblazoned on the suffering Christ as he h...

Palm Crosses To Make the Knot in the middle 1. Hold the palm horizontally. 2. At about the half waypoint fold the palm up towards the ceiling to create a ninety-degree angle. 3. Take this piece and fold it tightly down towards the floor. (Do not try to make the cross. At this point you are making the square in the middle). 4. Still using the same piece of palm, fold it back up toward the ceiling. 5. Take the other piece of the palm and fold it across the square you have been creating. 6. You will now take this same piece of palm and thread it through the small square you have created. This square is at the back of the cross and you will see the right angle you originally created in this square – thread the palm under this right angle piece. 7. Pull tightly and you should have a completed knot that does not need to be held. To Form the Cross 1. Take the palm that points towards the ceiling and fold it down toward the floor and thread it through the square you have created at the ...

Mosaic from Palermo Just back from Coulsdon where everything went really well. John brought his flute and we started in the hall with Wilson's Hosanna to the Son of David. because of the atrocious weather we processed through the corridor to the church with the flute giving great support to "All glory Laud and honour". I insisted on this being in B flat so it did not go too high. We sang Bairstow in E flat which is such a fine setting - pity the Benedictus got left out - what better day to sing Hosannas! The Passion was read by lots of readers. Vicky preached on Holy Week itself. At communion we sang "Is it nothing to you?" by Ouseley with a real sense of the sorrow in the music. We also had verse 1 of "O sacred head" . After "Ride on" I played "Tears of grief" from Bach's St Matthew Passion. After coffee I practised - odd to be playing Easter music today! At the cathedral Thomas sang the Passion with Deacon Ed and one of the la...

Saturday day off but to the library for the reading group session in the adult. 13 came and met Michael Mail who I had met at a police meeting. He speaks really well and he explained how he came to writing late when he won an Edinburgh short-story competition. He is a Scottish Jew living in North London and is now a full-time writer. "Exposure" is about a Jewish girl who comes down from Leeds to the East End to study photography. One of the group felt that the book was more like non-fiction whereas others loved it and found they wanted to know the ending. Michael pointed out that tragedy was hinted at from the beginning. Suzy gets to know a Jewish community in the East End and the novel plays on the use of a camera as a shield to intrude into people's lives. The lecturer Terry and the other students are well-drawn as are the Jewish characters. There is also an interplay between the nominal faith of Suzy's separated parents and Suzy's rediscovery of her faith thr...

Fr Rob Laws on retreat in Iona - follow the journey of A priest's musings on the journey.

Thanks to Bishop Alan for this striking image from Hughenden church. Clare would approve! An unusual 200 year old example, off the vestry wall, of breastfeeding in Church. If you’ve ever got into trouble for breastfeeding in Church, tell ’em about the Countess of Conyngham who, in 1809, certainly does not seem to disapproved — although it probably isn’t her since she was 92 at the time!

Celtic cross from Iona taken by Father Rob Laws Shame on my thoughts, how they stray from me! I fear great danger from this on the day of judgement. During the Psalms they wander on a path that is not right; They run, they distract, they misbehave before the eyes of the great God... One moment they follow ways of loveliness, and the nest ways of riotous shame - no lie! O beloved truly chaste Christ, to whom every eye is clear, may the grace of the sevenfold Spirit come to help them, to hold them in check! Rule this heart of mine, O swift God of the elements, that you may be my love, and that I may do your will. Traditional Gaelic Prayer

A lovely photo of Ann enjoying snow. Dennis had a great time touring round with her taking 4 trains from Wurzburg to reach the mountains.

Woke up early again so wrote to Malcolm Hicks M.P. about the Human fertilisation and embryology bill and the Battersea Crane disaster. I can deliver these letters on my way to the pool. Boiler was turned off at the library on Tuesday and I was most impressed that fan heaters were supplied within the hour! Man came to inspect last night and told me the boiler was 22 years old. The woman who was so rude to Elizabeth and received a letter came in to apologise. I was amazed so see who it was and she is usually very pleasant. It turns out she is a defaulter any way. I told her she must apologise to Elizabeth. A busy day - came to look at guiding. Doris will have to stop putting up so many posters and leaflets. Doris retires in September. I stressed the need for better guiding and outlined my plans for a rearrangement of the adult library which has been the same for 5 years. To practice and went through Holy Week music and Stainer again because Monica was there. I do find it to be poor musi...

PRP interviews at work. 34 lengths. Humphrey, Tay and Lexa on train which was pretty full. To Clapham on the train for So-called AGM of SLASH which is for health and safety representatives. Have not been to this before as I have only recently become libraries H & S rep despite management querying how long I was going to work for (probably 4 years to get maximum pension). I am due to go to training in May and the meeting was convened by Graham who does the training. Arrived at 7 p.m. to be told food was ordered for 7.30 p.m. The pub the Bread and Roses boasts a magnificent trade union banner in a frame which takes up a whole wall of the conservatory. We saw a DVD "Inside out" about the Battersea crane disaster when 2 people were killed in 2006 and how dangerous many sites are. Members of the Battersea Crane disaster group spoke including the mother of the man who was killed washing his car. The crazy Australian chair invited various speakers who all seemed to know each oth...

To New Scotland yard for a communities police meeting - met a nice imam and an interesting discussion. Quite daunting to go through security and find the metal end of my pencil and belt buckle set it off! To the Tate gallery - loved the Modern painters Camden Town group exhibition and the beautifully lit neo-classical sculptures including a stunning Flaxman Adoration of the magi relief. Did not like Peter Doig or the 5 women artists. The rehang of the modern galleries is good but the drawings exhibition is poorly labelled. Why put all the labels at one end of the wall? Fascinated by a film by Breda Beban of a man dancing with a gypsy girl and how changing the music and the slow motion of the film made it immediately seductive. On way out answered a Mori poll for Wayne and pronounced being a member of the Tate very good. interesting that I did not spot that The Independent had sponsored the Peter Doig! The last of Understanding Islam and 30 there - felt quite sad but Chris was hilarious...

Hilarious! Watch out for the gummy locusts!

Oh dear those modern worship songs! Do we really want this?

Before the ending of the day Creator of the world we pray... From all ill dreams defend our eyes, From nightly fears and fantasies, Tread under foot our ghostly foe that no pollution we may know. What a wonderful hymn this is for those of us who wake in the night!

Still blowy but at least it was fine today. 36 lengths of the pool. Said goodbye to Marina who is going to work at Northcote. To Battersea power station community forum and then Catenian council meeting at Brendan's. Kevin is organised for the incoming year. We all went to Xin Chinese Thai restaurant for a good meal but I as usual didn't feel full eating so many little bits and pieces! Company was good - Bill is off to China in April. Gerry reckoned he had never been to a Chinese meal before! I have sent out emails re the Oxford organists visit on May 10th and had some responses.

Terrific storm hit UK. Within 2 minutes of leaving home I was wet through. When I got to the pool there were no lifeguards so got early train to work and dried off there. Even my briefs in my trousers pocket were wet so wore swim trunks all day! One leak in children's library. To tai chi - only 4 of us in class no doubt because of the weather. Interviewed Ryan. Turns out he was server at the cathedral 12 noon Mass. He goes to Salesian college with Wisdom and writes to MPs and councillors! He will be an asset I think. Watched "White girl" an outstanding TV play about a Bradford girl who becomes Muslim. Spoke to Ann on skype. Lyn has joined the blog - welcome Lyn and Rosemary! Excellent wedding photo prints have come.

I practised the organ and went through Compline with Vickie. Liz stayed at the cathedral - she was cantor at morning prayer and 5.30 Mass and she fitted in a visit to John Lewis. I watched Protestant Revolution part 1 and Songs of Praise school choirs (all 6 excellent) and Lark Rise. Listened to fine evensong from Kings' College Cambridge on radio including Rachmaninov canticles. To the cathedral for Oliver's recital - Vierne Symphony No. 3 well played and then to Westminster Abbey for Michael Martin's fine recital. Bach Prelude and Fugue in F minor, Brahms O welt ich must dass lassen and Alain Trois Danses. Met Isobel. Brought Liz home and then to Compline. I played Bach Erbarm dich and O sacred head preludes. All went well.

Out of the deep I cry to thee O Lord was the psalm today. We sang it to the Purcell and Rimbault chants unaccompanied. It fits so well with the Gospel reading about the raising of Lazarus. It is the psalm said by all Catenians at every meeting when we remember by name the brothers who have died. What other organisation do you know that is still praying for people who died in the 1920s? We sang "God so loved the world" by Stainer.

Thursday to Battersea for stock day. Geoff started by saying he was there to listen and then he talked and kept on talking! To WHSmith Croydon to choose book with token from Derek Phillips. Jon Cannon's "Cathedral" about English cathedrals perfect - have visited every one of them and sung in some and played the organ too. Liz has a mug from each one! Friday to choir practice. Practised Compline and one of the sopranos said I wasn't playing the tune as she had heard it on her recording. I pointed out I was playing the tune as in the plainchant but trying to find the right pitch and key. So she said "there are only 4 lines" to which I replied "I know that". I should do after 50 years of being a church musician! Also rehearsed the Stainer - unfortunately it tends to stick in the brain! Saturday did a lot of catching up and to Mass where we had the wonderful gospel of the raising of Lazarus which always reminds me of SSG summer school when the altar w...

Great photos! Great place!

Chris on great form at Understanding Islam. The Quran claims Jesus was born in the desert - what of 2000 years of tradition about Bethlehem? What of the Eucharist and Passover - have we all got it so wrong? Chris Goodchild led the spirituality day linking the Alexander technique to the theme of "Beyond Desire". His section from Gerard May's book on desire "Addiction and Grace" was most interesting contrasting addiction and repression. "after 20 years of listening to the yearnings of people's hearts, I am convinced that all human beings have an inborn desire for God". During the quiet time I sat in St Andrew's chapel in the cathedral which has fine mosaics of Istanbul and St Andrews and the lovely cross. I found a quote from "The Imitation of Christ" which finished the day well. "All that matters is the cross and dying on that cross - there is no other way to life and real inward peace except the way of the holy cross, and of dail...