The organist librarian

Watched "Milk" on TV - I have seen it before but it is good. To SOAS on 468 for 4th multifaith Faiths in tune, Set up table and Lola arrived with the Conversations cards which are very attractive. I had made lots of copies of the cathedral interfaith group leaflets. I heard a good Christian group from Ealing. It was pleasant chatting to William. Shereen came in the afternoon. Stefan and Arfan sang and played well and were there all day. There were people about but not as much as hoped. Had Moorish lunch and packed up at 5.30 to get to Chrism Mass rehearsal whcih went well. We are acolytes and consecration torches. Watched Noah's ark on TV.                                                                                                     ...

Saturday a quiet day sleeping in a bit, unpacking and catching up on emails. Set off to got to Timothy Byram-Wigfield's recital at Bloomsbury Baptist but missed train, next one cancelled at Kent House and going to Bromley South still meant I did not make it. Saw Ann Martin on the 24 and Paul Moynihan got on but ignored me. Met Liz for tea and served 6 p.m. Mass. Brian asked about our trip. Straight to Langley Park golf club for Beckenham circle's dinner of chicken. Deputy governor of Bank of England spoke -  a bit dull but we enoyed the evening. Sunday damp but processions still happened! I played Kauffmann on St Theodulph, Bach on Herzlich and Tears of Grief. Andrew Newcombe has been made redundant. Sue confirmed she is leaving. Paul very interested in Jerusalem and he preached well. Nice lunch and Palm Sunday service at St John's was well done with Victoria, Byrd, etc. Watched Indian summers and Antiques roadshow. 

Watched two films on the way back Testament of Youth which got very gory and Riot club which was disgusting. Hard to hear the dialogue. Simon Schama on Rembrandt was good.

Wednesday was a serious day. We went to Yad Vashem which is distressing and makes me angry at the inhumanity of the Holocast. Afterwards we met Yahan a Jew who works against demolition of Palestinian houses. He showed us how Yad Vashem while an excellent museum has an agenda about Israel and is built on the site of demolished villages. We went to see the outskirts of a mental hospital where the village was where Palestinians were massacred in 1948 leading to evacuations. In the evening we had an excllent session with Christian and Mulsim young ladies - the account of the El Al search was disgusting and I will certainly l never fly with them again. I am still puzzling over apartheid parallels but there is hope that the women might change things. Thursday 26.3.15 To the Dome of the Rock at 7 a.m. We were very priviledged to go into both mosques and the Muslims prayed under the actual rock. Wonderful stained glass and mosaics and decoration. The Al Aqsa mosque is huge – 7 aisles and mo...

After the serious day at Hebron, engaging with the High school students and the Archbishop and his wife we had a fun day. Breakfast at 6.30 and a long drive with a stop for coffee to Nazareth where we visited the huge church of the Annunciation. I did a sketch of the grotto area. We then drove via Cana to the Sea of Galilee for an excellent fish lunch at the Church of the Beatitudes. I did a sketch and we had a lovely outdoor Eucharist celebrated by Bishop Richard with the sea as a backdrop. On to Tabgha with its fine mosaics and then an hour at Peter’s primacy where I did 2 sketches of people paddling and the Muslims praying by the seashore. An interesting time at Capernaum with its synagogue and Peter’s house and church and had an ice cream and coffee. Slept on the way back and a good dinner and Mike led compline in the college chapel.

To 7 a.m. eucharist in the cathedral which started early - the archbishop was there. After breakfast we went to Hebron seeing many settlements in the West Bank on the way. The mosque has many fine features and the tombs of Abraham, Jacob, Isaac and Joseph but the Israelis carved out a synagogue from the building. The Jewish students are in a covered courtyard area and the atmosphere is wierd. I watched one taking off his phylactery and kissing it. Spent our money in the Palestinian shop buying pottery, cushion cover, etc. Back for lunch and then to St George's school for a session with some inspiring Muslim and Christian students. They used "they" every time they spoke of Israelis. Some had met Jews at summer camp and learnt from that. There were many interesting comments. Prepared videos.

19.3.15 St Joseph. Woke at 6.45 too late to get to Eucharist in the cathedral. The Muslims got up at 4 a.m. to go to the Al Aqsa mosque – prayers there are multiplied 10,000 times! After a good breakfast we talked about hopes and challenges for the course. Dr Rodney Aist gave us an overview of the history and we talked about the Pact of Omar which appears to be a forgery and the paragraph from Nostra Aetate about Muslims. A lovely lunch and then off to the Mount of Olives for the chapel of the Ascension which is a shared site and Mustafa gave us the history from a Muslim viewpoint. A long walk down the hill to the Church of the Nations, tomb of Mary and Gethsemani. We met up again at the Lions gate and El-Ghazali square and a visit to the Muslim cemetery where 2 of Muhammad’s companions are buried. A walk along the Via Dolorosa and through the covered market to the Wailing Wall where there has been more building. Back to the coach and had a rest. Liz went to evensong in the cathedral...

Packed cases and cleared up ready to leave. To Gate picturehouse to see Met production of La Donna del lago by Rossini. Good audience. Joyce di Donato was stunning and so was Florez. Standing ovation. To Vic and A cast room and drew 2 lions one by Donatello! To oil painitng and the first part is done and shellac is on (3 coats). Fish and chips when Louise and Tom came home and Sean popped out of bed! We got up at 5 a,m, and drove to terminal 5 where the valet parking took the car and we had breakfast at Giraffe. The flight BA was smooth and as we were in a group with Bishop Richard we sailed through passport control with diplomatic support! We then waited for the Luton flight to come in and all got on the coach.to Jerusalem. Views of the walls and the divisions are very clear. Very warm welcome at St Georg'e college and a very pleasant room. Excellent meal and orientation session.

Got up and felt light headed on the loo so back to bed and slept until around 1! Missed SPIDIR AGM and talk. To dentist and root canal done - not very pleasant! To Westminster Abbey Henry VII chapel for lecture on morality by Prof Vernon White. Reception in Jerusalem chamber and I met a tall young man called Patrick who spent a gap year in the Holy Land. 

played Bach Ich ruf zu dir, Vernon Griffiths on Maria zu leben and the Toccata and Fugue in D minor today. Watched the service for Afghanistan. Andrew Carwood sais yesterday the Queen was 8 minutes early hence the wait at the start for the first hymn? The Harris, Durufle and Vaughan Williams were all beautifully sung and the Archbishop gave an excellent sermon. Those of other faiths joined the bishop at the end! Watched programme on the racist Smethwick election and Indian summers. I went to Lent group and Father John not there. At evensong we sang Rachmaninov Bogoroditse. 

Friday to St Matthew's with my dinner suit in leather case. Jeremy Marks on sexuality and I found it easier than expected to discuss how my position has changed e.g. on same-sex marriage. Prayer time was Godly play which I rather liked. Met Liz at East Croydon and we got trains to Elstree. Taxi to Quality Inn and the room comfortable. Changed and walked to Holiday Inn. 75 at London North West's 1000th meeting including the Grand President and Peter and Marcela Stevens. I had a lovely chat to Mary Shiell who works with the Bishop of Northampton who sounds really good. The dinner was very good - soup, salmon and cheesecake. I stuck to orange juice! 11 p.m. back to the hotel. Liz did not sleep well and was unwell with runny tummy. I had breakfast and we got a taxi back to the station. Liz decided to go to the Zoo and I'm glad she felt better as she was meeting Louise for her surprise trip up the Shard for lunch with Dennis! I went to St Katharine's at Limehouse for an exc...

Swam 20.  2 stimulating meetings. John McDade on Christians and Jews at Sion centre and 7 at conversations for the soul. I also got guide books from the library and went to evening prayer at Southwark cathedral and heard the girls rehearsing a modern piece with Stephen Disley. 

Monday swam 24 and to mosaic and collected everything as I will not be there again until June. I have the right number of tiles I hope. 9 at tai chi! Home for lunch. Catenian council at Brendan's and Philip made a strange remark about the most committed person taking on too much i.e. me! To Chinese for a good meal £23. Tuesday we both swam and I did 22.  Had a wierd dream about Guilini conducting a concert on a beach and some of the chorus arrived on zip wires including Simon and then it poured! To Gate cinema for RSC from Stratford Love's labours won which is Much Ado set after World War 1. Dogberry was hilarious! To Turnham Green and finished one book. To Chiswick business park on bus and another oil painting class doing the brown and white. Liz was at servers council. Wed Sean joined in at Tamar's and we went to Gunnerbury park for lunch. I went from Acton Town to interfaith group and Stefan spoke without notes on yoga. I went to the Westminster debate on Faith and poli...

played Prelude and Fughetta by Franck, Brahms Herzliebster Jesu and Bach Fantasia in C minor. Liz was smoke! Practised psalms after servuce, Did some reading and listened to choral evensongs from Windsor and King's college London. To Lent group - Tutu on a biased God. Asked Fr John how he responds to callers wanting money - he offers to do their shopping. At evensong we sang Byrd second service and Behold the Lamb of God, Dennis came for supper - he was on call today. Watched the last Call the midwife and Indian summers - excellent. 

Spent the morning reading. To Alan and Ivor's for a very nice lunch. Renato and Gisela were not there but everybody else was. Nice to see everyone -Hatta as odd as ever! At Mass we had the first scrutiny but not with year A gospel and the choir of New Hall school sang Haydn, Bruckner and Mawby very well. Watched Great sewing Bee. 

Up late and sorting out numerous emails. To Brook Green St Michael's on trains and underground for the recital by Jonathan Dods standing in for the player from St Martin's in the Fields. Naughtily he did not give us a programme and mentioned Bach, Demessieux and Bedard and left us naming that tune! I got Attende Domine, Ubi caritas and O sacred head right! Watched programmes on monasteries. Lots in The Tablet today. Practised Gigout and Bach on piano. Watched University challenge and The Boy in a dress, also Betjemanland.

Thursday woke early but slept late as we got home late last night. Ann Marie got a job at Shirley hospital. To art and progress is slow. Lunch at cathedral cafe and welcoming. There were 3 of us on and one of them kept hogging people! To Tate Britain to see the Victorian sculptures which are beautifully made and the silver and salt photography. Tea and banana loaf in members room and then to Alexandra Palace. Organ and RCM forces.Crown Imperial with thrilling brass and percusssion. Toccata and fugue in D minor very well played. Nielsen flute concerto with Claire Wickes. Planets - loved the tambourine and bells player. Home at 11.15.

Tuesday swam 24. To Trinity House Chapel Court for session with Chris Chapman - turned out to be  Angus Anderson talking about his painting The Fall based on Paradise Lost. It was a stimulating reflection on institutional evil - he used to work for GLC. I came home for lunch and Liz went to Acton. The train to London Bridge was packed and my train was stopped due to somebody on the line at Streatham Common. Result I reached Chiswick Park at 6.30 instead of 5.30 having left at 4. Nelson was great and said stay for the second session so I drew the portrait on the board and painted the imprimatura and white highlights - we are using egg tempera! Glad the Toplises took the Mastersinger ENO tickets as I would have been very late for it! Got to Acton at 9. Wed Louise was working at home so went to music as normal. Sean fell over but seemed OK. Picked up Ciaran from school. We both went to ENO and sat in dress circle for Purcell's Indian Queen with additional material and excellent dance...

Rang dentist and got to see see Roy at 9.15. All he did was give me a prescription for antibiotics and I was charged £18.50! Did not go to mosaic or tai chi and stayed home feeling tired. Excellent interview by Mark Lawson with Alexander McCall Smith. To Clapham to see The second best exotic marigold hotel. Delightful. Richard Gere was very good. Home for fish and changed and to Catenians. The last time I will be in the chair after 2 happy years. Juan brought along Michael Clancy and Austin was there. Quite a lot of visitors. 

Played Flor Peeters on Cwm Rhondda, Bach Descent from the cross from St Matthew passion and Fugue in G minor by Lasceux. Drove to Norwood Junction and train and buses.  Brilliant talk by David Ford at St Paul's cathedral on "The drama of living" - I met him at Knead for Peace but did not know he was Regius Professor of Divinity at Cambridge! What insights into John's gospel! He underlined interfaith scriptural reasoning. o St Paul's cathedral.Getting home took 90 minutes as trains were cancelled and thanks to TFL I came via Elmers End and Woodside and bus. To Lent group which was better as the chapter was not as long. At evensong and benediction we sang Parry My soul there is a country and the Lent prose. John tells me there was a pub meeting of the people who left St Michael's when Paul came. Sounds sinister. Adrian cannot come on July 19th (Singing session for Jean Taylor). Call the midwife and Indian summers and discussion programme on the future of the ar...

To Kent House. Unfortunately got off at Bromley South where I should have changed at Orpington. Anyway Brendan met me at Sevenoaks station in his BMW and we picked up Fergus (very grand house). Visited Oakwood House (lovely but expensive) Village (not so nice) Holiday Inn (disappointing) and finally Darenth Valley Golf club and his will be a good venue for a St George's Provincial Gala Dinner and Dance. Menu  Butternut Soup, Lamb noisettes, two desserts and cheese. Brendan will also book the Heartbeats. It was a miserable day so came home and had a rest watching Picasso programme - my tooth was bothering me. I went to Bloomsbury Baptist to hear Henry Fairs play Buxtehude, Hoffmann and Bruhns. He is now so fat I am amazed he can see the pedals! They locked a troublesome door which i do not think they should have done. It made my exit befofe the Nielsen awkward. Mark Doran was at mass -confirmation candidates and Fr Andrew had asked Mark to help with radio mike. There were 6 se...