The organist librarian

 Monday 8th chat to Ann, Passport photo and he gave me a discount as I never used the ones taken last April. Swim. SDEN zoom about Advent was a delight. Phoenix centre Christmas party Sanderstead handbells so lovely and we won 3 raffle prizes. Now have 3 bottles of Baileys! Only connect, Mastermind, University challenge.  Tuesday to hearing aid clinic - they no longer give out tubes so emailed Guys for them, Bought 5 raffle tickets. Beck meth felt very odd with the curtains taken down! Animal park Christmas special 2020. Loved Cor y Boro Christmas concert for cancer charities. Lovely singing, string quartet, lovely food, great people. Wednesday to Westminster Abbey for a wonderful service for Advent.  Thanks to Terence for telling me about this service. Matthew Martin O Rex gentian, Joubert There is no rose, Coptic and Syriac Orthodox choirs. Address by Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe. Wonderful to see the churches and other faiths there. The King gives such a strong lead. Del...

  Beckenham Methodist went well and the congregation sang the new hymn quite happily. I played Martin How’s Advent prelude, Walther Wachet auf, Bairstow and Sumsion on Veni Emmanuel. I was asked if I had improvised the latter. No chance said I not that clever! Good sermon from Revd Jonathan mentioning Oscar Romero and Mother Theresa on the theme of justice. Christingle at SJ and kids sang well. Bruce off to Peterborough. Lovely Advent carols at St John the Evangelist Upper Norwood. Fr John having fun on the organ. Advent carols from St John’s Cambridge was excellent. Celebrity race around the world reached Costa Rica and Panama. Strictly. Johannes out. Disappointed that Oremus did not publish interfaith group ideas for next year. Monday woke late. Ann away and no wifi. Swim, aerobics and went to Balham to meet Julian. Battle to pay congestion charge. Only connect, Mastermind, University challenge, why civilisations fall. Working on Christmas letter. Tuesday woke late again. Swim an...

  Two Sundays when I am not playing. To St John Upper Norwood Jackson in G, Bainton And I saw a new heaven. Marilyn Harper played Bach Prelude and fugue in G. What a treat! At evensong we sang Noble in B minor and Te lucis Balfour Gardiner. Ian le Grice was playing. Bruce came and Dennis and co brought pizza. Strictly and Antiques roadshow. Matthew Bourne on Swan Lake. Monday chat to Ann woke late, Cancelled swim and aerobics. To Wickes Wimbledon to look at bathroom options. Chat to Claire. Copying for interfaith group. Northern dioceses envirnmental group addressed by Sister Joan. Liz to UCM so transported her there and back. Henry came for dish which I had already taken to his house so took them home. Call my bluff, Face the music, University challenge, Only connect. Tuesday Liz to Guys and it was a shorter ession. Swim. Enjoyed The Estate NT at home. To carers meeting and some new people. Back home for a bite then to Bernard Weatherill House for first Croydon climate forum wh...

 To UNACC Triniti not there so picked up Liz and took our ladder so I could put up the 3 pictures and change the clock (after 2 weeks!) back. Nice lunch. To Dulwich gallery and saw the new entrance and kids area and building from outside. Anna Ancher: painting light excellent film and some lovely works. Shop disappointing. Why did they not use the cornfield painting? Sainsburys. To Picturehouse West Norwood.  the film “The Choral”. It’s moving and touching. I feel emotionally wrung out and Gerontius is my favourite choral work. Ranulph Fiennes excellent and the Alan Bennett script is perfect. Hamza's wildlife series so good. Saturday To Shabbat service at South London liberal synagogue and Liz was invited to read a prayer. Georgina spoke about hurricanes in the Caribbean. Did you know there are synagogues in Jamaica? Fell asleep watching the recording of the Lady Mayor's parade! Oh dear this is grumpy organist again! To Mass this evening. Good points communion under both kinds...

   The Christian Muslim forum celebrates 20 years. The forum were guests of the Right Revd Stephen Cottrell Archbishop of York at Lambeth Palace. The archbishop welcomed us and spoke about the challenges we face. Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra Co-chair CMF, spoke on ‘20 years of CMF: From early beginnings to national platform, interfaith dialogue in a changing landscape’. Bishop Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy spoke on ‘Diversity within and without, dialoguing with difference’ and John Woodhouse reflected on 60 years of Nostra aetate and Catholic perspectives on interfaith dialogue. Copies of the new translation of Nostra aetate by Professor Michael Barnes SJ were provided by Westminster Interfaith as an aid to study and John commended Fratelli tutti for study. Common themes were friendship as a basis for dialogue, concern over the rise of the far right and the misuse of Christian symbols by them, moving from dialogue to action for tangible collaboration and engaging the younger generation....

 After yesterday's triumph at Lambeth Palace it was back to art and aerobics. Jacqui asked after Liz who was at urology all afternoon. To St Martin in the Fields hall for launch of National interfaith week. The present and the past minister for faith both spoke well. Such a contrast to the last government. Sam Wells told 4 stories. Khaleel story teller excellent. Lots of networking and lovely food. Choir practice in church was enjoyable. Celebrity race around the world started. Liz watched Celebrity traitors I refused to watch!