Ash Wednesday

And so Lent is upon us and we change from the lightness of "As candles are lighted" to the sombre Welsh tones of "Jesu, lover of my soul"! To the Hinsley Room for Understanding Islam and Chris on great form. 21 there so the earlier time perhaps was repsonsible. Eileen Dutt led the spirituality day on the Call of God and gave us some useful prayers. There were some new faces there. I went to Vespers and 5.30 Mass with Bishop Longley for the ashing. The choir excelled in Allegri Miserere. As I was leaving I met the Balham rep on the Unity commission. Oddly 4 people have all asked if I am going to the Thursday meeting which I had to miss because of the Dvorak rehearsal! I go the train to Coulsdon South and was at St Andrew's in good time for the practice and 8pm eucharist. There were only 5 in the congregation because therehad been a morning service attended by 29. During the ashing we sang Psalm 50 unaccompanied. Alas some of the choir did not return to the minor chant for the Gloria so that was a bit rocky. Lord for thy tneder mercy's sake was OK. I got the bus home - Liz had been to chorus after serving at the 5.30 Mass.
On Thursday to Vespers (again the men bellowing plainchant) and Mass (men only) and to Dvorak rehearsal.