The organist librarian

Liz and I spent my day off on a drive to Uppark near Petersfield. Rhododendrons are out. The weather was atrocious going down and it took 2 and a half hours to do 53 miles thanks to traffic and roadworks and a fire on the A3. We had a good lunch and enjoyed the house which is National Trust. We went there years ago with the kids. Liz's aunt Kay RIP gave us life membership of the NT which was a super present. We had tea and cake and toured the exhibition about the disastrous fire of 1989 and the restoration work completed in 1995. By then the sun was out and we walked to the dairy and stables. I got out at Morden and got the tube up to chorus rehearsal of "Fidelio" with Mark Griffiths from Covent Garden, who is young and enthusiastic. Liz went with Louise to order the wedding cake and came home with the lovely invitation which has a peacock feather theme - very nice!

Here is Revd Beverley Mason's meditation on this icon. Imagine sitting in the beautiful darkened St John's Upper Norwood with just a few votives burning before the icons on the altar as we did last night with Allegri's Miserere playing. This image of the Holy Trinity is based on a mysterious episode in the Old Testament in which God appeared to Abraham and Sarah in the form of three angels (Genesis 18:1-5). The angels depict the manifestation of the Godhead - reading from left to right, they represent the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Allow your eyes to draw a cricle along the outer contours of the angels. This is an endless circle of perfect unity and loving communion. Notice how the three figures resemble one another and notice too their inherent unity: One God in three Persons who complete one another in an endless circle of loving communion. At the centre of this Circle of Love is a chalice, which signifies the mystery of the Incarnation and the life-giving blood of Chri...

We interviewed for casual assistants this evening and found 3 suitable candidates! It is exhausting work. To St John's Upper Norwood for an illustrated talk on icons by Revd Beverley Mason which was most interesting. At the end there was an opportunity to pray at different altars with icons. I chose the Rublev Trinity which is my favourite!

A very wet bank Holiday. Liz was asked to operate the tower lift at the cathedral so I went to Bromley Parish church to hear Timothy Byram-Wigfield from St George's Chapel, Windsor. He introduced a delightful programme. In Saint-Saens' Danse macabre he mentioned the special cockerel stop to herald the dawn! Some fine Buxtehude and Bach and sweet Alfred Hollins. Guy Bovet and Jongen Toccata. What a treat! To the British library for the magnificent Sacred exhibition on the 3 Abrahamic faiths. Wonderful books and objects and the audio guide most helpful. It's free so i will go again especially as there is a display about the Proms as well! Found some hilarious organist videos on You tube but not sure how to load them onto this blog!

Sunday afternoon to the organ recital at Westminster Cathedral given by Huw Williams assistant DofM of St Paul's cathedral. Bach, Heiller (not to my taste - too loud), Leighton and Durufle all based around Veni creator. To Churches together in Westminster service at St George's, Hanover Square which is a magnificent building where Handel and George II worshipped. Simon Williams of RCO fame played and directed the professional choir in 3 anthems. The service was based on materials for the Week of Prayer for Christian unity and there was an opportunity to share news so I spoke about the interfaith plans and spirituality centre at the cathedral. As a result I met lots of people who take the info leaflets! Mary Maxwell was also there from the cathedral. Indian Pentecost from PadreRob!

Come down O love divine, seek thou this soul of mine... Let earthly passions turn to dust and ashes in its heat consuming... Let holy charity mine outward vesture be, and lowliness become mine inner clothing; true lowliness of heart which takes the humbler part, and o'er its own shortcomings weeps with loathing. Bianco da Siena (d.1434) Come, Holy Spirit! Come, Father and Mother of the poor! Come, our sweet refreshment, our solace in the midst of woe, our light in darkness. Healer of our wounds, dew upon our dryness, warmth for our cold hearts. A version of Veni Sancte Spiritus the sequence for Pentecost by Carroll Stuhlmueller, C.P. Caroll Stuhlmueller's daily Biblical meditations on the readings of the day have been my companion since 1997 (10 years!) and they are still in print and worth getting! He has a gift for linking the readings together. This week has been very special with Into great silence, Gerontius, confirmation, Othello, Pat Gaffney and the Queen's gallery. ...

10 people attended the Cathedral Justice and Peace meeting addressed by Pat Gaffney of Pax Christi. She was so inspiring and spoke about interfaith work and what each of us could do. I said I thought we needed a vision of the epace that each of us can bring and that everyone can make a difference! See Isabel Losada's Tibet how one person can change the world. At the Pentecost Vigil Mass Bishop John Arnold celebrated confirmation. Liz sang the psalm and Alleluia as she is a catechist. Bishop John's homily was just right and he too spoke of the vision and inspiration we all need and how we need to look again at where we are in our faith journey. He spoke to each candidate before confirming each one - it was a lovely experience. I am sitting in the second row in the photo from "Solomon, I have surpassed thee". We sang "Come down O love divine"! Afterwards there was a reception in the hall. Thanks to Padre Rob for the Maronite and Coptic icons of Pentecost! I ha...