Sacristy Safari

What a great time I had this morning in Young Church. One of the things that we’ve been working to change, in devising a new programme for younger members in St Mary’s, is to build in some more contact with clergy. Today was the first clergy day in Young Church and I was the designated person to go through.

After gathering in the Synod Hall, we made our way to a special, secret place where almost no-one gets to go – the Sacristy.

Once we were there, there was loads to look at and talk about. We found shiny things, green things, red things, smelly things, bronze things and silver things. We discovered the tassles on the best white vestments and found out that they represented angel’s wings. We found the special holy oil that the bishop had blessed last year on Maundy Thursday so that everyone who was baptised could have the sign of the cross made on their heads. And we tried it out too. It was sticky!

We found some old palm crosses and talked about grandparents who had given them as gifts at Easter time. We found a lovely silver crucifix and talked about who was on it (and noticed that his arms made the same shape as the coloured bands (called orphreys) on the priest’s big poncho called the chasuble. Then we came across a tiny chalice for taking communion to people at home and we passed it around.

Someone had kindly left the thurible where we could get hold of it, so we discovered that it is very heavy and that most of the time its very hot. We found out how to lock it closed and we looked at the incense grains that go in it and discovered that they live in something called a boat, because it looks like a boat. We then spotted some angels lurking about, which was quite exciting.

Then we heard that the people in church were starting the prayers, so we sat round and had a bit of quiet time and talked about what we wanted to give thanks to God for today. (Beds and food!) Then after a quick prayer saying thank you to God for beds and food and everything around us, it was time to line up and go into Old Church to share the peace.

Phew!

Comments

  1. ChickPea says

    Wow! Big Game Safari indeed!

    PS.The Young Church yin that I spoke to told me “it was great”. And I’m glad the Angels got a look in too – they will have enjoyed that.

  2. Zebadee says

    A suggestion for you to consider is that the ‘Old Church’ should also do the same. You might be suprised to find that the oldies do not know the significance and the symbolism of the objects in the sacristry

  3. Surely angels have more important things to do than lurk!

  4. sounds lovely – glad it went v well.

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  1. […] 1, 2010 · Leave a Comment Following a couple of references in Kelvin’s head, I have been thinking of angels. I know the popular image, which is a beautiful or statuesque human […]

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