Christmas

I can now report that the CIH is currently having a few days off now that he has completed the Christmas services - four on Christmas eve and just the one on Christmas day.

Christmas eve number one. 9:30am. The CIH played the organ for St Peter's, Chelmarsh.

Lunch was a traditional Austrian meal (breaded fish, potato salad, cucumber salad) after which the family opened a few presents each - those from the Austrian side of the family. This is a great tradition that the CIH is not willing to let go of easily. Besides, now that the meal has moved from the evening to lunch-time, it means that he gets to open his presents earllier.

Christmas eve number two. 4:00pm. The CIH played keyboard for the crib service at St Mary's, Highley. This was a great opportunity for lots of children to sing some carols and hear the story of the nativity afresh.

An hour at home before setting off again for the next service.

Christmas eve number three. 7:00pm. The CIH assisted at a service of Holy Communion in St Bartholomew's, Glazeley. He also preached a short Christmas message.

Back home for another couple of hours before heading out again.

Christmas eve number four. 11:00pm. This time, the CIH was back on the organ.

The CIH made it home in time for a few hours kip before going out again.

Christmas day service. 10:00am. Today, the CIH was leading the service of Holy Communion. As he has not been priested yet, the RIH presided at the table but the CIH lead the service and played the keyboard. A joyous, celebratory service which was well attended ended on time.

Now after a busy couple of days in which he has played more music than the rest of the last six months put together, he is having a few days off. I therefore shan't be reporting much in the next week.

see you in the new year.

The Calm before the Storm

Yesterday was a much quieter day for the CIH. After morning prayer, he found some time to go to the bank before making his way to St Peter's, Chelmarsh (one of the other churches in the group) where he met a family to bury the ashes of a relative who died recently and was cremated last week. It all seemed to go okay.

After that, he was more or less free all day so he spent the time preparing for the Christmas services with particular attention paid to Christmas Day.

In the evening, he popped round to see a recently bereaved parishioner and deliver a Christmas gift on behalf of the Church. This was gratefully received.

It all picks up again in a couple of days.

Another Glass of Mulled Wine?

What a party!

The CIH emerged this morning from a 'mulled-wine induced stupor' to face the day. But the open house thing was only at the end of the day. Let me first, fill you in on the rest of the day's events.

After morning prayer, the CIH took a trip down to the pen factory so that he could offer his Christmas greetings to the staff. He decided a good use of some of the left over mince pies he had from the Christingle service was to start giving them away. So he took some of these with him and handed out boxes of mince pies to each department. Staff were bouyant and looking forward to their well-earned Christmas break.

After his short (one and a half hours) visit to the pen factory, the CIH went with the Rector in Highley (RIH) to Park House Care Home to give Holy Communion to the residents and to sing some carols. It's fair to say that this is probably the least favourite of all the CIH's responsibilities but one that is as important as all of the others. Who knows, he might get to enjoy it.

Mr & Mrs CIH went, with their children, for lunch at The Rectory with Mr & Mrs RIH. Another excellent lunch with a good selection of food. Thanks very much.

Now on to the evening.
The CIH's family had been hard at work all morning baking cakes for the evening do. Having made something in the region of 6 litres of mulled-wine, the CIH and his family were ready to welcome visitors. The first arrived just after 6pm and the last ones left at about quarter to ten. The CIH was seen to be enjoying his mulled wine but even with his constant consuming of the stuff, only two-thirds was used leaving 2 litres ready for another occasion. I wonder if there is any chance of a clear, concise and cohesive sermon on Christmas Day? We'll have to wait and see. Any way, by all accounts it was a good evening and one that is probably worth repeating.

More tomorrow. Bye

More Carols

Hi.

All the final arrangements for the Christmas services were set in place at yesterday's staff meeting. The CIH has agreed to play the organ for two church services and the electric piano for one more over the Christmas period. The first was the Carols by candlelight services (or candles by carol-light as the CIH kept saying) which was last night.

This went well - even though he did miscount the verses on 'Angels from the realms of glory' and finished one verse ahead of the congregation. Lots of compliments all round. I wonder whether we compliment our regular musicians as much as we do the people who play for 'one-offs'.

Mr & Mrs CIH have invited the Church round to their house for a mince-pie and drink this evening so I'd better go and help prepare the place.

See you soon.

The German Market

On Tuesday, the CIH went with Mrs CIH and their offspring to the German Market in Birmingham City Centre. They had a great time sampling typical german food and looking at all the wonderful products on sale. Spent far too much money but had a great time. Who needs Frankfurt?

Then spent a few hours visiting friends and family to drop off presents before driving home in the fog.

Community Carol Singing

Jingle bells, jingle bells,
Jingle all the way...

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer
had a very shiny nose...

Hi.

The church organised a community carol singing event on Monday. The local brass band was there to lead us in singing some Christmas carols and the CIH was there to help with the distribution of free soup and rolls afterwards.

Over 100 people gathered to sing carols together as instructed by the band leader. Only problem was, he didn't seem to like doing more than two verses of any one carol - so just as we were getting into the swing of singing 'O come all ye faithful' he stopped the band and we moved swiftly on to the next one. Still it was good fun though.

Oh, another thought. The CIH was heard to mutter something along the lines of "since when have 'Jingle Bells' or 'Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer' been carols."

Christingle

Hi. I'm back. Sorry, been a bit absent minded over the last couple of months and haven't been keeping you very informed about the CIH.

Yesterday (Sunday), the CIH fronted a Christingle service at the Severn Centre in Highley. It seemed to go very well.

The service was a combination of the church's usual Children's Nativity Play and the Christingle Service. This was the first year the two events had been combined and no-one was sure how many people might turn up. Rough estimates were that we might expect to see anything up to 100. This rather disappointed the CIH as he was hoping that he might see 200. I guess he's a bit of an optimist.

Any how, after some publicising of the event and much rehearsal by the Sunday School, the day arrived and the church gathered to see what would happen. In the end, about 140 people turned up. It's just as well the CIH arranged for there to be about 160 Christingles made. It's just a shame that he can't work out how many mince pies he needs to buy for such events. Of the 240 that he bought, less than 60 were eaten. I guess we all know what Mr & Mrs CIH will be eating over the next few weeks.

After the Christingle service, the CIH dashed off to Billingsley for a service of 9 lessons and carols that he was leading. This went well too and the CIH got to practice the main points of his Christmas sermon that he will be preaching at St Mary's, Highley (10am).

Once again, sorry for the wait, I'll go away and write out 100 times, I must do better... I must do better... I must do better...