Reflections after my first solo flight as churchwarden

It's been a good day.

First of all, the 0930 service. I thank God for the excellent 0930 team, which settles down and gets the job done, with lots of commitment and without fuss. They are wonderful! Collectively, the answer to a churchwarden's fervent prayer! A memorable Pentecost family service, with a happy One Programme format, and a sermon which was so good that it was quoted as the starting point of the 1100 service, but which actually I didn't hear because I was busy making sure of safety for the kids taking turns to do the air-driven rocket at the other end of the church. We couldn't help ourselves, crying out Oooh and Aaah as the rocket shot up nearly to the ceiling each time. Then Colin the verger wanted a go, so we took the rocket outside. I reckon it went higher than the highest trees!

My end of the church, we were learning by doing. The power of driven air, sending a rocket so high and so exciting. (And it was the preacher who had set us up to do just that; maximum points both ways, Sally!) 

Then the 1100, my first solo as warden. Well I knew there was just one thing which I didn't get right, but I noticed the recently retired church treasurer making sure that the two girls at the front went up to communion after I'd failed properly to communicate the possibilities to them, so I call that a win for superb teamwork. And superb teamwork trumps individual excellence every time ... And I shouldn't forget to mention the careful substitution which meant the rota for service at the 1100 Just Worked, without any need for me to intervene. Yet another piece of excellent teamwork and initiative.

Finally, at 1830, we went to the Pentecost celebration at the cathedral. You know what they say about busman's holidays? (A busman's holiday is one where you sit at the front watching someone else do all the work you'd be doing yourself if you were working.) Well, that's what it was like for me, being with a thousand others worshipping God in a superbly organized service, with a fantastic sense of coherence and drive. And it was all "come along and enjoy this, you wouldn't want to miss it", not "we must, we must, we must improve ourselves". So many good things, but I remember the placards saying "Jesus is Lord" in 150 languages[*], and getting excited about the 24/7 prayer room as a "thin place", which I should on no account fail to miss (because I will like it so much), and praying for church leaders in Coventry, and my friends saying, this was so good, can't we do it again? and saying to them, yes we can, there's another one planned for next year - only on an even bigger scale!
[*] Actually perhaps it's 150 for next year, not this one, but there were a lot of languages there ...

As Catherine said at the end, now that was a good Sunday!