Abracadabra!

…is not usually in the liturgy here at the Priory, but neither is ‘I am the XL double cheese burger of life*’. That’s one of the joys of being in vacancy - the congregation hears some different voices from the pulpit - or in this case from the nave.

This Sunday, Assistant Bishop Robert Paterson, preached and presided at the 10.30 Parish Communion and that included the Children’s Talk…And that’s where ‘abracadabra!’ came in.

’I want you to run to the font and back whilst not thinking about the word ‘abracadabra’’ he instructed the youngsters. With the Olympics and Paralympics fresh in their minds, several Personal Bests were achieved as they flew past the amused congregation.

’Now who didn’t think about ‘abracadabra’?’ the assistant bishop asked. There were some sheepish faces. When it came to it, everyone agreed - older members of the congregation, too - that not thinking about ‘abracadabra’ was nigh-on impossible, once they’d been told not to think about it.

It’s just like the problem we all face. We carry on doing things we don’t mean to do, even when we don’t want to do them. But Jesus says ‘I’ll forgive you’, which is good news for us all.

The junior ‘athletes’ returned to their seats, including in the choir, which made a welcome return following their summer break, and voices were lifted in praise.

Once the children had left for their groups, the congregation was exhorted to lead a life full of the fruits of the Spirit. Spilling out in all we do. Preaching where words cannot.

In today’s society, many people don’t know that the church, other than the glorious church buildings, is here. We can do something about that. We must live our lives so they don’t ‘make sense’, so that others ask ‘why?’, and we can be witness to God’s love…safe, as the children learnt, that we’ll be forgiven if we don’t get it right every time.

Everyone’s welcome at the Priory. Why not come along; service times are here.

* which Rev Roger Latham explained earlier in August.