Patronal Festival Choral Mattins and more

‘It’s a fifth Sunday, so it’ll be a little different next week’ was the pre-service announcement on 22nd September.

And it was the Patronal Festival too - the feast of St Michael and All Angels. But, as Roger, who preached at the 10.30 service, pointed out, it was one of the Priory’s (p)atronal festivals - the other is matronal - the Blessed Virgin Mary.

To mark this feast, the Priory Choir led the congregation in worship; Choral Mattins, according to the Book of Common Prayer. It was the first time that all the Junior Choristers and many others in the Choir and congregation had experienced this very special service. Glorious psalm chants, canticles and an anthem (Rutter’s This is the Day) lifted the congregation in worship in a very different way - worshipping through the words and music of others.

Roger reflected how he first came to faith through singing in his church choir as a youngster, and moved on to encourage everyone to be aware of the angels in their lives, who we so rarely pay attention to, but are there for us all the time.

Over coffee, after the service, ‘wonderful’ ‘amazing’ and ‘it gave me the shivers’ were to be heard above the buzzing conversations. Homemade cakes and cookies from the Priory’s Mothers’ Union were enjoyed.

So how did the Priory Junior Choristers, a wonderful group of young volunteers, learn so much music to lead worship so well? The answer may lie in the strength of the team, something that certainly flourishes and grows at the annual Chorister Camp. Climbing, abseiling, the campfire (a bit soggy in the rain this year!), games, The Quiz (well done to team ‘The Unbeatables’ for winning by a whole half a mark!), good food and ending with a service on Sunday morning at the local church; it was a fantastic event earlier in September.

Music at Parish Communion in the evening was lead by the voices, flute and piano of the Priory Praise Group. The sermon explored St Michael, whose name means ‘So who is like God?’… to which the answer is ‘It’s you, it’s me, it’s everyone. Made in God’s image’.

Meanwhile, preparations are being made for next Sunday’s Pets’ Blessing Service (3pm 6 October) to which all, especially pets, are very welcome. Calling all pets! Please bring your owner on a lead… (or travel in suitable safe accommodation)