My reader will know that I was called in to play for a special service on September 9th.
I sent in my invoice, not having been told what the fee was although I have played there before, and I didn't charge the full amount as there were only a couple on hymns and an anthem. (I did spend quite some time polishing it)
Although the choir director has been in touch and promised to chivvy the treasurer up I have still not been paid. I hope they deal with their invoices at the end of each month.
I have been going to church for a very long time because my parents promised my Grandparents (I don't think I have any Godparents) that they would ensure that I did. Initially I went to a Sudnay School at a Methodist church. When I became a chorister at the cathedral we - as a family - embraced the CofE and the rest is history.
If church-going drummed one thing home to my sister and I, back in the day, it was that telling the truth was absolutely vital. We were also brought up with characters such as Mrs-Do-As-You-Would-Be-Done-By as well as Biblical characters. So I get really fed up (P'd off) when people do not treat me correctly, as will be seen from previous posts.
What has prompted this post today is that on Yahoo there is a report that Liz Truss hass been criticised over ‘wildly dangerous’ false claims about £2,500 maximum energy bills.
It seems to me that we have exchanged one Prime Minister, whose view of the truth was askew from the norm, for yet another politician who does not know how to utter facts which are not wide of the mark, let's say.
I suppose going to church does not make one honest but I am sure that the decline of church-going has had a negative effect on society. We have lived for a long time in an England in which it seems OK to be 'economical with the truth'.
What is not generally realised by people, I feel, is that church services take place during the week between Sundays. Vicars are obliged to say the daily office and often do so by themselves.
I went out recording headstone inscripitons today and the church lights were on: there were just a couple of cars parked outside the church gate whereas, normally, there are none. I wondered if it was a meeting of some sort. I didn't need to enter the church because, pausing by the south door, I could clearly hear words which I recognised a part of the communion rite.
Eventually the vicar and an older gentleman emerged and walked up the churchyard path. I introduced myself because - although the PCC know am working on the MIs - the vicar has not actually been on touch, although he knew about it.
He thought I was part of the The National Burial Grounds Survey and wondered where my special equipment was. I said I just had a camera, paper and pencil.
The National survey will not - as far as I know - record inscriptions but what I have seen so far is pretty impressive as regards accuracy and locations.
I am sure it is all different now but, growing up, one was exposed to church teachings. One of these was - as I understood it as a child - to 'like' everybody and not hate others.
It is unwise to tell children this because they will dislike quite a lot of their peers: they will also not be able to distinguish between simple dislike and genuine hatred. This will set up a situation of cognitive dissonance which they will struglle to solve.
Thus, I really could not stand a boy called Nigel who was at my school and in the choir. I was really worried about this and hoped God would not take in out on me in some way.
Growing up, children have to gain experience of the different personalities they will encounter and they have to learn to deal with them. Simply to suggest that if child A hates child B then child A is in the wrong can do great harm.
I played for a 09:30 service this morning (I've just had coffee at home). I arrived at 08:56 to get my books ready and because I usually ring before the service.
There were 5 in the choir and only 9 in the congregation plus the vicar and me: total 16. I suppose it is only small(ish) village but I noticed that the average age was at least 65. One wonders where the congregations of the future will come from.
It was a fairy brisk 55 minute service - not drawn out - which I like; 4 hymns but a communion setting was used for the Gloria, Sanctus, Benedictus and Agnus Dei.
I had not realised just how difficult it is to walk on a gravel path until last Wednesday.
