What I have observed in my short few months here, is that Settle is a vibrant, busy little town where community involvement is integral to making it the special place that it is. There is an active Churches Together group, known locally as CTiSaD (Churches Together in Settle and District). I was very much looking forward to experiencing (and being part of ) the many activities planned for Lent and Easter, especially the Passion Play on Good Friday and the Dawn Service on Easter morning in Millennium Gardens. Well, it wasn't meant to be this year...the Covid pandemic made sure of that. However, not to be phased, it was decided that although the Passion Play was a bit out of our reach, we would go ahead with the Dawn Service. But it had to be a Dawn Service with a difference.
The Chair of CTiSaD, Rev Stephen Dawson, led the service from his garden. It was an Iona service, with a short dramatic reading. The powers of the internet meant that the parts were played by people across the district from their own homes and gardens. I had set my laptop up in my front garden so that I was outside with views looking across the hills to the west (and also visible on the street outside my house)! I felt very privileged to have the part of Jesus (sprung on me at the last minute). But I did my best and dramatically spoke as loudly and clearly as I could, so that people would hear me via the internet links. I thought it all worked really well and it was a great start to Easter morning, so thank you to everyone for making the effort and joining in.
Chris, my husband was fast asleep in bed when I had crept downstairs to join the Dawn Service. When it was over and Chris finally surfaced, he asked what had been going on outside. Apparently I had woken him up by shouting in the street... things like "Ahoy! Have you got any fish?" and "Peter, do you love me more than anyone else!" I don't know what the neighbours must have thought but I have been chuckling about it ever since!
Being an introvert, I must admit that I'm not very good at being 'forward' and I'm conscious that I'm not an ideal candidate when it comes to Christian witness! Hearing the Gospel reading for Easter Sunday does my heart good. I wonder why Jesus chose Mary? For a start, she was a woman...and a woman with a bit of a dubious reputation, at that! She would never be fully regarded as an equal by the people of her day. Yes, she was definitely poor witness material and yet God chose her to take the most important message the world has ever known back to the disciples. Just imagine being the one that Jesus called by name and being told to tell people that He was risen from the dead...just imagine...well...GUESS WHAT?
The Chair of CTiSaD, Rev Stephen Dawson, led the service from his garden. It was an Iona service, with a short dramatic reading. The powers of the internet meant that the parts were played by people across the district from their own homes and gardens. I had set my laptop up in my front garden so that I was outside with views looking across the hills to the west (and also visible on the street outside my house)! I felt very privileged to have the part of Jesus (sprung on me at the last minute). But I did my best and dramatically spoke as loudly and clearly as I could, so that people would hear me via the internet links. I thought it all worked really well and it was a great start to Easter morning, so thank you to everyone for making the effort and joining in.
Chris, my husband was fast asleep in bed when I had crept downstairs to join the Dawn Service. When it was over and Chris finally surfaced, he asked what had been going on outside. Apparently I had woken him up by shouting in the street... things like "Ahoy! Have you got any fish?" and "Peter, do you love me more than anyone else!" I don't know what the neighbours must have thought but I have been chuckling about it ever since!
Being an introvert, I must admit that I'm not very good at being 'forward' and I'm conscious that I'm not an ideal candidate when it comes to Christian witness! Hearing the Gospel reading for Easter Sunday does my heart good. I wonder why Jesus chose Mary? For a start, she was a woman...and a woman with a bit of a dubious reputation, at that! She would never be fully regarded as an equal by the people of her day. Yes, she was definitely poor witness material and yet God chose her to take the most important message the world has ever known back to the disciples. Just imagine being the one that Jesus called by name and being told to tell people that He was risen from the dead...just imagine...well...GUESS WHAT?
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news:
“I have seen the Lord!”
And she told them that he had said these things to her.
“I have seen the Lord!”
And she told them that he had said these things to her.
John 20:18
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