Carry on Serving!

Last evening we had the Candlemas ceremonies, Solemn Eucharist and a servers' meeting with supper. There was a small but excellent choir and lovely music, a dozen servers, and a congregation of eight or ten, no more, but weekday evenings are rather unusual for us. Gathered in the Cloister for the blessing of the candles, the thurible, invigorated by Nicholas's swinging, burst into flame. The organic charcoal from Kew has a tendency to do that and we have a little water squirter for putting out the flames, only Nicholas had declined Beatrice's suggestion that he employ it! It was more like the Easter Vigil with the new fire than like Candlemas; actually I have more trouble lighting the new fire.

As we usually observe Candlemas on a Sunday, we were a bit uncertain of the makeshift ceremonial, so no-one moved to present the candles for blessing, the procession was a bit too quick, and we were pleasantly chaotic arriving in the Lady Chapel, which is really too dark for unfamiliar liturgy. Anyway, we managed, with occasional moments of uncertainty and comedy, and eventually settled to red wine, cold meats and cheese back in the slightly chilly Cloister.

I had come across the notes from a servers' meeting held in February 2002, when less than half of the current team were in place. Some of the issues were the same - when to light candles and in what order, not standing chatting in the ambulatory before the service, being alert to both celebrant and MC. Some things had changed. The altar rail was only put in two Christmases ago and the closing and opening of the gates (especially the latter) seems to amuse the congregation. How many servers does it take to open gates? Well, it depends if the gates are properly aligned, for otherwise the bolt sticks, and then it might need three or four servers.

Nonetheless, we have a fine, committed and dignified serving team, and if it all goes wrong, only we seem to notice, so we just carry on serving.