Friday 9 February 2018

Friday ... a week later!

Well, it has been a funny old seven days ... too much happening to have time for the blog.  So this will just catch the highlights.  Part of the reason is that we're in the middle of the 4Corners Festival.


Saturday was "A Tale of Two Cathedrals" so we (4Corners) walked between Saint Peter's and Saint Anne's ... hearing about the work of the cathedrals and features in the architecture.  There was also a quick tour of a Youth Centre project in Divis.


There isn't space (or time) to show the many pictures ... but you'll find them on my Facebook page.

Parish Communion on Sunday when we dedicated the almost completed Side Chapel Screen.  This has developed over the last six years and depicts "The Six Days of Creation".  The panels were made by Andrea Blain and various items have been added by parishioners and friends. 


You need to come into the building to see some of the wonderful detail in the panels ... the overview is great ... but the fine touches are magnificent.


Some are pinned in place for the moment until we have all of the completed animals and humans.


The dogs that Andrea and I had when first at Saint Nicholas' have pride of place ... Angel, the Lurcher, and Eliot, the Springer/Collie.  They are painted onto fabric ... other animals are embroidered, or made with a combination of techniques. 






The whole idea began with Andrea's sketch ... 


With all the running backwards and forwards the dog sits like a monarch on the back seat.  It appears that the new car has his seal of approval!


Forest walks happen from time to time.  And Dougal is always eager to get out and about.

I forgot to mention earlier that, on Sunday, I announced my intention to retire on 31st May.  More of that in future blogs.


Monday was again 4Corners ... a play in the Agape Centre.  You could have heard a feather drop as the four actors portrayed a tense situation where a RUC widow went to the Sinn Fein MP for help with troublesome youths.





We're still only at Tuesday.  4Corners that evening (after a day of working on the Parish Magazine) was a banquet in the City Hall.  Invited guests were either donor families or donor recipients.  What moving stories of courage and pain. 



Wednesday began very early ... a trip to the BBC to do Thought for the Day at 6.55.  Then Holy Communion in Saint Nicholas', lunch with a friend (when we had to wait for a long time for service), and more time on finishing off the magazine.

"Thought for the Day" can be accessed here:


Thursday, day off ... started early when my sister arrived at seven o'clock for breakfast.  We then spent the morning in the Belfast City Hospital for my cancer check up.  It was good to hear the all clear.

So, we collected the dog and had a very pleasant walk in the Sir Thomas and Lady Dixon park with a light lunch in The Stables.   Magazine finished and ready to print!

Which brings us to today! 


The Messenger, my 44th one, is on the church website.  You'll not be surprised to see that the cover is a photograph of the altar screen!  It was printed this morning and is now with a couple of kind parishioners who organise the distribution.


Those, you'll appreciate, are just some of the highlights of the week ... lots more bits and pieces were included ... and there just wasn't time to do the blog!

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