Pew Sheet – 3rd October 2021

The Rector writes ’Welcome to our Harvest Thanksgiving Services. Thank you to all who will have spent time decorating our churches to smell and look so wonderful! We are such a blessed community really. People here just do what needs to be done, without looking for recognition or plaudits, they just get on with it and sometimes we can take this for granted so as it is Harvest Thanksgiving –I say thanks to all of you. It is such a pleasure to be the rector in this place… Now enough of that….

I’m looking for something again! Bebhinn writes in her Music Notes that she is hoping to get together a rota of singers who will be willing to sing the hymns at the 11am Service. It would be in groups of 2/3 singing from up in the gallery of St Mary’s each week until such time as we are all back singing together (whenever that will be!). Are you such a person? If you have a decent voice and would like to sing out loud again, please do get in touch with Bebhinn or me and don’t forget, the more people who are willing to do this, the less often you will be asked.

On another note, I’d like to send my love and best wishes to all of the confirmation candidates after their disappointing cancellation last week. We will get there soon I hope. We all wish the bishop a speedy recovery and hope to see him as soon as he is well enough to be with us again.’

Music Notes 03-10-2021

Harvest Thanksgiving Service

Hymns at St Mary’s

39 For the fruits of his creation

458 When, in our music

47 We plough the fields

Two of our hymn texts today are written by Fred Pratt Green (1903-2000). A Methodist minister, Green was one of the most successful hymn writers of the twentieth century. He has been compared to Charles Wesley for the powerful simplicity of his poetic language, as well as the centrality of Jesus in his theology.

Hymn 458 is written to a tune written by the Irish born composer Charles Villiers Stanford (1852-1924) and describes the importance of music in our worship.

The date of October 22^nd has been set for a significant easing of Covid restrictions. It seems unlikely that we will return to full congregational singing immediately, but we may be allowed to take some small steps in that direction. We aim to have a small group singing in the gallery, which will give more meaning to the hymns we are including each week in our services.

We are hoping to put together a rota of one or two singers for each Sunday, to sing some hymns (quietly) from the organ gallery. Please let us know as soon as possible if you would like to be on that rota!

Bébhinn 087 228 5965

bebhinnmuire@gmail.com

Random Notes CCCXCVI

A few people have recently mentioned “Grounding” to me. Grounding simply me ans connecting electrically with the earth. Modern rubber or plastic soled shoes mean that we no longer have a connection with the earth. A distant relative of mine, the late Norman Good was a vet in West Cork, and he spoke to his daughter, Vonla, about the concept. He was a great believer in natural remedies and traditional healing practices.

There appear to be two main reasons for the benefit of grounding.

The first is that the earth is a massive reservoir of free electrons. By standing in our bare feet on the grass or earth, our bodies can exchange electrons which results in a better balance.

The second reason is that our modern world is full of electromagnetic radiation. Telephones, computers, radio’s, television masts for example all induce electric currents into our bodies, and by grounding, we can re-balance the electrical waves. Research has shown that people “feel better” after grounding.

Another method of grounding is to go for a swim in the sea, thereby immersing yourself in the conductive water.

I don’t think that anyone can say they felt worse after a dip in the sea, or a barefoot walk around the garden for 30 minutes. Hugging a tree might have similar benefits, so maybe the hippies are correct?

As children, a lot of us enjoyed running barefoot in the grass, so maybe Uncle Norman was right as well?!