As of the beginning of this year, four of our parishes have been fused into two. There are still four places of worship but they have been combined into two parishes.
One of the things we are trying to do is celebrate with our various communities at least from time to time. So it is that today was the first day since this particular adventure began that the three priests involved played swap with the congregations with which we usually live and pray.
As I arrived for the first liturgy this morning, the parishioners greeted warmly but I could see on their faces that they were all wondering where the normal priest was. Some of the people in each worship site did knwo that the priests were spelling each other off today, but obviously not everyone did, so at the beginning of the liturgy, I took a few seconds to explain that all three priests in question were in various locations, neither of us in our 'home' places until the end of the morning's celebrations.
This is a new experience for some of us, and for some of those who came to pray this morning. In the end, everyone was fed with words and with holy food. The presiders have all returned to their habitual abodes. Now on to the business of proclaiming the good news in other places and circumstances.
One of the things we are trying to do is celebrate with our various communities at least from time to time. So it is that today was the first day since this particular adventure began that the three priests involved played swap with the congregations with which we usually live and pray.
As I arrived for the first liturgy this morning, the parishioners greeted warmly but I could see on their faces that they were all wondering where the normal priest was. Some of the people in each worship site did knwo that the priests were spelling each other off today, but obviously not everyone did, so at the beginning of the liturgy, I took a few seconds to explain that all three priests in question were in various locations, neither of us in our 'home' places until the end of the morning's celebrations.
This is a new experience for some of us, and for some of those who came to pray this morning. In the end, everyone was fed with words and with holy food. The presiders have all returned to their habitual abodes. Now on to the business of proclaiming the good news in other places and circumstances.
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