27th November 2009

A Chaplain’s Diary

 

What a bizarre organisation

 

 

A bunch of hypocrites

 

One of the strangest things about the church today is that people who never go anywhere near it know exactly what it’s like.  A bunch of hypocrites who think they’re better than anyone else, all fighting in a heap and being told fairy tales on Sundays by pompous old men.

Well what everyone “knows” is usually wrong and that picture bears no relationship to any congregation that I’ve ever seen.  The Church knows only too well that it’s a community of sinners!  If only the critics could bring themselves to visit one they would find a lot of good and charitable people there, thinking very hard about what they believe and why.  And most of them are trying to do something about it in their everyday lives.  You’ll find Christians have infiltrated all sorts of things, like nursing, the peace movement, politics, green issues, Third World development but best of all they’ve got involved by simply rolling up their sleeves and trying to make this world a better place for everyone to live in.

 

A God shaped blank

 

Despite all claims to the contrary there still seems to be that “God shaped blank” in each of us which only God can fill, however you want to describe Him, Her or It.  Many folk are brought back time and again to those traditional  “ rites of passage” of birth, marriage and death to keep that link with what we don’t really understand but feel an affinity with.   After all its all about trying to make sense of the world…..and that’s not easy!

 

Shine as a light

 

A couple of Sundays ago two year old Jennifer from Puigpunyent was proudly brought to church by her parents, Olivia and Jonathan, to be baptised.  Lots of family had flown in from the UK and it was a real family and friends gathering.  Solemn affirmations and promises were made.  Jennifer was baptised as video cameras whirred, the sign of the cross was made on her forehead and she was presented with a lighted candle with the words “Shine as a light in the world to the glory of God”.

 

Entirely voluntary

 

Last Sunday I noticed in the congregation here in Palma: a yacht surveyor, a marketing director, a naval doctor, a businesswoman, a postgraduate student, a travel agent, a baker and lots of other adults and children who were putting into practise their belief that there is more to life than what we see. They were keeping for themselves the same promises that would have been made for them as babies by their parents and godparents. No one had forced them to Sunday worship and they had decided to come entirely voluntarily.

  

 

Some remarkable people

 

If sometimes the church looks a little old fashioned, remember this – it’s a community that goes back a very long way and includes some remarkable people, saints no less.  Just because they lived a long time ago it doesn’t follow that they were stupid and that we ought to scrap everything they left us.  Personally I don’t believe we have to do everything they told us either – but it’s a good idea to have some sort of order – some kind of discipline because a complete free - for - all can go crazy, and there’s nothing crazier than do it yourself religion.  Homemade religion is often shallow and selfish - in fact there’s no nut like a religious nut!

None of our congregation are nuts as far as I can tell.  Though I do have to confess that they sometimes think their priest is! They are all lovely, caring people who have a sense that there is more to this life than we can see - that there is indeed a spiritual and religious dimension to life.

 

A smell of fried onions

 

Probably that’s why a lot of them worked so hard last Saturday for our Christmas Bazaar at the Anglican Church in Palma. The sun shone, the hall and the patio were packed, the Centre Stage Juniors sang their hearts out and a smell of fried onions pervaded the whole event! People had baked, decorated, begged and sorted for days…..and it all paid off. People seemed to be enjoying themselves, having a cuppa and a good natter with old friends and 4000 euros was raised for church funds to help keep the rumour of God alive. So a big “thank you” to all those who sponsored us and helped, and those who worked their socks off on the day. It is appreciated.

 

A bazaar thanks

 

So as I lifted my glass, that’s what I drank to last Saturday night as I slumped in my chair at the end of the day with a large gin and tonic  “The Anglican Church - warts and all! God bless her. She is one of the few organisations that exist for those who don’t actually belong to her!”

 

 

BAZAAR RAFFLE WINNERS

 

PRIZE	TICKET COLOUR	TICKET NOS	NAME
Christmas Hamper	Green	131 – 135	Marie Carmen
Bottle of Champagne	Blue	146 – 150	Parry
Tin of Chocolates	Green	121 – 125	Dilys
Voucher French Coffee Shop	Green	106 – 110	Pat
Voucher Estudio 3	Green	241 – 245	Patty
Bottle of Brandy	Yellow	16 – 20
Mamma Mia DVD	Green	96 – 100	Rosemary
Leather Wallet	Blue	116 – 120	Parry
Rockport T Shirt	Green	196 – 200	Morag
Reebok T Shirt	Yellow	186 - 190
Candle Set	Green	441 – 445	Christine
Wash & Blow at Peter Carroll	Green	316 – 320	Mandy
Pink Cushion	Yellow	156 – 160
Pink Cushion	Green	326 – 330	Mandy
Bottle of Wine	Blue	1 – 5	Sarah K
Candles	Blue	6 – 10	Javier
Voucher Detalles	Green	371 – 375	Rosemary

 

GAMES WINNERS

 

Guess the name of the dog             “Biscuit”                        Cheryl Silvester

Guess the weight of the cake           4 lbs. 10 oz.                Javier Vedia

Guess the number of sweets           333                               Sebastian Spence

Guess where Santa left his sack     Binissalem                  Martin

Christmas Quiz                                  7 correct entries         Lorna Towers

 

 

 

 

 

Fr Robert Ellis is the Anglican Chaplain of Mallorca,

St Philip and St James Church,

Nunez de Balboa 6,

Son Armadans, Palma 07014

Tel: 971 737279

e-mail:anglicanpalma@gmail.com

www.anglican-mallorca.org