Howay in a manger and

St Nicholas Cathedral, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Saturday 22 December
and Holy Trinity Church, Huddersfield, Sunday 23 September 2018

A busy weekend in the life of a Christian musician started on Friday evening with a rehearsal for Holy Trinity’s Morning service on Sunday. Saturday, and the journey 120 miles north to Newcastle for rehearsals at 10am, sound check at 12.30 and service at 3pm. Then back to Huddersfield. Sunday morning I was playing again at our 10:45 service, so a 10am start.

Howay in a manger

A double Christmas celebration, as Newcastle Cathedral is dedicated to St Nicholas. Christmas at Santa’s Cathedral, what could be better? My wife put this better than I can in a Facebook status:

#HowayInManger Spent a long day going to Newcastle and back to go to this event at Newcastle Cathedral.

It was organised by Disability and Jesus that Steven Pape has got involved with.

We left home before 7am to walk down to the station for a 7.30 train. Steve took trolley load of gear, guitar and amplifier case with various leads and other accessories and a mandolin. He had to be in Newcastle for a 10 am rehearsal.
So after a second breakfast at the nearest subway l took myself off for a bit of sight seeing an shopping. I found Chinatown and the Grainger Market.Then headed back to the Cathedral. Steve was still busy with a doing a sound check so read my Kindle.

Found somewhere to grab a late lunch then back for the 3pm service.
Which was working towards a more accessible Carol service. This included a makaton story with pics signs in programme for when to do something. Carols including the 12 Aids of Christmas. Also one in Geordie Howay in a Manger also had a Geordie translator.

A bit about disability an Jesus and poem an words from a very clever disabled guy. Candles passed round and lit at the end. 4.15 finish packed up and managed to get to the Station for a 5pm train that was not overly crowded an given seats then confuse one’s she we got a chance at the next station. Had problems with equipment but always someone turned up to help thank you .

So home by 7pm but worth taking time out to share the birth of Jesus with others.

I’d like to add a prayer for Dave from Disability and Jesus who did a lot of the hard work for this to happen, only to be too ill to attend. God be with you, mate.

Youth and Kids Takeover

The Sunday morning service at Holy Trinity was led by the younger people in the congregation. I am far from being a youth, being not far from being a pensioner, the drummer who was down for the service was not available so I became the last minute stand-in.

One thing about young people is that you can tell when they are enjoying things. If I could bottle their enthusiasm and sell it I’d make a fortune. Trying to keep up with their enthusiasm on percussion had me sweating, percussion playing in church is not usually this physical. Wearing a Christmas jumper didn’t help. The level of piety at this service was appropriate for the age range, I liked it.

I am now looking forward to the next Youth and Kid’s Takeover, a phrase that will strike fear into our Children’s and Youth leaders, they have obviously put a lot, and I mean A LOT, of hard work into this. Well done.

-o0o-

Disability and Jesus website: http://disabilityandjesus.org.uk/
Disability and Jesus on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/disabilityandjesus/
Disability and Jesus on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DisabilityJ

Holy Trinity Huddersfield website: http://www.holytrinityhuddersfield.com/
Holy Trinity Huddersfield on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HolyTrinityHuddersfield/
Holy Trinity Huddersfield on Twitter: https://twitter.com/holytrinityhuds