intercessions

St. Mary's, Thorpe

When Father D arrivs at the altar to celebrate the service a little girl is walking beside him. He holds her up so that she can see us in the pews and introduces her: "This is my niece and today I am doing some emergency babysitting because her daddy is at a job interview." She looks at us with her great dark eyes and then sits in a tiny chair beside him and reads a book so quietly that we almost forget that she is there. Except that we don't because her presence is a source of light throughout the service. At the end she solemnly processes out, holding her uncle's hand, and we can hear the joyful sound of her chatter in the vestry.

Matthew 19.14
...Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me...for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."

intercessions

There was a new person in the congregation today. It was very touching to see how people tried to make him feel welcome without intruding. I wished I could share some of the peace that I have found in that sunlit space and I hope that he felt relief from whatever impulse made him open the door and step over the threshold.

intercessions

In the pause before we begin our intercessions I look around in the quietness and feel a surge of affection for my friends in the other pews. The one who polishes the brass and the one who pours the tea, the one who publishes the weekly newsletter and the one who runs the children's group, the one who leads the choir and the one who organises the food bank donations. Their prayer enfolds me.

image : Alice Christie