Categories: uncategorized
Date: 11 May 2009 06:33:07
In May 2000 I went to see Ipswich play at Wembley in the play off finals against Barnsley in one of the last matches to be played at "the old" Wembley, yesterday church had a similar feeling. Before you sit, shaking your head and asking if I have finally lost it let me explain.
For those old enough to remember what Ipswich was like in the 70's a trip to Wembley bought back memories of the glory days.... a glimpse back into how things used to be and a glimpse back into how we wanted things to be again. It also provided a thrilling 90+ minutes of football where we were on the edge of our seats, young and old alike. It was a family thing... I was there with Third Party, my brother and my aunt. Being one of the last matches at the old Wembley, before redevelopment though meant that this day which was an event of hope, anticipation and enjoyment had a special feeling, you knew you were there at a special moment.... one that future generations wouldn't get to enjoy. It was a day when I knew having Third Party there was special... she would have a memory that many of her generation wouldn't.
Yesterday I got a similar feeling again. As Third Party sat next to me in church listening to an eminent New Testament scholar, now aged over 90, give the sermon for the church anniversary I was glad she was there. This wonderful servant of God was ordained, we heard, over half a century before she was born but he was still able to hold an audience spellbound, (on a couple of occassions I realised I had nearly fallen off my chair as I leant forward). There was something about the pronounciation in a voice cultivated between the wars and the structuring of the sentences which took you back in time. It was possible to imagine oneself v. clearly as an undergraduate hearing the wise teachings of a revered professor for the first time after going up to uni. There was story telling, moral insight but also clear explanation regarding the structure of New Testament life - (things I'd only partially ever known before) - and how it was to be applied today. Add in references to the classics and a lamenting of the current generations lack of knowledge of Latin, (we learnt about the meaning of the word Peculiar and Henry V), and some personal sentimentality about his Greek New Testament and you had what Third Party was heard to later remark "a v.cool old guy" giving us an experience to savour. An experience we all understood we would be amongst some of the last to recieve.
That wasn't the whole reason that it felt like Wembley yesterday though. It was a day of celebration... a day when church sparked hope. There was a baptism and so the baby came with a bunch of peeps not normally in church, something that should always warm the heart and give hope. The net effect of all this was that an oft left empty balcony was occupied by a bunch of peeps, predominantly students. Being downstairs I got to see the smiles as some of the congregation became aware the balcony was once again in use for a Sunday morning service. If I had had a camera I would have taken a picture of the look of joy on their faces. Finally it was special because it highlighted the true intergenerational nature of church. There was the baby being baptised by the mid-aged minister who also introduced the elderly professor. The beginning middle and end eras of life being visually represented within the service.... showing clearly how church is there for all of the stages of life.
Both were days of celebration, days of joy, days of hope..... and you don't get much better than that.... in football or church.