Group Pressure and Church

There is a pub trip planned for my work colleagues tomorrow. 

Beers and an important rugby game.

I’m glad I’m at work.

The pub trip I can do, but watching competitive games generally don’t  catch my imagination as much as most and the tribal and verbal part of supporting my hometown is somewhat lost on me.

Am I repressed or am I not swayed by the crowd ? 

I suspect it’s a bit of both if the truth were known.

Anyhow, like I said , I’m glad not to be there

I wouldn’t pretend to be interested in who made which try 

And that can dampen the atmosphere sometimes I concede.

And I don’t really drink during the day…an anathema to many sporting fans I know.

I’ve never screamed my head off watching a concert, or laughed hysterically at a comedy gig

Though I have got quite giddy at a great play, or the ballet when the mood has taken me.

I’m not one for pretending to pray in Church either.

During prayers I keep my head up, and listen politely .

I find the pretence of praying much worse than doing nothing.

During my brother’s funeral, the vicar gave me a “ look” when my head didn’t bob with the others

I didn’t look away.

Speaking of Church. 

Yesterday I received word that the Bishop has made the final decision that our Village Church is to close. 

Our request for it to become a pilgrim Church has failed also which surprised me somewhat as I thought we had put up a robust argument for its change of status.

We await official news of what will happen to the building itself and the glebes which border it. 

The fields will be sold I am sure . The building’s future will be difficult to gauge given the fact that it houses a cemetery which is in use by the village population.  

We will wait and see……

Hattie’s painting of St Michaels & All Saints

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Questions

 What are you reading?

What are you eating?

What are you listening to?

What are you watching?

Something good that happened this week?

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"Belfast"

Shirley and I went to see "Belfast" yesterday afternoon. Not the city in Northern Ireland but the semi-autobiographical film about Sir Kenneth Branagh's  childhood in that notorious city. He wrote the script and he directed it. His part was played endearingly and brilliantly by an animated little actor called Jude Hill.

Sir Kenneth Branagh

If you wish to read a professional review of "Belfast", just search the net and I am sure you will easily locate several of them.

"Belfast" is almost wholly presented in black and white, a factor that helps to place it back in 1969 and 1970. The Troubles are breaking out between Catholic and Protestant neighbourhoods but that appears like mere background as the film focuses upon the happiness, unity and anxieties of one working class Protestant family.

There 's a pretty stellar cast including a lovely cameo performance by the brilliant Yorkshireborn actress Judi Dench as Granny. Jamie Dornan, who starred in the recent BBC TV production of "The Tourist", plays the part of Pa and I especially liked the performance of Ciarán Hinds as Buddy's grandfather. By the way, Buddy is the name given to Kenneth  Branagh's character.

"Belfast" made me laugh in places and it also made a few tears roll down my cheeks. It was not overly sweet nor overly sentimental but of course it did not set out to paint an accurate hard hitting documentary-type portrait of  Belfast as The Troubles burst forth. It was affectionate as if recalled through the mists of childhood memory and we very much enjoyed it. A lovely, shared cinema experience.

Afterwards, after we had alighted from the number 88 bus, we called in at our neighbourhood's brand new pub - "The Dark Horse" which has opened in the premises of what was once Lloyd's Bank. There we bumped into two old friends - Linda and Ian - and gossiped for an hour before heading home for a later evening meal than we had anticipated.

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