New bishop, new look

I had every expectation of feeling let down today - a state of mind described by an ex-military friend of mine as "the sads", experienced after the adrenaline rush of an operation by soldiers when it's all over. Yesterday was one of the stand-out days, so that when I was trying to get myself motivated to dress and be ready for church it felt harder than ever. And morning deadlines are the hardest part of post-retiral life for me. 

However, we made it in time not to be crowded out of the car park by the extra cars occasioned by the first visit of our new bishop and the relaxation of distancing rules for church congregations. (I have to say it feels very strange: all the dire news about rising infection figures even as we all swan around rejoicing in our newly-crowded lives, even if we still have to sing in masks ...). There was some jolly enthusiastic congregational singing, and pleasing unanimity in the responses, with even the eccentric lady who prefers to address God in the words of a past prayer-book seeming to manage to say the same words as the rest of us, just today ...

Long-term readers of this journal may remember a post I did of our previous bishop just before his translation to be the Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway. He favoured a variety of Episcopal ceremonial garb, of which the most recent appears in the photo I posted then. Today's blip shows our new Bishop, Keith, along with our Rector after the service - as you can see he seems not to be averse to having his photo taken. I can't help reflecting that I've known the past four bishops for several years before they were chosen for the post, and wondering if it's merely a sign of age.

The jolly chat, followed by our customary coffee and debriefing with my pal afterwards, meant we were still finishing lunch (a meagre affair) at 3pm, and a walk was pushed to normal people's teatime. This meant we had the benefit of late sun after a grey day, the stillness of the sea with the silhouettes of cormorants on the rocks, the peaceful fields and the evening song of a very loud robin. And now I've just watched the opening episode of Vigil and seen how it's going to work - and know that I could never, ever, work in a submarine.