parish eye candy

okay, so maybe it wasn't about that at all, but it made me snicker to say that phrase, so i'll leave it. hopefully you'll see the humor.

i showed up for evening services at my small chapel tonight and the LEM (lay eucharistic minister)/acolyte who is in charge of a great many technical details, such as which dressings go on the altar and podiums, decorations, and church fanfare. so i walk up to her tonight and she says,

hi, why aren't you dressed?

i didn't know i needed to be.

you're an acolyte tonight.

that was the first i heard of it, so i look down and say,

do i need to change my shoes?

no, you're fine.

i had on brown clogs (i adore anything i can slip my feet in and out of. in texas i just wore wool sox with them, and made it all winter. here, if it ever gets cold, i hear it gets wicked cold up here--only 50 degrees today--i will need real winter shoes, but for now i broke out my flipflops for morning service

i was running late, as usual, and step out of the aisle to exchange the peace with the priest and he looks down at my bare feet and exclaims

where are your shoes?

over there, i never wear shoes during service.

and he hugged and kissed me. i only wish i'd had time to fancy up my toes but i hadn't thought they'd be out in public again. but it's been warm kids, unseasonably warm. after service i did tell him,

i've been coming to your church for how long now and you just noticed i don't wear shoes?).

anyway, i take off down to the basement where the acolytes, lay readers and chancel choir dress before the procession. tonight was a lessons and carols service before the high mass.

it was an exciting time. helen, beautiful helen dressed me. i am not used to the strange snappy things yet. and tying the cords around my waist.

i sat in the back of the church for the carols and lessons, then processed in with the rest of the acolytes (there were seven of us) a full choir (sort of, i didn't count them but when we went for the eucharist, we filled the entire circlet around the altar, it was fabulous).

so tonight, i got to sit perched up high in the arms of God. and look out over the priest, the congregation and the glory of a christmas service.

i felt sad and lonely when i walked in, when i processed to the front, i felt like the bride of Christ i kid you not. without being all religious, i truly had a rough morning, lots of baggage. but this evening, all dressed in white it felt like i was somehow redeemed. and i guess i was.

i had the silliest grin on my face the whole time. i know the whole mass now (some of the choir members were impressed), and the only bits i really miss are when to genuflect and when to bow.

at the convent, the nuns bowed whenever they sang the holy, holy, holy Lord song. they don't really do that here, but i noticed tonight at the high mass there was more bowing going on than i've ever seen.

our congregation is aging. i'm one of the younger folk, and as i sat up there looking out over all those who came, i couldn't help but smile and think the priest put me up in the arms of God so i could be a bit of eye candy. but that probably had nothing at all to do with it.

singing the songs of christmas, we doused the lights and held candles for silent night, hearing the organ, and just being with a church family who was warm and welcoming was what i most needed.

it made me not miss my family so much. made me, for a moment, not long to be near those who are far from me. and that is quite an accomplishment. i was perfectly content.