When I was first challenged to do this by my cousin I balked at it. I wasn’t interested. But then I thought about it and realised it was perhaps a good idea to capture this current strange period in time and what better way than a series of photos. So I was in.
Day 1 – my desk
I have spent a lot of time at my desk, in my study, dealing with general church admin including emails galore with helpful advice and links – there is so much I could do. I also make phone calls to see if people are OK from here. I am not tidy by nature and I think my desk shows that.
Day 2 – Breakfast
It has been quite strange to eat my breakfast at the same table that is used for Holy Communion on a Sunday. You can see the Easter candle still in its place. Often though it has been put on top of the piano. Obviously terry hasn’t played as it is standing on the piano stool. I usually read the Church Times whilst eating breakfast, which is what you can see there. The Easter flowers decoration has been kept going so we have it for our Sunday worship.
Church meeting in a home was how the early church met. They broke bread and said the prayers in each other’s houses early on the fist day of the week – which back then was the equivalent of first thing Monday morning before going to work.
Day 3 – my computer
Today we were informed that we could open up churches for one person (who lives nearby and is either a minister or church warden but not the in vulnerable category) to say the daily office (prayers), celebrate the Eucharist, ring one bell and check on the fabric of the building. A further email (that I haven’t read yet) gives lots of advice about opening up the building….. I’ll save that gem for tomorrow.
But I did venture in, accompanied by my husband (allowed by our directives as we live together), to do some filming for the VE Day 75th anniversary simple act of worship video. I say ‘simple’ and it is, on paper…. but putting it together started on Tuesday when I spent a lot of time on it. I won’t go into details but I couldn’t use the footage from that day so on Wednesday morning re-filmed my bits but then having seen 2 other contributions that were done outside the building I decided I wanted the other bits to be done from inside.
So, today, apart from the short time filming, I have been in front of my computer editing a video. Late this afternoon I finally got it up on Facebook scheduled for tomorrow and then put up some other pieces.
So I decided that today’s photo for Facebook would be the computer screen. I took it yesterday at the end of the afternoon of editing the funeral that had taken place at 2pm. I think you will see the time is 16.54. The first attempt didn’t work so it had to start again. It worked 2nd time. Today’s effort actually worked first time.
Despite the aggro and stress I do enjoy making the films and it seems to be my main creative outlet at the moment. This afternoon I also had a phone call from my archdeacon to see if I was OK. So I was able to tell him how I felt and also hear him agree that I can only do what I can do and he affirmed my ministry in these strange times. He also showed concern and asked about how I was managing to get my day off and times of rest. It is good to know that he cares. I know that I am supported by others and the people do care about me as well as appreciating all that I do… even though I feel ‘could do better’. But that voice needs to be ignored.
It is now 6.10pm. I haven’t had my walk today and it is getting late. I have said that I will do night prayer at 6.30pm as we want to eat at 7pm. So I think I will end this here.
I have written this mainly for my own record of this time. If you have found it interesting then I am glad. If you haven’t then I suspect you haven’t read this far!
God bless you whatever you are doing in these strange times.
Elizabeth Jones' Diary 