This Joyful Eastertide

Every Christmas, a thousand and one folk ask me what my plans are over Christmas, and often not knowing what I do for a living, don't understand why my calendar is so busy.

I then respond by explaining that I am a Church Organist, who also works in hospitality, and they gasp and express their shock that "Gosh, it must be your busiest time!"

Well, Yes... and no.

I have spent years, playing Hark the herald and O little town of Bethlehem about a hundred times, and that is fine, you pack a music bag around about early December, cram everything into the diary and plough through

Easter is a whole different kind of busy. Firstly, it is never at the same time each year, so depending on how early or late in the year, determines a different set of calendar challenges, and then when you get to Holy Week, I think my busiest ever Holy Week consisted of 9 services, two choir practices, a Good Friday workshop, and a Saturday filled with emptying out 30 or so folders full of music from the last 8 services, and get them ready to go with "The Big Day"

This year, I was asked for by 3 churches for my availability for a total of 15 services (If I did them all,) Whilst doing my fair share in hospitality earlier in the week.

I deliberated and came to the conclusion that I could fairly split my services by attending, playing or singing at One in each Church.

I had a lovely time this Eastertide, and once Easter Day had passed, It was time to focus on the future months in Orlingbury.

We are preparing a Choral Evensong for Pentecost, on Sunday 8th June.

Orlingbury is a lovely parish, I feel really welcome there, everyone has been wonderful to me and supported me and the choir. Orlingbury Church only has one significant flaw.... It hasn't got a loo!

So, as someone who prefers to have these facilities available, I knew I ought to get myself acquainted with the nearest places of relief. One is a really really brilliant Cafe, and just opposite, the pub. I am very grateful to Jack, Matilda and the team who are more than happy to give us a smile as we wave on our way in and thank them graciously for use of their "Little-People's-Rooms" on the way out.

I have popped by a few times having spent a few hours in the parish, and as a fellow bartender, I can never help but watch and appreciate hard work. This place is another one full of the best staff, who are all lovely, all work their socks off, to make the place thrive. I can't always remember all of their names, but Gemma, one of the managers is just outstanding, a role model who leads by example, deals with the busy or crazy times as if it were a breeze, all whilst making time for the customers in front of her.

Gemma is quite clearly not the only one who makes the place so great, I could literally go on for hours, but There's also another brilliant one who upon conversations, we have discovered that we have a lot in common, she too has the best customer service skills, the confidence of someone who's done it 20 years, and do you know, when you just need a good ol' laugh and a good ol' smile... She has it in abundance! It must be a Wooding thing!

If you missed my last post, which celebrated the young talented folk of hospitality, along with sharing how old it makes me feel, Click on - Throughout All Generations

So with Ascension day tomorrow, it'll be soon time to crack on with the Umpteen Sunday's after Trinity, We have a flower festival coming up, a Come and Sing for young people, I have got to finally learn how to conduct the last page of Rutter's All Things Bright and Beautiful. and by then, it will be nearly Christmas!!!

Time fly's when you're having fun!

This Joyful Eastertide - was the Gradual anthem that we sang on Easter Day, and this version arranged by Philip Ledger is most definitely my favourite. The recording you will see attached is from Llandaff Cathedral, under the direction of my former organ teacher, Stephen Moore.