From cracking matches to terrible sermons…
Every now and again the planets align and you get an unexpected treat. Earlier this week I had finished work for the day -tea had been cooked, eaten and washed up, my wonderful wife was in the dining room defuzzing church kneelers and I sat down in the lounge and stuck the TV on – the Champions League semi final was just starting – Paris St Germain vs Bayern Munich- the champions of France and Germany playing their first leg match. And whilst normally popping on the football (or at least the football I who won’t pay to watch TV football) usually results in a scintillating no score draw between Tranmere Rovers and Arrington Stanley with all the excitement of watching paint dry, this match was a cracker – goals flying in left right and centre, 3-2 at half time and 5-4 at full time.
Just as often in life, though, things go wrong – my favourite footballing example (from The Book of Heroic failures) being a match played in 1973
In 1973 Oxbarn Social Club football team arranged a friendly match in Germany. It was an opportunity for the lads, who play in the Wolverhampton Sunday League, to get a holiday abroad and also to meet some new opposition. Only when they entered their opponents’ luxury stadium did they realize that they had mistakenly arranged a friendly with a top German first division side. For their part, SV Mainz were expecting to play Wolverhampton Wanderers, then one of the strongest teams in Britain.
The Oxbarn club secretary said, ‘I thought it looked posh and when I heard the other side were on an £80 bonus to win (that’s about £700 in today’s money), I said to myself, “Something is wrong.”
After the fifteenth goal whistled into Oxbarn’s net, their goalkeeper was seen to fall on his knees. He seemed to be praying for the final whistle. It was around this time that the sixteenth and seventeenth were scored.
Naturally, the Mainz crowd were delighted to watch a team like Oxbarn instead of the mighty Wolverhampton wanderers. They behaved very well said the Oxbarn secretary. “whenever we got the ball they gave a prolonged cheer.’
Oxbarn social club lost 21-0.
Disasters happen in Church life too. One of my favourite examples being a few hundred years old but still a goody… At the end of the sixteenth century regular processions were organised around Hereford Cathedral to mark holy occasions. Before one such (and the moral of the story is clearly pride cometh before deep embarrassment..) the Dean of Hereford, The Very Revd Dr Price, decided that in view of his own importance he would not, as before, walk on foot with the lowly cannons (major and minor) but would instead ride on horseback – so that he could more easily be seen reading from his prayer book. The proud cleric climbed into the saddle of his mare, opened his book and took to the streets, a towering figure of importance, dignity and pomposity.
His reading was at an early stage when another nearby horse, a stallion, broke loose, saw the Dean’s mare, and mounted her from (to use a Naval euphemism) ‘astern’.
The dean was trapped a sandwich between the two vigorously, amorously entangled horses, read nothing, and vowed he would never ride in a procession again.
Tomorrow in Church we will be examining a disaster, a tragedy, the story of the sermon in the bible with probably the worst ending and response from the listeners, but in so doing we see God at work in and amongst even the most trying and challenging circumstances. So if your life, or the world at large seems trying or difficult, come along and experience something more of God’s glory and God’s grace as we worship him together. We will be digging deeper into God’s word together with some help from Art and Poetry as well…
Looking forward to seeing you
Peace and Blessings
Andy
Brislington Community News 