Out of Rhythm
One Final Interruption
On Friday, I’ll be writing about the Feast of St Simon and St Jude which falls on 28th October, much as I’d like to write about King Alfred, remembered by the Church of England on 26th October.
This Friday rhythm has become really important to me and, hopefully to you, since I’m realising that life is about rhythm. It’s about cycles and seasons. Each week has its own rhythm. Friday is traditionally for fasting because of Good Friday. (I must try that.) Sunday is the Lord’s Day, because it is resurrection day.
Each year has fifty two weeks, scattered across twelve months. It also has four seasons which wax wane, coming early or late depending on a variety of factors. More reliably, the Christian calendar gives us Quarter Days, dividing the year into four equally sized parts. These are:
25 March – Lady Day
24 June – Midsummer Day / Feast of St. John the Baptist
29 September – Michaelmas
25 December – Christmas Day
Each quarter has a mid-point, marked by a Cross-Quarter day, which are:
2 February – Candlemas
1 May – May Day
1 August – Lammas (Loaf Mass Day)
1 November – All Saints’ Day
On top of this, there is the far lumpier liturgical calendar. We’re in Ordinary Time. Advent is coming – and I think we really need to rediscover Advent because we are doing Christmas all wrong. (More on this some other time.)
I’m discovering that these dates aren’t just interesting, but important. That’s why I move hell and large portions of high water to have an email in your inbox just before lunch on Friday. Without fail. Some of you are kind enough to tell me how much you enjoy it. That really helps. Thank you.
But it is not Friday and yet here we are. What’s going on?
What is the meaning of this?
I don’t want to bombard you with emails. It’s not just rude. It interrupts a rhythm I’ve worked hard to establish.
I have a good cause. I’m asking for a cow.
And I’m asking for the last time. The Jazz Cow Kickstarter closes on Friday, so I’m giving you time to get involved. At the moment, it doesn’t look like Jazz Cow is going to get the chance to stand up to Dr Popp. But with your help he can.
Jazz Cow is a really good expression of what I’m all about here on my Almanac. Not only it is an old-school hand-drawn cartoon by a fellow Christian. The very first pilot script is about the rhythms of the universe. Jazz Cow uses the Coltrane Code to crack a safe in order to get his saxophone back from Dr Popp. (If you want to more about that code, scroll right down to the bottom. It’s a fascinating video.)
As Jazz Cow goes on this journey, he discovers that he’s not alone. This is a show about community and shared values, something we’re all yearning for.
So, are you in?
Course you are. I know you want to help. So here’s an extra incentive. If you back the campaign for as little as £1, I’ll send you a link for a streaming video that I normally charge for: either The God Particle play or my stand-up theology Water into Wine show. Trailers of both are below to help you choose.
So here’s what you do: Go to Jazz Cow Kickstarter. You’ll probably have to create a log in. Sorry. Please persist. Make a pledge. Done.
Then for the freebie, ‘reply to’ this email with a copy of the email you receive (just copy and paste the text into an email) and say whether you’d like The God Particle or Water into Wine. And I’ll send you a link. Or just contact me via my website.
Go over to the Kickstarter here:
Back to normal on Friday. Promise.
The God Particle
Water into Wine
Here’s a brilliant video explaining the Coltrane Code – and Giant Steps: