A wordless liturgy. The sound of whale song, Enya or Coldplay may be used for background music. Or, in the absence of anything appropriately religious, maybe some Palestrina. We have prepared this liturgy as a time of watchfulness and prayerfulness, to mark Sally reaching the stage of pre-ordination retreat in her journey. A great inspiration to us in our use of voiles, tea lights and pebbles. Driftwood, lumps of flint off the beach. Sea weed. Crab apples. Hazelnuts. Oh, and blackberries. And Woodhenge, though we had to take that back.
The entry of the tea lights
The tea lightifers walk in, and arrange the tea lights on the floor in an appropriate shape - a cross, dove-shape or Celtic knot may all be suitable.
The lighting of the tea lights
The Man with the Taper lights the tea lights. In those communities where flares are worn, bicycle clips are recommended.
The laying out of the voile
About 20 yards of voile is laid in an artistic manner across the floor. Forgetting about the tea lights.
The worshippers look on in horror, as the flames leap up. Although this is in principle a wordless ceremony, the words "Oh no, not again" may be used in Lent.
Automatic fire sprinklers cut in, spraying the worshippers and voile with water.
The arrangement of the seaweed
On the return to the Moot House after the evacuation, the seaweed may be arranged in a circle around the burnt patch where the voile was.
The release of the doves
A dozen doves, symbol of peace and justice, are brought in and released from their cage. Those Beaker People particularly devoted to animal rights may stage a brief sit-down protest. Until they realise their bottoms are getting wet.
The scattering of rosebuds
The Rosa Rugosifer skips around the Moot House, scattering rose buds. She accidentally takes out a couple of stray unicyclists.
All: [forgetting it's a wordless service]: Aaah! Rosebuds!
Rosebud the Dog, who we'd all forgotten about since the Peter Falk service, tears back into the Moot House attacking stray Beaker Folk. In the panic, people slide over on the now-wet seaweed that's lying on the floor. A number of people may skid on the hazelnuts that have been scattered around the place to remember Mother Julian.
The Moot House is evacuated again, while we go to get Rosebud's trainer.
We stay safely outside and build a cairn.
What a beautiful lightness of being, I particularly liked the bit about the automatic fire sprinklers, and tea lights - my favourites, especially the ones with batteries.
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