I was the door steward at Trinity Church and was waiting for the first people to arrive. I looked out through the half arch of the door to the blue blossoms of the ceanothus and yellow blossoms of a laburnum tree over the road. A car idled and birds chirruped and whistled. J and M came first and so I greeted them and ticked them off the pre-booking list. L was next to arrive. She was on her scooter and reversed it into a space by the door. The booking sheet had 20 people and next to her name was the comment 'reader'. There followed a rush of people, including S who was preaching, and Ba, who I added to the list - as she had forgot to book. At half past ten, S came to ask if we were expecting any more. G and M, the last two, came in at that moment. Ga asked when we were going to stop wearing masks. I said, 'possibly June 21st, depending on government advise.'
The Covid safety measures are the same as when the church opened after the first lockdown with masks and spaced seating and no singing. The first hymn video that played was 'Open the eyes of my heart, Lord'.
S's reflection was on the icon by 15th Century Russian painter, Andrei Rublev, known both as 'The Trinity' and 'The Hospitality of Abraham.' She said the Trinity was discerned by the early church and is not easy to explain but this icon can help us. It was made for prayer and can help us focus on God the Trinity and experience not in words but as a window. Selina then took us through a meditation on the icon with silences. S said we are included in the picture as there is a space for us at the front together with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit.
