A shortcut to understanding.
In the 1970s & 80’s rock bands became famous for their outlandish requests whenever they traveled to perform.
In one well know case the bad asked for a bowl of M&Ms to be in their dressing room and for all the blue ones to be removed. Just one more example of the exercise of the power of the band over the little people who had to get everything ready for them.
But was it?
In fact the request was buried in what the band called a ‘rider’ – the document that set out exactly what the band needed in order to perform.
It included how the lights should be set up, how the stage should be set up, where the safety barriers should be, what level the sound should be set up and so on.
As bands started to tour stadiums and other venues they’d never gone to before they had no way of knowing if their very detailed requests – done for everyones safety and enjoyment – had been followed.
So, they would burry this little request deep in the rider. If they walked into their dressing room they could see immediately if it had been read properly.
If there were blue M&Ms they knew they had to go and check every single item; but if there were none… they could trust that their requests had been carried out.
This attention to the smallest detail showed how diligently people had read the requests of the band in matters of safety and so on.
I often wonder what our blue M&Ms are? What are the tiny things that people notice when they first come to St. Anselm that will tell them that we have read scripture diligently and carried out those things we have been asked to do?
Is it the foodbank parcels perhaps? Maybe the pew sheet! Maybe the person smiling and saying, ‘welcome!’
What do you think our blue M&Ms are?
Fr. Matthew
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Other news
Fr. Matthew’s collation as Vicar will is Next Sunday. Bishop Jonathan will be with us to celebrate and we’re going to have a lovely bring and share lunch afterwards. If you could sign up to bring food Fr. Matthew would be very grateful. We’ll have an organist and a 12 part choir that day to sing the Vaughn Williams Mass in G-Minor.
Evening Prayer is moving to 5pm during the week as we move into the autumn and winter terms and the evenings draw in. You’ll still be able to join in person and live online.
There is Sunday School THIS WEEK at 11:30am-12:30pm. Please invite and encourage your children to come.
Thursday Fun & Fellowship is ON for Thursday! There are some new games to play and as always a friendly group of people ready to have a chat, share a coffee and bit of cake, and generally make the world that little bit better.
Rotas – please sign up for the tea & coffee and the reading rotas at the back of church.
Please sign up for Parish Giving (which is a wonderful way to support St. Anselm and helps us claim more money from the government) Go to www.stanselm.co.uk/giving or call the Parish Giving Team directly on 0333 002 1271 quoting our parish number, which is: 230 623 503.