A fun service held in the middle of a tour to Derbyshire by the Weare Giffard cricket club - who happened to take the vicar with them as their scorer!
Weare Giffard Cricket Tour service
Today is Trinity Sunday – it’s the day when we celebrate God in his wholeness – God the Father – God the Son and God the Holy Spirit - perhaps we could say we are celebrating the team work of God.
Weare Giffard church is dedicated to the Holy Trinity – so it seems really good that we are here together, today, as the Weare Giffard cricket team.
And today also we are celebrating Steve’s 60th birthday – and no-one could epitomise what it means to be part of a team as well as Steve.
So – let’s begin by asking the question – if God were on the cricket pitch playing a game – where would he be and what would he be doing?
You tell me some team positions and people – and we’ll see what we can come up with …
- Paracetemol from last night’s headache – God of all healing! - a little too much Spirit around and not necessarily the Holy variety?
- Umpire – watching for fair play – justice for everyone alike
- Wicket keeper – giving us a backstop – so we know whatever happens he’ll catch the ball for us
- Stumps – easy - trinity Sunday – father, son and holy spirit – three in one and one in three
- Batsman – he would have a straight bat - open and honest
- Ball – arcing off in a perfect six – the best that it could be – perfect moment
- Batsman not on strike – who trusts his partner when he calls a run
- Silly mid off (or other in field position) – ready, waiting to catch us – ready to put himself in danger for us
- Deep field – there to stop the ball going over the boundary – patient, waiting, ready when needed
- Spectacular catch – perhaps it might seem like a miracle
- Dropped ball – with us in the disappointments as well as the successes
- Bowler – what sort of a bowler – fast, medium, slow, spinner – we’re all different – all different skills, styles preferences – he’d value them all
- Captain – encouraging, guiding to the best place to be, helping the team to achieve its best
- Making the tea – preparing nourishment for us body mind and spirit
- 12th man – messenger, bringer on of drinks – someone who serves- Jesus – I am among you as one who serves
- Score box – perhaps the least likely place – God does not keep score
- Chief grounds man – perhaps the most important place – goes before us – preparing the way - when everyone else relaxing in the sun Tuesday night – Steve mowing the pitch, cutting the grass by the river, under the trees, working on his own, to enable the game to take place at all
- Steve – great honour to be able to celebrate your sixtieth birthday with you – and to be able to say thank you to you – the greatest team player – for all you do for Weare Giffard cricket club
Presentation
Blessing Prayers
Almighty and ever loving God – Father Son and Holy Spirit – we thank you for being part of our team – with us in all we are and do – waiting to catch us when we fall – ready to celebrate with us when we hit the perfect six.
We thank you for this time we have shared together on this tour – for each other, the people who have offered us hospitality, the places we have visited and the teams we are playing.
Bless now, we pray, our team for this season of cricket. May all our games be played in the true spirit of cricket and all that that means to us. Protect us from injuries and support each member of the team, that together we may be so much more than we are on our own.
Bless especially Steve on this special day when we celebrate his birth.
And the cricketing blessing …
May the crease on which you bat always be smooth,
May the wind always carry the ball to the boundary,
May you always have a good team to support you;
And may the blessing of God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Be with you and with all those whom you love,
Now and for ever.
Amen.