Divine Service is composed of rites and ceremonies involving the use of ritual and ceremonial in their performance
The manner in which the terms ritual and ceremonial are used have been frequently confused and it makes it desirable that we should have a clear idea as to the exact meaning of these terms
Constance placed the small blue book carefully on the poolside table
What do you think Henry
About what
About the ceremonial in English churches
I cannot say that I have given it much thought
What do you think of pantheism
That being
It is a religious belief that God is all around us throughout the universe and beyond
Paul climbed out of the pool and sat on a pale blue chair opposite Jane
Why do you ask
When I was last in Marlborough in Wiltshire I stopped to look at a grave stone in a churchyard
Which church were you visiting
The redundant one near the college
I was there a few weeks ago and stood above the grave of a young woman who died in 1825
Her name was Catherine
This was her final resting place
Her eternal resting place was in a redundant church yard just yards from a busy main road
What is your point Constance
I wondered if God was still with her after all those years
You were standing above her mortal remains
She is as far as we know in Heaven with God at this very moment
But was God in that churchyard
In short I believe he was
Is he here at this swimming pool
Yes
He is happy in our recreation
If you believe as you say then God can be felt throughout the universe
Even here at the swimming pool
Jane slipped the book into her Constance bag
Why did you bring the book to the pool
I didn’t as I found it in the changing area
Somebody must have lost it
A priest lost it
How do you know Constance
Because I stole it from him
It was a thrill steal Phil
I have not stolen anything for a while as you know
The priest was watching me
I think he liked me or was having unclean thoughts about me
So I stole his book whilst he was swimming in the pool Paul
I went to his locker and stole his book from his Henry bag
That was why I was reading it here at the table
I wanted to see if he would ask for it back
Is he still in the pool
No he left about thirty minutes ago
Was he aware that you had stolen his book
Yes
What did he do
Nothing
He was happy with the theft or so I thought
Do you think that God was happy with my dishonesty
Ask him
Do you think that he will punish me
Time will tell
Shall we leave the swimming pool now and head for the beach as this defeats the purpose of living in a coastal town
If you wish as long as the priests have not returned and stolen our clothes