Reflection on the Transfiguration Sunday Service

The Right Rev Dr Robert (Bob) Gillies 

Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney

My last two blog entries include the service sheet for this mornings worship, I thought that it would be interesting to share it, as I am always very impressed with the liturgical strength of each service that I attend in St Andrew's Cathedral Aberdeen. 

This morning had the pleasure to have company both on the way to the Cathedral and also during the service. My friend is a member of the Greek Orthodox tradition, and I had invited her to attend St Andrews with me this morning. I was delighted to see her waiting for me on King Street, and we braved the ice and the remnants of the previous evenings snow fall to attend worship in the Cathedral.

On arrival to the Cathedral I was dismayed to see that yet again the door was closed, indeed my friend remarked, "Is it open", I instantly though back to the post I published on this blog last Sunday, it seems that I was quite correct in my assumption, that members if the public, (who did not know the Cathedral), would have thought that the Cathedral was closed, regardless of the very small notice board at the front.

On entrance we were greeted by a gentleman greeter, who smiled and handed us the liturgy and the hymn book. We advanced down the isle, my friend did not like the fact that I sit somewhat in the middle of the body of the Church, as she would prefer to sit near the front. Anyway, I offered to sit at the front but she said it was not an issue.

As we sat in the pew, (naturally after we had both prayed), we conversed about the surroundings that we found ourselves in, we both agreed that the main problem with the Cathedral is that in appears, (to the untrained eye), to be in a state of decline, which is rather sad considering the great liturgical worship that goes on there. This was something that the bishop alluded to in his sermon when he said, "As you try to raise funds to refurbish the building", I must confess that this is the first time I had head of such a fund.

The procession was stately and it was a shock that the bishop was taking the service, but a good shock because I have heard the bishop preach before on no less than two occasions in very different settings, Armistice Day Service held in Kings College Chapel, 2007 and on the Feast of St Margaret Queen of Scotland, St Margaret's Church, Gallowgate, Aberdeen. Each time he amazes me with his evangelical zeal and his message is often very powerful and profound.

I was not disappointed, the bishop has this wonderful way of bringing everyone together, indeed his innovations are welcomed and in my view only a good thing. During the "Peace" he made a point of going round everyone in the congregation, even when the Offertory hymn was being sung. That's the type of bishop I like, one that gets down with the laity. His sermon was excellent, he preached on the Transfiguration of our own lives as Christians, when we become Christians, he drew from the story of Jacob sleeping on the stone and meeting the LORD in a vision, afterwords Jacob anointed the stone with oil and blessed it. The bishop said that when we become Christians it is as if we like Jacob meet the LORD, and then we anointed ourselves with the Holy Oil. The bishop then allowed us to meditate on what it must have been like for Jacob, to feel the power of the LORD beside us. I must say, it was indeed a very powerful experience. 

I was impressed that the children were not brought in during the Sanctus this time, unlike last week. They came in during the Offertory Hymn, although this nearly caused a traffic jam in the aisle, with the elements being delivered, the collection plate going round, and the bishop making sure that he shared the peace with everyone. I took to heart what the bishop said at the start, we must make sure we talk to the strangers in the pew, which caused a rather funny incident to occur at the end of the service, a lady walked up to me and said, "Oh sorry, I thought you were a stranger, I came to speak to you, just taking the words of the bishop on board", I laughed and said, "It must be my new glasses", she also laughed.

Yes today was a great service, the bishop is wonderful to listen to, one slight criticism, he tends to be ever so over dramatic during the Eucharistic Prayer, but still, he has power, and that is what is important at the end of the day.

For Robert our Bishop, and for all who bear Christ's name;

that their lives may proclaim your glory,

we pray to you, Oh Lord.