Ship of Fools: Horsemans Sunday

Thread: Horsemans Sunday Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by daisymay (# 1480) on :

At St John's Church, in London, there will be outside, just after the morning 10am Service, there will be another service with loads of Horses, all being blessed and we sing hymns and pray, all outside looking at the horses, and the ministers all also on horses then. We also have food being sold to us, and other things.

www.stjohns-hydepark.com/

is there and it also shows a few pictures that have happened other days, of the Horsemans Sunday/

Posted by S. Bacchus (# 17778) on :

What fun! I might even suspend my general rule about never going to a church that describes itself as 'friendly'.

Posted by Liturgylover (# 15711) on :

quote:
Originally posted by daisymay:
At St John's Church, in London, there will be outside, just after the morning 10am Service, there will be another service with loads of Horses, all being blessed and we sing hymns and pray, all outside looking at the horses, and the ministers all also on horses then. We also have food being sold to us, and other things.

www.stjohns-hydepark.com/

is there and it also shows a few pictures that have happened other days, of the Horsemans Sunday/

This is lovely. I have visited and think yours is one of the friendliest churches I have ever been to.

Posted by TheAlethiophile (# 16870) on :

quote:
Originally posted by S. Bacchus:
What fun! I might even suspend my general rule about never going to a church that describes itself as 'friendly'.

Not a quaker then?
[Biased]

Posted by daisymay (# 1480) on :

And the forecast is dry for Sunday, which is very useful, as it's outside the church when it all happens. There will be probably 100 horses at least, some with children on them. And there are police who come too.

It is definitely a church that is friendly to lots of people who come, not just on this performance.

Posted by Herrick (# 15226) on :

I've just put something on my bucket list! [Smile]

Posted by daisymay (# 1480) on :

It was really excellent today, and the musicians and singers were excellent, as well as we had hymns to sing, all of us outside. And all the horses were individually blessed and came, lots, so we saw them.

Posted by Ecclesiastical Flip-flop (# 10745) on :

There always used to be a horseman's service near me on Epsom Downs,Surrey, one Sunday in late September and I went along. It would start at 12.15 with the act of worship, taken in different years by various local clergy. It would then be followed by a substantial parade of horses and riders.

I have not been aware of this event being advertised this year, nor last year and I have not remembered to check. This leaves me wondering - whatever happened to this annual event on Epsom Downs?

Posted by The Phantom Flan Flinger (# 8891) on :

Do the congregations for these services fluctuate, or are they usually stable?

Posted by Liturgylover (# 15711) on :

quote:
Originally posted by The Phantom Flan Flinger:
Do the congregations for these services fluctuate, or are they usually stable?

Last time I visited on an "ordinary" Sunday, the church was completely packed so I imagine it would have been even more crowded.

Posted by Ecclesiastical Flip-flop (# 10745) on :

quote:
Originally posted by The Phantom Flan Flinger:
Do the congregations for these services fluctuate, or are they usually stable?

The event I refer to takes place in the open-air, so I suspect that the congregation fluctuates, rather than remaining stable [PUN !?].

Posted by daisymay (# 1480) on :

There were lots, lots, of people who came after our usual service finished and they were all connected probably with people on the horses, and we all had hymns and information given us on paper books that said on the front, "The 46th Blessing of the Horses".
We sang together, most of us. "Immortal, invisible", "Judge eternal, throned in splendour", and "Be thou my vision".
We also had bits of prayers, Bible reading, talking by Rev., Choir singing, Blessing the Horses, and they all got a red one attached to them.

Posted by Liturgylover (# 15711) on :

According to the website:

"The service in church was the largest we can remember.....and was splendid in every way: lots of people, wonderful music and Jerusalem to boot!

The success of the day, however, rested not on individual stalls – although some stalls set records and we raised over £3,500 in total - but on the fact that so many different people helped in so many different ways - stewarding, setting up, security, welcoming, organising stalls and of course clearing away after– along with the hard work of all the members of the staff team that co-ordinated it all. It was a real privilege to see the local community come together with the church at the very heart."

Lovely.

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