Below are the 7 most recent journal entries recorded in Little St Mary's, Cambridge's LiveJournal:

Wednesday, September 26th, 2007
9:51 am [jy100]	Cassock Cackle Last night the PCC decided, by a substantial majority, in favour of robing the Parish Choir in black cassocks and white cottas – on the basis that a meeting of choir members had voted narrowly for that. Neckerchieves, which had been suggested by some to complete the livery, were dismissed as unnecessary. The arguments for and against gowns and cassocks have been thoroughly rehearsed for at least two years, and were summarised in a paper presented to the council by Robin Osborne earlier in the summer. Personally I don't see any reason to change from the practice that the adult choir has followed for as long as it has existed in its present form. We already have gowns, with enough spares to cover additional and occasional choir members. They can be quickly put on over everyday clothing, and just as quickly removed. Sizing is not critical; there is much greater tolerance than with cassocks, which look dreadful unless they are a good fit. Gowns are low-maintenance, seldom needing cleaning and with no buttons to replace. It has been claimed that they are inappropriate wear for a non-academic institution, but most of the choir are graduates, and can wear their own gowns as of right; those who are not don't seem to find it a problem (and, I suspect, rather enjoy the fun of "dressing up"). It would be possible to have non-academic gowns, which combine the convenience of a simple throw-on garment with the smartness and uniformity of a cassock; the choir dress at St George's in Paris is a fine example of what can be done. And why should we be bashful in the face of academia? LSM is arguably the original university church, smaller but higher than Great St Mary's (and remains far truer than today's university to the ethos of the medieval studia generalia). The first Cambridge college grew up, probably as a huddle of disaffected Mertonians, around the walls of our predecessor church, taking its name from our proto-patron St Peter, and the church served as college chapel for several centuries, until Matthew Wren built the present one in the 17th century. However, the council has elected for change, and funding must now be sought. Even among the strong pro-cassock lobby some were adamant that any new robes should not be a charge on the choir music fund. To do the job properly will cost around £2,000. But, as a churchwarden pointed out, "it's all the church's money" – and LSM has long taken to heart last Sunday's difficult Gospel and made friends to herself of the mammon of unrighteousness. So the money will be found, and it's only a matter of time... (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, April 4th, 2007
3:50 pm [emperor]	Vigil timing? How is the time for the Easter Vigil determined? Sunrise is nearly 20 minutes later this year than last year, and yet 4.30 is the same start-time as when had then. Is the sermon going to be particularly extensive this year, or something...? Current Mood: confused (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, March 10th, 2006
1:12 pm [wildeabandon]	Lent discussion group Hello chaps, I meant to go to the Lent discussion group on Wednesday, but unfortunately got stuck in work until late - did anyone go, and are there perhaps any notes I could see, so I can catch up before the next one? (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Thursday, January 19th, 2006
11:26 pm [mr_ricarno]	Service of Prayer for Christian Unity At Clare College Chapel 7:30pm 23rd January (next Monday). Christians in Unity in Cambridge (CUC) have organised this ecumenical service as part of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and it'd be great to see some LJ people there! SPEAK, ARK, CCMS, Fusion, Taize, MethSoc and Fisher House are all contributing to the service, at which the Right Rev'd Ian Cundy, Bishop of Peterborough will be preaching. It promises to be an interesting and varied service - bring your friends, your supervisors, your vicars - but don't bring thuribles as the porters will confiscate them (fire hazard, you know). Hope to see lots of you there! (Comment on this)
Monday, November 21st, 2005
9:40 am [atreic]	Does anyone (looks at meirion and other choir bods) know what the setting for the mass was at yesterday morning's high mass? (ie the feast of Christ the King) (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, October 18th, 2005
1:17 pm [wildeabandon]	Small favour. Is there any chance someone who's going to Mass tonight could check if/when I'm next down to serve? I'm going to be in London this evening, and having been away the last two weekends I have visions of turning up at 10.25 on Sunday to discover I should have been there at 10, getting ready. Cheers. (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, September 4th, 2005
6:34 pm [meirion]	[choir] Gowns vs. cassocks I rather suspect the LSMsocial mailing list does not want to be bothered with this topic; but obviously it needs discussing somewhere! Are we in favour of the move to cassocks, or are we happier in our random eccentricity of gown-wearing? I was all in favour of sticking with gowns until the Rome tour, but I'm also well aware I had a well-made, well-fitting (mostly) cassock. A lot of others had cassocks that made them resemble sacks of potatos! As a result, I'd end up ordering/making my own cassock were we to move to wearing them. I kind-of like the eccentricity/UCam-ness of gowns still. But I won't walk out of the choir if the vote goes in favour of cassocks. Thoughts? -m- (3 Comments |Comment on this)