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Hearts in Step


To return, briefly, to my experience in the Bishops' Parlor on Saturday morning, it really did disquiet me a little, and meant that I probably didn't tune in to what was happening in the service as quickly as I might.
But I was shaken out of my self-centredness by a group of dancers from the Hearts in Step Dance Academy, performing a liturgical dance entitled "I Belong to You."
Now, those who know me as the curmudgeon that I am, will know that I don't have a lot of time for wafty, wavey liturgical dance. And I don't think that "blessed ballet" would go down that well in Ballybeen.
However, this particular dance ensemble were a group of physically and mentally handicapped young people... They assembled in their starting positions at the beginning of the piece, then the recorded music started with a jolt... The participant looked at each other... it was clear that something had gone wrong (I found out later that someone had started the music in the wrong place, cutting out half of the dance!)... But the girls simply moved to the required position for the music and got on with it... Seamlessly.
So, whilst the Bishops added another to their club, what was truly inspiring to me was a musical mistake, where these beautiful young women, whom some would callously look on as "mistakes," demonstrated that even when things are not as they might ideally be, if we give ourselves over to God and just keep going, he can use us to create something that draws others closer to him.

ps. For those following Owain's ups and downs... He got his cast off today! And thanks to a kind member of the congregation and a wonderful orthopaedic specialist here in town, the check x-ray and examination didn't cost us a bean!

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