Good Friday 2008: St. Bart's

One benefit of working for the church is that Good Friday and Easter Monday are holidays for us. So, yeah, I have four lovely days stretched out before me.

Lest I forget why I have those holidays, I opted to attend Good Friday services at St. Bartholomew's in midtown, since it offered the noon-3 service I'm used to at home. It was moving and beautiful. It's not Good Friday without the music - "Were You There?," "Ah holy Jesus, how hast thou offended?," and "Beneath the cross of Jesus." After the week I've had, it gave me a chance to settle down, pray, cry, and sing. Mozart's "Ave verum corpus" never fails to bring me to tears, and it didn't fail today.

Believe it or not, I'd never set foot in St. Bart's until today. I pass it all the time, of course, since I work in the 'hood. It's a big old beautiful Byzantine number - odd architecture for an Episcopal Church, but no complaints from here - all dark and tiley/stoney inside. They could do with some new pew cushions, though, I tell ya'. Mine was held together with duct tape, and it had next to no stuffing left. I believe if each St. Bart's family could "Adopt-a-Pew," and personally take care of the oiling, tightening, and cushioning of their adoptee, I b'lieve they could get the job done in no time. Or maybe it's cool to have patched-up-with-duct-tape cushions at such a toney house of worship.

Anyway, that's a minor complaint. It was a wonderful place of rest and refuge for me on this Good Friday. As for Easter, well, my plan (note: plan) is to go to The Cathedral (of St. John the Divine), since it's only a 15-20-minute walk from where I live. They'll pull out all the stops (literally) with the Bishop and choirs and artists-in-residence like Judy Collins and Paul Winter, so I'm thinkin' I need to experience Easter with the big boys (and girls) at least once.

Or, I'll sleep in. We'll see.

A blessed Good Friday to all. (And Liz, only 2 more days in Lent! I've stocked up on some primo chocolate for Sunday.)