Church

I went to church yesterday, St John's in Norwich. And to coin the words of the popular song it filled me with an enormous sense of wellbeing. And - if you are interested - here's for why.

Firstly it is a superb piece af architecture in which to worship - one of Norwich's finest. St. John's is - it seems to me - a great dissertation in the marriage between geology and spirituality. Built of all that solid stone, formed of millions of fossils that lived so very long before Pontius was the pilate who condemned Christ to his cross, and now supporting a cathedral for his worship. The culmination is the large stone bosses at the apex of the ceiling vaults, which run the full length of the nave. These depict in stunning simplicity scenes from the old and new testaments.

Secondly I find it uplifting to form part of an international congregagation, with indigenous, African, Asian and East European peoples amongst our number, who come together for a common purpose - to worship. There is a sense of satisfaction that I feel in being part of a community that wants to be a force for good, in what is a fast changing and increasingly self-seeking society.

I know about all the contoversy surounding the church, and the more difficult problems of faith, but I don't know where else I could go to have this satisfaction. And so I won't be persuaded otherwise.

I come away reassured that god is in his heaven, and all is well, at least in my world.