Like many churches, we have developed our technological capabilities during lockdown. Our YouTube channel still has many recorded and edited highlights of services (including Holy Week) from the first lockdown in 2020. These days though, we no longer produce recorded and edited highlights, but instead we live-stream services as they happen, via our Facebook page.There are two ways we do this. The simple way is when the priest is alone in church with a server, and we just set a camera running on a tripod from a fixed location. However, the more complex version, which we aim to employ on Sundays and Festivals, involves a cameraman obtaining high quality images, and able to move around the building. Our technical team are now equipped with the necessary hardware for aerial shots, smooth camera tracking, and close-ups that do not intrude upon the liturgy.In the picture, one of our team operates a high-quality iPhone 12 PRO camera attached to a DJI Osmo Mobile 3-axis gimbal, with bluetooth control connection. The image was captured at our mass for St Anskar's Day. Do join us for live-streamed worship - all are very welcome!
Epiphany is the annual celebration of the arrival of Wise Men (sometimes called the Three Kings) following a star, and bearing gifts for the infant Jesus. Our celebration this year was full of fun and joy.A solemn mass was celebrated, at the end of which the vicar blessed chalk (the Sub-deacon is holding the bowl of chalk in the photograph) for us to take to our homes to chalk the traditional Epiphany blessing beside our front doors.And of course, because this is St Gabriel's, we then all enjoyed coffee and cake together. It is a matter of St Gabriel pride that we never miss an opportunity for high-quality cake baking and cake eating - and particularly on special occasions.
The St Gabriel's Summer fair for 2019 was a joint event with Melrose, our church Nursery (consistently rated highly by OFSTED), and we enjoyed a marvellously happy day together.The usual stalls and attractions were supplemented this year by donkeys (offering rides), a Punch & Judy Show (the original one, from Brighton), a bouncy castle inside the church, and some delicious cream teas.The vicar took a particular shine to the donkeys, and was heard to say that he'd like them back again for the Christmas crib service, and also for the Palm Sunday procession.
