We shared communion together at the “altar rail” – another Anglican tradition which has been kept but reinterpreted. The “altar” has become a simple table, the “officiating vicar” a brother whose service to the body involves leading around the table. The rail no longer separates “priesthood” from “laity”. These traditions have not been part of our children’s experience up till now, and they probably wondered what was going on. But in this country the custom of churchgoing, although in decline, still lingers on in the collective conscience. I can really see the value of keeping certain traditions in the church, as long as we don’t confuse them with the gospel. Their familiarity can be a comfort to some, a reminder of a childhood connection with God for others. For still others they may be incomprehensible and should be dropped in favour of other means of communicating the message. It’s up to us to reinterpret the symbols and traditions for today, so that they point the way for our generation to the ultimate reality which never changes: Jesus!

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