And a cloud covering the whole earth ...

These words come into the Matin Responsory (Palestrina) with which we opened our Advent Evensong this stormy afternoon, as the wind howled around the church on its hill over the Firth and the rain battered on the slate roof. I could hardly believe that anyone would come out again to church on a day like this - our church is a chilly place, and the weather was deeply challenging. But they did, these faithful souls, and the atmosphere was lovely. 

I love Advent (I've said that already), I love its music, its prayers and its traditions. I love darkness and candlelight - even if our radiant heaters give a rather characteristic lighting effect that seems little to do with heaven. And today I reflected on how fortunate we are in our little, difficult, lovely church to have such good people in charge of our spiritual welfare - not one but two excellent and moving sermons today, and some truly lovely prayers. 

And of course, there's the music ...