As some of you know, the Church I work for has been undergoing some major, MAJOR renovations. And we've been in a temporary, downtown, storefront location since May 2010. We actually started packing for the move over a year ago now... but soon, in less than a month (hopefully!), we'll be starting to move back to our newly renovated Church building! Yay!!! I'm looking forward to getting out things that have been packed away, and getting into a new office space and new worship spaces. BUT, I'm not looking forward to the actual repacking up and moving, reorganizing, and all this huge move-back will involve.. ugghh!
Lately I haven't had much time for assemblage art ... been spending a lot of time in this little cubbyhole space and getting things done for the coming Lenten Season - which starts this coming Wednesday - Ash Wednesday!
Right now, we are in Shrovetide!
The Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday are known as "Shrovetide," from an old English word "shrive," meaning "to confess," a name gotten from the tradition of going to Confession in the days before Lent started. Shrovetide is traditionally the time for "spring cleaning," and just as we clean our houses in these days in prepation for Lent, we also "clean our souls" through confession so we can enter the penitential season fresh.
Shrovetide is the last two days of "Carnival," an unofficial period that began after the Epiphany and which takes its name from the Latin carnelevare, referring to the "taking away of flesh" (meat) during Lent which begins on Ash Wednesday, the day following Shrove Tuesday.
The Tuesday of Shrovetide is a particularly big party day known as "Mardi Gras" (French for "Fat Tuesday") -- or "Pancake Tuesday" because fats, eggs, and butter in the house had to be used up before Lent began, and making pancakes or waffles was a good way to do it.
In many places, especially in England, pancake races became popular and remain popular today. In these races, women must run while flipping a pancake so many times, and whoever crosses the finish line first wins. The largest pancake race in England is in Olney, in Buckinghamshire. There, the women must wear a dress, apron, and bonnet, and flip the pancake three times -- while ensuring it is intact after they cross the finish line, of course. The story told to explain the origins of this race is that in 1445, a homemaker heard the shriving bell (the bell rung to summon people to confession on this day) as she was busy working in her kitchen. Not wanting to be late, she rushed about and ran off with her skillet still in hand.
Our Church is having the annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper tomorrow night, (ALL ARE WELCOME!), we had hoped to be in our renovated Church building by this time, but unfortunately we are still in the temporary site.
However, the tables are set-up there, awaiting those who want to come and have some delicious pancakes, sausage and beverages! If you're in the area on Tuesday, between 5 - 7 p.m., stop on in and enjoy some food and fellowship!!
Happy Shriving!!
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