As part of the 'Earth Hour' event on Saturday night that encouraged everyone to turn off lights and appliances for an hour to save electricity and prevent global warming, the priests at St George decided to do the Saturday night liturgy without a single light on in the Church.

Although it was potential health-and-safety nightmare, it was a fantastic experience. Other than the presanctified gifts service (only in the afternoons during lent) and the Resurrection service (only for a few minutes once a year), this doesn't really happen.

As the inset photo (taken from my phone) indicates, with was pretty much totally dark save for a few candles and the ambient light filtering in from outside. The service had a fantastic atmosphere in the candlelight: somewhat... ancient, with the candlelight barely, and somewhat hauntingly, illuminating the icons that decorate the walls and roof of the Church.

It was so much easier to concentrate on what you should be in that environment; you weren't distracted by the people coming or going or by other movement, the only thing you could really see and hear was the altar, the priest, and the choir, and i've got to say that was really great.

This afternoon we played indoor and lost a tight and frustrating game 2-1. I felt as though I spent 80% of the game either on the bench waiting for someone to sub-off or in goals playing keeper, which was very frustrating and annoying. After that we filled in for a team for the game afterwards, and at least in that one I managed to play a fair bit on the field and even managed to put in two goals.