IG

IG

IG

IG

IG

We were saddened by the death of our brother Frank Hughes, whose funeral in church and burial were on December 22^nd.  Frank, a native of Lady Bay who we shared with the Methodist Church, was a long-standing member of our choir and former Church Councillor.  A hard-working businessman in insurance and then property, he had also been a stock-car racing promoter.  He loved vintage cars, travel, dancing, and Nottingham Forest – I shall miss celebrating – or commiserating – with him.  A big, and yet feeling and generous character, Frank will be missed by many; especially of course by Isobel after 55 years of marriage, daughters Angela and Julie and families, to whom we offer our sympathies.

Christmas services were very well attended, helped by email contact with our young families. Our thanks again to Rita Pratt for making our Christingle oranges; to All Hallows’ Choir for leading our 9 Lessons and Carols so beautifully, and to the Lady Bay Bellplates Group for their contribution.  And of course to Ian Hepburn our faithful organist.  And to David Butterworth and the Clifton Choir for their excellent 9 Lessons and Carols.  Not forgetting our Bellringers, and Colin and Jean for their New Year’s hospitality.

In February we look forward to the Feast (now fully booked) and the Valentine’s Tide service and Faith Lunch – at which all are welcome; please bring a contribution, and preferably sign the book.

And on March 10^th to the COFFEE MORNING at Holme Pierepont Hall, 10.00am-12.30. Admission £2.50, children free. Gifts of preserves, cakes, good bric-a-brac for sale welcome.

At the 10.00am service on February 26^th, I shall dedicate a fine churchyard bench in memory of the late and fondly-remembered George and Irene Watts, and know you will do your best to attend to show their family our appreciation.

Have you had a good look at the newly-cleaned monuments?  They are worth it, and what a difference the cleaning – a painstaking task by conservation specialists – has made to the ‘feel’ of the whole church.  The four in the chancel are by the leading monumental artists of their age; John Flaxman, and Michael Taylor of York.  We are grateful for the Thoresby and other charitable trusts that helped us raise the £7,860 to pay for this; and also to the Lottery Heritage Fund which agreed the £3,000 left over from our grant could be used to clean the five Victorian memorials on the north wall of the nave.  Thanks should be recorded to Elizabeth Brackenbury and Ian Godson for their hard work obtaining grants, and to Brenda Stevenson for her’s obtaining faculties.

RB

RB

Of course, there is a much deeper level than celebrity and soap opera.  At the heart of the story is a remarkable woman who never applied for the role, but who, having been thrust into it, remains faithful in her old age to a vow she made aged 21 to dedicate the rest of her life to the service of God and her people, and who was set apart for that service by her anointing with holy oil prior to her coronation.  A coronation by which she became not only monarch, but also Supreme Governor (not Head, as Henry VIII claimed – a subtly but importantly different thing) of our Church of England.  Strengthened by her faith, she has fulfilled both roles conscientiously and with dignity, often remaining silent in the face of much criticism, well past the age when her subjects have put their feet up; spurned the modern cult of celebrity and spin in favour of deeper values.

Not all of my parishioners are monarchists, and this isn’t the place to or time to debate the issue; but it surely befits monarchists and republicans alike to generously acknowledge a remarkable record of service this year, as we will do at both churches on Februry 5^th.  In my opinion, we are arguably celebrating ‘Elizabeth, Queen and Saint’.