What a month it has been, and perhaps one of our busiest since June when we welcomed the Watoto Choir, Rushden Town Band as well as hosting the D-Day 80th Evening of Reflection.
September has not only seen a new beginning for the younger members of our congregation who have started new school years, with many of them moving from Junior School up to Secondary School, but St Mary’s itself has seen a new beginning in the arrival of our new incumbent Revd Morna Simpson. Revd Morna has certainly hit the ground running and has had a very packed few weeks with events here in the Parish, as well as welcoming a new cohort of Curates who begin training under her at Bouverie Court.
For those of you who couldn’t attend Revd Morna’s installation service we did a full write up of the evening which you can read here.
Following the induction and with a couple of services under her belt, our church underwent a brief transformation for our annual flower festival themed around the “World of Art”. Our beautiful building was filled with flowers from pillar to pew with some spectacular and innovative arrangements from a spinning pottery wheel to a floating orb of roses. The weekend also allowed Revd Morna to get to know her new community and congregation as they passed through our doors (or tents) over the three day event. The cakes in the refreshment tent were incredible, and it was great to see a number of local craftspeople with stalls too. The event raised over £2,700 for the Church.
The flower festival is one of the highlights of our year as it see’s so many visitors from the wider community, it was even more exciting this year that our event coincided with Northamptonshire Historic Churches Trust’s annual Ride + Stride. We were pleased to have a number of riders and striders include us in their route, including the Revd Nicki Hobbs our acting Rural Dean. We were Revd Nicki’s 15th stop on her herculean task of visiting every church in both the Deaneries she is currently responsible for.
The final flourish in September’s events took the form of a celebratory Eucharist service held to mark 50 years to the day that Father Stan was ordained a priest. Stan has diligently and without complaint supported us through two periods of vacancy despite being retired, and it was a privilege to be able to mark this milestone with him and his family, expressing our gratitude for not only his 50 years of ministry, but his dedication to our church family. With a choir of over 40 singers, representatives from past parishes and a sermon delivered by one of his curacy classmates it was a beautiful service.
At the end of the service Stan was presented with a number of gifts including a plaque to mark his dedication to our community, a portrait and a poem written and delivered in his honour by one of our choristers.
The final flourish in September’s events took the form of a celebratory Eucharist service held to mark 50 years to the day that Father Stan was ordained a priest. Stan has diligently and without complaint supported us through two periods of vacancy despite being retired, and it was a privilege to be able to mark this milestone with him and his family, expressing our gratitude for not only his 50 years of ministry, but his dedication to our church family. With a choir of over 40 singers, representatives from past parishes and a sermon delivered by one of his curacy classmates it was a beautiful service.
At the end of the service Stan was presented with a number of gifts including a plaque to mark his dedication to our community, a portrait and a poem written and delivered in his honour by one of our choristers.
Stan’s Very Special Day!
Well, we’re all gathered here at St. Mary’s to remember
How very special today is, the 29th of September.
There are simply too many scenarios to mention
Therefore, it is simply my intention
To give an imaginary overview of parish life
That you might have been part of – you and your wife.
I’m sure you’ve experienced most things, Stan
During your ministry stretching over a 50 year span,
You’ve met many characters in each parish since 1974
So, with a lot of poetic license, I’d like to tell you more.
Before putting your stamp on a new parish, I’m sure you were told,
“You can make some changes, but don’t be too bold,
Here we’re used to sermons being short Vicar,
So leave them that way, or deliver them quicker!”
And old Tom, who looks after the boiler, he never shirks,
But will never share with ANYBODY the secrets of how it works,
So if he’s poorly, or staying with his sister by the sea,
In winter, the church is cold, that’s just how it had to be!
Now, sometimes church bells are a very big deal,
Especially if the band of ringers is ringing a quarter-peal
When there’d be objections, you’d explain they’re calling people to prayer,
Privately thinking, “If you don’t like them, you can simply move elsewhere!”
Music in the church, an enormous subject to discuss
Usually generating a great deal of fuss,
with, “We NEVER sing that tune here…
….I’m just saying Vicar, to make it absolutely clear!”
And the organist (not here!) who has only one speed of slow
Resembling Les Dawson, will simply have to go!
And the congregation who complain at Evensong
Because of the choir, they never have much of a sing-a-long!
You MUST have come across LOTS of appeals from sound-systems to heating,
A new roof as well as re-ordering of the seating,
Some say, “Get rid of the pews – take them out!”
While others disagree, “Leave them in!” they will shout.
There are the church groups, with inevitable rotas,
Along with the P.C.C. members, who are the voters,
Who will talk endlessly about buying new church crockery – it’s all very odd
‘Cos the decision to spend vast sums of money will go through on the nod!
You’ve christened, married and buried parishioners – so cradle to the grave,
While many wayward souls you have strived to save,
A Father to your flock, some of whom have gone astray,
But you’ve gently brought them back to the straight and narrow way.
And the conclusion I’ve come to in this little rhyme
Is that you can only please some of the folk, some of the time!
I imagine you’ve never had the need for counting sheep
For I don’t know how you’ve ever had the time to sleep!
50 years in the ministry, why not write a book for all to see,
Now what a huge best seller that would be!
You could write about St. Anywhere, changing each name
As it really wouldn’t do to leave them the same!
Of course, NONE of these stories would ever happen HERE,
And we just want to say, “Thank you,” for being such a dear.
You’ve looked after us all till Morna arrived,
Keeping us afloat – so that we all survived.
FINALLY, all of us here say, “Congratulations,” to a very special man
As we give three loud cheers of gratitude to you, Father Stan!
*
I had lots in store.
I could’ve said more,
But before you go round the bend
I’ve had my say
So I’ll call it a day
And declare this ode at an end.
Meg York
