A LAST HURRAH!

We went to Church this morning, Pentecost Sunday, but instead of the service being held on a local recreation ground, as it had rained heavily yesterday and again this morning, it was decided to have the service actually in the Church building.  I did take several photographs of the Welcome Team, who looked amazing, but forgot to ask their permission to use them here on Blip, so had to think of something else!  

So, this is somewhat of an emergency Blip - unusual for me, but not having heard from the Team, decided that our Paul’s Scarlet rose, which is looking great, despite being severely cut back earlier in the year, would be my last Hurrah for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.  I took one of the flags out into the garden and lodged it near two of the roses, so here they are in all their glory.

It was a good service and we enjoyed our indoor picnic afterwards - the sad thing was that the Church had provided Cream Teas for 400 people, but less than half that number attended, so lots of us brought Cream Teas home!

Hope you have all had a wonderful few days with family and friends - I’m sure the Queen has enjoyed all the pomp and pageantry, and the outpouring of love from so many people, and, of course, being with her family too.

I finish with a few lines from the Sermon given by The Archbishop of York, the Most Reverend Stephen Cottrell at the Service of Thanksgiving for our Queen at St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, last Friday:

“Sometimes people say to me that the Christian faith is just a prop. I couldn't agree more. I’m not ashamed to say I lean on Jesus Christ, that I'm trying to live close to his heart.  That I need his wisdom and his hope. And if you will forgive such presumption, this is what I also see in Her Majesty the Queen.

And to the people of our great nation, on this great and historic day, I say this: we are indeed living in a time of uncertainty and challenge, and we would do well to consider where we will find the replenishing we need.

What I see in Her Majesty the Queen is someone who has been able to serve our nation faithfully because of her faith in Jesus Christ. Perhaps there is no better way of celebrating her Platinum Jubilee than by doing the same ourselves.”