Welcome to the June edition of our monthly newsletter.
We are giving over this month’s edition to reflections on the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Celebrations.
Rector’s Diamond Jubilee Sermon
I met the Queen once. I’m sorry to say that she hasn’t taken the opportunity to develop it into a deep and meaningful relationship .. she’s not even following me on Twitter! We met in 1994 when she visited Wolverhampton and came to the church where I was curate. The town was a thousand years old and we had a service to celebrate. To be honest, I can’t remember much about the handshake at the door of the church on the way out. What I remember more is the Palace official who (just a few minutes after the royal entourage had left the church) poked his head around the vestry door and said “Four minutes late in. Four minutes late out. Super!” And disappeared.
This was just a couple of years after what she called her Annus Horibilis .. a year in which, whilst the Queen marked her 40th anniversary as monarch, the Prince of Wales separated from Princess Diana; Prince Andrew’s then wife, Sarah Ferguson, appeared topless in a tabloid newspaper having her toes sucked by her financial advisor; and there were rows about the Queen’s tax-exempt status and a fire at Windsor Castle.
What a difference twenty years makes. Now, some 80% of the nation are supportive of the monarchy and even die hard republicans are admitting to having a Union Jack at the bottom of the sock drawer … “for the grandchildren, you understand!”
Today though is not just a day to celebrate only the second ever Diamond Jubilee of a British monarch. Today is also one of the most significant Feast Days for Christians. The Trinity is a celebration of relationship; an acknowledgement that we are who we are because of one another. This has been expressed in a number of ways: No man is an island, wrote John Donne; and the singer songwriter Ben Okafor sings “I am, not because I am, but because we are”. It is this sense of interplay, interdependence that the Christian church celebrates today. God is God in the way that we understand God to be, because of the nature of the relationship that God has at the heart of the being of God. And we are part of the interplay. We are key to the nature of God’s being. We are invited into the creative, audacious relationship between the Creator-God, the Incarante-God and the Spirit-God.
That master iconographer (Andrey Rublev) gave substance to this truth in artistic form. His icon of the Trinity shows three figures around a table. Yet there is another space at the table and the viewer is invited to take their place, to make up the table and complete the picture.
The Trinity is a celebration of the wonder and majesty of God ‘out here’; connecting with the real and felt experiences of God ‘down here’; and animated by the energy and vigour of God ‘in here’. It is a celebration of our past, our history and our heritage; connecting us with the Christian story as we are living it now; and animating that hope we dare to claim for ourselves and proclaim for the world. It seems to that there is more than a co-incidental overlap between the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Feast of the Trinity.
Reflecting on that Annus Horibilis one commentator wrote this week “The very fact that the Queen weathered the storm of public disquiet and adapted the monarchy (by, for instance, raising funds by opening Buckingham Palace to the paying public) contributed to the rude health the monarchy enjoys today.”
The monarchy is the same as it ever was, and yet continues to adapt and adjust in order to be the monarchy. At its heart the wonder and the majesty rolls down the ages, but the Queen has managed to steer this extraordinary vessel in such a way that the Royal Family connects with people probably better now than for many years.
There will continue to be those moments of (take your pick) absurd ritual or outstanding pageantry. Pomp and glory is not everyone’s cup of tea. But part of the problem, for some people, is that the ‘outstanding pageantry’ has become so disconnected from the ‘absurd ritual’. For those people who cannot make the connection, they are left feeling confused and possibly even dismayed by ceremonial that makes no sense. But it’s not their fault.
They are not to blame for the fact that they have no understanding as to why that coat of arms, why that carriage of state, why that order of precedence.
But as another writer has written this week “During periods of criticism, what has restored affection for the Queen, and faith in the monarchy, has been her ordinariness. The scarf and wellingtons have done as much for her as the crown and sceptre”. Indeed I remember someone telling me about going to Royal Garden Party and looking into the one of the summer houses and remarking that the chairs in there had clearly seen better days – the stains suggested they’d been left out in the rain!
The writer continues “Scarf, wellingtons and kneeler. The Queen’s churchgoing, a constant throughout her reign, is much more than an image; the sight of her attending Sunday worship has been a steady reminder of her servanthood.” And it this sense of Her Majesty’s attitude to the role she inhabits that has filled many column inches in our newspapers .. a lifetime of service … decades of political neutrality … faultlessly representing Britain … gracious … selfless … a blueprint for serving others.
And as that same writer concludes “For every occasion of ecclesiastical glamour, there are many where the Queen’s faith is expressed out of the public eye. But even in the grand events, she remains just one communicant among many”.
As a follower of the Carpenter from Nazareth, as a disciple of Christ, as a fellow believer, Her Majesty (just like you and me) is responding to that invitation to participate in that creative, audacious relationship between the Creator-God, the Incarnate-God and the Spirit God. For there is always an empty space at the table and we are all invited to take our place and complete the picture.
Amen.
St Margaret’s Church and Mapledurham House
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee was celebrated in style at Mapledurham House and Grounds on Saturday 2nd June commencing with the ringing of the six bells of St Margaret’s Parish Church.
Although the sun was struggling to shine a most splendid village féte atmosphere was enjoyed by all in front of the grand Elizabethan House with the main entrance flanked by two white 1932 Rolls Royce limousines. This special occasion was arranged with the assistance of the Parish Council and hosted by Lady Anne and Mr John Eyston particularly for all of the residents of the civil parish of Mapledurham. Many local people and businesses gave generously to enable this event to take place and any resulting proceeds are to be shared by the Mapledurham Jubilee Club and St Margaret’s Church.
All the children were presented with a specially commissioned Diamond Jubilee commemorative bone china mug showing an early 1900 picture of Mapledurham Mill. We were treated to afternoon tea of sandwiches, tea and sumptuous cakes made by a team of local volunteers whilst Fiona Harrison sang out a number of 1950/60s popular songs or a Jazz band played on. Union flag bunting adorned the many stalls set around the grounds offering treats for all ages from a small animal farm, sweets and fudge, tombola, a children’s entertainer, face painting, a sedate demonstration of traditional British step and clog dancing with laser clays, archery and croquet for the more adventurous.
The two eldest and two youngest residents of the parish were presented with a Diamond Jubilee Sovereign and framed certificates. Whilst the very new baby beamed with a smile she may not appreciate the significance for a number of years. The adults then all raised a glass of Champagne for a Loyal Toast and the following letter, which is to be sent to the Queen, was read out by Mr John Eyston.
To Her Sovereign Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II
We, Your Majesty’s most dutiful and loyal subjects
of the Parish and Council of Mapledurham in the County of Oxfordshire,
beg leave to send Your Majesty loyal and affectionate greetings
from The Diamond Jubilee Celebrations
which took place at Mapledurham House
on Saturday the second day of June 2012.
The afternoon of festivities were enjoyed by the whole parish which included
a number of residents who recalled the cheerful celebrations they enjoyed
on the occasion of Your Majesty’s Coronation.
It was noted that, at the time of Your Majesty’s Accession,
much of the Parish was without the benefit of modern amenities.
These, and many more benefits, have been achieved during Your Majesty’s Reign,
to the great advantage and wellbeing of all who dwell here.
This Diamond Jubilee Year of Your Majesty’s Reign will be celebrated
in Mapledurham by the planting of an oak tree for each decade of
Your Majesty’s Rule over us.
All who gathered for the celebrations had the honour to drink the Loyal Toast
and to wish Your Majesty and His Royal Highness, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
a joyful and felicitous Diamond Jubilee Year
and, by God’s Mercy, to wish for peace and harmony within
Your Majesty’s Kingdom in the times to come.
The celebrations ended with ringing out of the bells and a Service in St Margaret’s Church in praise and thanksgiving for the Diamond Jubilee of her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II attended by over 50 of those present including Lady Anne and Mr John Eyston.
St John’s Church, Gosbrook Road
As write, it is the afternoon of Sunday 3rd June and we have just finished celebrating the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee here at St. John’s. The day began with a special all age service attended by nearly 50 people, based on the special liturgy produced by the Church of England for this occasion. Jacob, one of our children, ended up sitting on the bishop’s chair with a cope around him (and a crown on his head) as we recalled the story of Isaiah’s vision of God as being like a king in the temple. But we also recalled a different model of kingship as we thought about Jesus as the servant king, the one who came among us not to be served but to serve.
And to put that model into practice, we then hosted a Jubilee Big Lunch for over 60 people in church following our worship. Tables were laid, bunting was hung, balloons were blown up, food and drink was set out, and St. John’s turned into an indoor street party (unfortunately it was too wet to be outside!). We welcomed around 20 visitors and enjoyed a great spread of food, both savoury and sweet, as well as writing goodwill messages and prayers to be sent to the Queen. The afternoon ended with a special royal quiz as we displayed our knowledge (or lack of it in some cases!) of our monarchy, special Jubilee chocolates being given to the winners.
A good time was had by all, and we look forward to welcoming friends, both old and new, to our next big event, a return visit of the Millstones band on Saturday 22nd September at 7.30 p.m. Get on your dancing shoes and get down to St.John’s for a great night out!
St Peter’s Church, The Warren
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee was celebrated at St Peter’s at the services on Sunday 3 June. The interior was caked in red, white and blue bunting, and Union flags could be seen protruding from every available space in the building. The choir sang marvellously, culminating (for me, at least) with a particularly moving “I was glad’ at choral Evensong.
The congregations were in fine voice, too; the National Anthem being sung at both the 9:45 Eucharist and Choral Evensong, with many a flag being waved by the young and not-so-young. At the end of the services, glasses of fizz were raised to toast the Queen and her gracious reign over the past sixty years. As we prayed at the services, so we continue to pray for our Sovereign Lady:
God of time and eternity,
whose Son reigns as servant not master;
we give you thanks and praise
that you have blessed this Nation, the Realms and Territories
with Elizabeth
our beloved and glorious Queen.
In this year of Jubilee,
grant her your gifts of love and joy and peace
as she continues in faithful obedience to you, her lord and God
and in devoted service to her lands and peoples,
and those of the Commonwealth,
now and all the days of her life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.