 |
 |
| Revd Paul Wilkinson, our new Rector | |
‘I will hold your people in my heart’ (Click on the images for larger versions)
|
|
| Revd Paul Wilkinson, our new Rector | |
On the evening of Tuesday 2nd September, St. Peter’s Church was packed with members of the regular congregations, visiting clergy, local dignitaries and Paul’s family, friends and guests from his previous parishes and beyond. All were there to witness Paul’s licensing by Bishop David and installation as priest-in-charge of St. Peter’s by Archdeacon Hedley Ringrose and to welcome him and his family into their ministry here.
It was a service where the traditional pomp and ceremony of the Church of England combined with the bells, the glorious music from organ, choir and congregation and a spirit of joy, prayer, worship and warmth to produce a moving and deeply spiritual occasion. Bishop David, who is shortly to retire, spoke about his experiences among Christians across the globe who have suffered for their faith yet who regard joy and hope for the future as central to their worship. Paul made his vows and was then formally welcomed by representatives from other churches and the local community. The service continued with the presentation to Paul of gifts symbolising the dedication of priest and people to worship, discipleship and mission as a procession moved around the beautifully decorated church. The service concluded with the well-loved hymn ‘Praise My Soul the King of Heaven’ and familiar words of prayer and blessing. The whole service was simple but powerful, with the very strong sense of the local St Peter’s community set alongside the wider Church and the many visitors from Paul’s previous ministries. In many ways the highlight, and we suspect a foretaste of Paul’s style and values, was his heroic attempt (which would have entirely succeeded with only a slightly longer hymn) to shake the hand of everyone in the church at the Peace.
After the service, everyone moved to the school, braving the roadworks en route. The school was spruce and shining, awaiting the start of the new term and rejoicing in the newly completed extensions. In the hall, many willing hands had prepared and set out a splendid buffet. The noise levels soon rose as people chatted to friends and visitors and tucked into the food and wine. Speeches followed, presentations, well-deserved votes of thanks to Felicity and the Churchwardens and all those who had done so much to keep us not just afloat but thriving through the interregnum. Then it was time to clear away and go home – not before a splendid lady from Shropshire, where Paul ministered over a decade ago, had told us that he was a wonderful man and that we were to look after him well!
 |
 |
| The Bishop of Gloucester | Peter Gardner, Headteacher, Leckhampton
Primary School, with Christine Gardner and Revd Felicity Bayne |
 |
 |
||
| Revd Felicity Bayne and AudreyTurner (Churchwarden) | Revd Felicity Bayne and Steve Whittingham (Churchwarden) | ||
|
 |
||
| Flower arrangement in school hall at installation reception |
What made this wonderful and uplifting evening so special and memorable? It was certainly underpinned by careful planning and hard work by all those teams who form the backbone of the St Peter’s community. Then there is always something special about welcoming the Bishop into our parish church. And there was strong sense of the wider Christian community from the many visitors who had come specially for the occasion. But the real joy was to welcome and start to get to know our new Parish priest, and see him "in action" for the first time. His warmth, spontaneity and honesty shone out during the whole evening – here is someone, you immediately felt, who will hold people in his heart. It was really good to welcome him and his family to St Peter’s.
Anne and Stephen Gale
