A new installation

Categories: music, god, holy-trinity-huddersfield

Date: 27 September 2012 13:55:39

Not a new kitchen, we've got one of these anyway, but a person.

I'm not being negative here, I just find the language odd.

Our previous Vicar, Calvert Prentis, has been installed as the new team Rector at Horley in Surrey. Not sure I like the term installation, it makes it sound as if he's permanently in his stall with electricity and running water. (That the Bishop referred to himself in the plural, "We Christopher..." was also out of place in a service which used contemporary language.

Scrub that. It was a very good service, using both traditional hymns accompanied by organ and choir during the service, and modern ones with a worship band before the service and during the communion distribution.

[caption id="attachment_895" align="aligncenter" width="300"] St Bart's Horley, after the instruments have been cleared away.[/caption]

The people of the church were friendly too. We were offered a bed for the night. This was greatly apreciated, we were very tired after a long journey, particularly Ian, our driver. Even better, our host was willing to get up at 5.30 in the morning in order that we might make an early start. (I had to be back in Huddersfield the next day.) Hospitality beyond anything I've seen.

But, as Julie Andrews would say, let's start at the very beginning.

The day started OK. Our lift arrived about 10am, after refuelling we set off from Huddersfield at 10.30. Six people in two cars. Other people from Holy Trinity were already there. There were road works on the M1, so the plan was to go down the M1 as far as junction 18, then after lunch in Banbury, down the M40 then M25 and M23 to Gatwick Airport. The church, St Bartholomew's, is about a mile from the terminal building.

The best laid plans as they say...

After lunch and a rest we set off from Banbury down the M40. News was received on the radio that there was an accident on the motorway so we followed the lead car off at the West Wickham turn off and follow the roads south.

More radio news:

The Southwestern corner of the M25 is blocked. New plan.

Follow the country roads south to Henley, cross the Thames then through Woking and Dorking to Reigate then South to Horley.

The scenery was great, particularly through the Surrey downs, but the sppeed wasn't time was ticking on We had set off from Banbury at 3pm, hoping to stop again for a meal before the service at 7. But country roads are not made for speed. Hitting Woking and Dorking at rush hour didn't help either.

Our new route brought us to the church at 5 minuted to 7. We entered the church as the worship band were on the last of the introductory songs. But we were on time. As for a meal, there was cake and tea available after the service, and they'd over catered on the cake. Even after a group from Huddersfield had descended on the table and stuffed themselves like gannets there was some left.

Then we were offered a bed for the night. Bliss.

The return journey was less dramatic and less scenic.

Motorway all the way. Delays due to water on the road (The M25 was reduced to 40mph at one point. Even early in the morning the portion that connected London's two main airports was busy.

Then up the M1, by Luton more delays, a truck had broken down and the motorway was down to one lane. There was a man with a broom sweeping up sand put down to mop up whatever was spilt when we went past.

After that the road works we'd detoured to miss on the way down. Speed restricted to 50mph with average speed cameras. Then clear to more road works on the road into Huddersfield.

Arrival home a little before 12. just under 5 and a half hours on the road, which included a stop. Not bad for a journey that included torrential rain.

Sorry if this has ended up as a motoring blog rather one about a service. It was meant to be one where some people went down to support our previous Vicar in his new appointment, but the two days were, for us, dominated by travel and tiredness.

We also went to spill the beans, to let the Surrey people know what Calvert, Sharon and Mia are really like. And why we will miss them in the north. Calvert is too modest to tell you this himself. Anyone form Horley reading this, you've got a good man and a good family with you.