Ring out the old, Ring in the new.

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 01 January 2006 18:09:28

Thursday's service felt very strange. We wouldn't normally sing for a Thursday service - unless it was Maundy Thursday - but this was to mark the departure of our vicar, after 14 years at the church, to become Archdeacon of Totnes. It was also to offer thanks for the 40 years' service of our organist and choirmaster (now finally retiring and looking forward to a lie-in on Sunday mornings). So it was hard to sing with a smile on our faces, but a pleasure to welcome back two former choristers for the occasion. The choir sang two anthems, 'Lord give me faith' (Robson) and 'Gaelic Blessing' (Rutter), plus some hymns chosen by the vicar to fortify him for the months ahead: Psalm 121 (Iona), How shall I sing that majesty, and Lord for the Years. Then across to the town hall for the largest feast I've ever seen in my life (which even managed to defeat our normally voracious choir), speeches and gifts. (Plus an impromptu glass-sweeping act by the town crier - in full regalia - and an heroic fire-quenching swipe by one of the tenors - as the central table threatened to go up in flames - which all served to make the occasion more interesting).

This morning's service was surprisingly upbeat, given the sad farewells over the previous few days, the replacement organist being on vacation and the curate's stinking cold. The choir was down to 18 (from 29 on Thursday) but still plenty enough to sing 'Infant Holy, Infant Lowly' a capella, and an organist came from one of the local schools to accompany the hymns and mass setting. There was much rejoicing in the younger choir ranks when they realised that a new year meant increased choir pay, and amongst everyone when they saw the huge plate of iced and marzipanned cake (cut at last) from the feast on Thursday night.