Back to Church Sunday

Categories: uncategorized

Date: 06 October 2008 09:45:48

OK, I'll admit I was dubious this year. Last year's 'Back to Church Sunday' was packed out, but this year I detected a distinct lack of enthusiasm for repeating a good idea. Sure enough, I processed out of the choir vestry to see a much less full church than last year (although slightly bigger than an average Sunday) and thought 'hmmmmm'. Still, we sang the rather appropriate 'God so loved the world' (Stainer) and proceeded through the service in the usual manner. It was over coffee, at the back of church, that I discovered the encouraging stories of the few who had returned - including a former chorister - and suddenly felt much more encouraged. Hundreds didn't turn up? No matter - ten did. And what ten quality people they were.

It was all medals and dignity in the evening (well at least until the end - more of that later), for it was the town's annual Civic Service. 'Look at the World' (Rutter) seemed a strange choice of anthem in the middle of Jerusalem, the National Anthem and a commemoration of the life of Horatio Nelson, but it was appreciated by the most surprising people judging by comments at the end of the service. Which just shows you never can tell. The best part, at the end of all the pomp and ceremony, was hearing the organist play his own version of a nautical medley - the sailor's hornpipe with a bit of Rule Britannia thrown in, and hearing the congregation join in with singing Rule Britannia as we processed out. A very informal ending to a formal service - I quite expected to see some little flags being waved about!

The usual bunfight in the Town Hall ended the evening. A quite undignified scrum of dignitaries around the food table meant there wasn't much left by the time the choir got to the front of the queue. But they were only doing us a favour really, as we're beginning to get too wide to fit into the choir stalls these days.