St Mary The Virgin

If you would like to publish an event contact

jackie.bush@btinternet.com

What's Going On?

Christian Aid Week

13-19th May

Plant and Cake Sale

at St Mary's Banham

with refreshments

Saturday 19th,10am-1pm.

All Proceeds to Christian Aid

Saturday 23rd June 

7pm The Early Music Ensemble – MEAN TIME – at St. Mary’s, Banham;

Will be performing at St. Mary’s, Banham. The evening will begin with a Pimm's reception at 7pm. All profits raised will go towards the restoration of the church's stained glass windows. For tickets, £10, please contact :

Queda Hutton 01953 888590 or Phil Moore on 01953 888333.

Saturday 14th July 

7.30pm

Upper Octave Concert BIZET TO BROADWAY in All Saints, Old Buckenham.

Tickets £10.00, to include wine and nibbles, from Doris Monkhouse  0l953 866 0845

A Plea for Help

Banham PCC would like to borrow any old photos and or memorabilia you may have regarding the Queen’s Coronation and Royal events during the last 60 years. This can include mugs, plates, booklets etc. In fact anything! We would like to present these as an exhibition in the church as part of the Jubilee Celebrations taking place on the Green in June. If you would be willing to help please contact Jackie on 860721 or Phil on 888333. All borrowed items will be returned to owners.

Thank You

A View from the Rectory

I have a small and deeply unfashionable confession to make….

............I am a monarchist.

In my study I have a small velvet topped wooden stool. It was made for the Coronation in June 1953 by Waring and Gillow and was actually in Westminster Abbey for the service. We do not know which guest’s backside graced its elegantly concave seat. It was purchased from the Ministry of Works in October 1953 by my wife’s grandfather. These stools were initially offered to the guests who sat on them, but those that were not wanted were sold off to the public. Ours is one of these.

The stool cannot speak of course, but it makes me feel connected to those great events of sixty years ago in a way that pictures and films do not. It was and remains a part of the action. It is somehow more than just a very nice stool with a fascinating history.

In church we are used to using objects which make us feel connected in a special way to past events in the Christian story. The bread and wine of the Eucharist, the water of baptism and our crosses and crucifixes are objects from then which speak to us now. They bring Jesus close to us.

Such things are not lost on Her Majesty the Queen, who has a living and profound Christian Faith. It seems to me that for her, this faith is expressed in an unstinting devotion to her peoples and a sense of dutiful commitment. Again these are not fashionable attributes in our society, but they are ones which we should value. So I am happy to commend to you the following prayer, which will be used in the Jubilee Service in London. As many of us gather to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee it would be good perhaps to make these words our own.

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;