There's a New Vicar in Town...

.....and last night I met him for the first time.

Apparently he was expecting me to attend the special service.

The Institution service of The Rev John Hookway was held last night at Christ Church Ware and 3rd Ware Leaders were invited to represent the Group because of our historical links with the church. Several Leaders, young people and their families are also regular members of the church.

With the Church Warden who is the father
of one of our past members
and former troop leader

 Several other Scouting and Guiding people attended and so there was a very visible uniformed presence, it made my heart swell!

The Explorers were on car parking duty before the service and refreshments afterwards and several took part in the service as sound crew, camera crew, in the band and making the welcome on behalf of the young people of the parish. They also attended the special service en masse.

The service was broadcast live on the Internet so those who could not attend could view it. I was even in part of the live streaming.

The camera coming in for a close up of me!

For those interested in such things, I am told that the service, which was taken by the Bishop of Hertford, dates back to the 9th Century and harks back to a time before Anglicisation, the BCP and the King James Bible.



In fact The Bishop and I became good friends. He seemed very interested in what I had to say!

As part of the service the Vicar is formally handed the Key to the church and gets to ring the bell. It is not often the bell is rung at Christ Church and so it was good to hear it.

It was a really good service with many people speaking warmly of the new Vicar and some rousing songs to sing. I was in good company and then right at the end I met one of our Beaver Scouts who was also there because his Mum is an ex-church warden and his Dad is a Governor at the school next door to the Church.

So that was my unique and interesting evening and it was good (to again) to visit the Church where our Group began. 

Tonight is AGM time - see you there!