Our first live services since the beginning of January were held on Palm Sunday and on Easter Day and were very well attended. It was a great joy to be back together in our lovely church. At Easter the church was beautifully decorated and we thank all those involved in giving up their time and talents in this way. And the Easter garden, created by Henry and his mum and dad, was an illustration of the empty tomb early on that first Easter morning. It was a moving reminder of our Lord’s Resurrection, 3 days following His Crucifixion.

On Sunday,18th April, we arranged a special service to commemorate His Royal Highness, The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and to reflect on his extraordinary devotion and service to our Queen and to this country. This was better attended than any other service held during the pandemic and we couldn’t have accommodated any greater number and remain Covid compliant. Thanks to all who came and to our Tower Captain, Pete Rogers, who tolled the Tenor bell for 30 minutes before the service. It was a meaningful and memorable service and a respectful tribute to a great man.

The churchyard is looking especially beautiful at the moment, with swathes of primroses, lots of milkmaids and a glorious area of purple violets. Please feel free to go in and have a look if you’re passing. It’s well worth a visit!

Over the next few weeks at least, we are intending to follow the usual pattern for services during the pandemic. There will be 2 services a month, on the 1st and 4th Sundays of the month. Should you wish to join us for any of our services, we would be very pleased to welcome you. However, as our capacity is greatly reduced, please contact me in advance to ensure that you can be allocated a seat. My contact details are at the back of this magazine and on our website, stoweychurch.com

More news next time!

Jill Nicol, Churchwarden