The Ascension of the Lord....

This evening we observed the Ascension of the Lord and Bishop Andrew Burnham SSC, Bishop of Ebbsfleet, was with us to bless our recent restoration/reordering works.

It was a wonderful Mass with the Mass Setting being that used at the International Mass at Lourdes last year when the Archbishop of Canterbury preached. The choir and congregation had been rehearsed beforehand and the Latin setting was sung beautifully.

"Hail the day that sees him rise...." thundered gloriously from the organ as we entered the church. Pausing at the Font for its re-hallowing and the blessing of water, then moving to the confessional for its hallowing and the Rite of Sprinkling with Holy Water. The Procession then moved into the Sanctuary while the Gloria in excelsis was sung and the Mass continued as usual until following the Prayer after Communion. Then the Blessed Sacrament Chapel and Tabernacle were hallowed. While the altar and tabernacle were incensed the choir sang “Locuste Iste” by Anton Bruckner.
(Locus iste a Deo factus est, inaestimabile sacramentum, irreprehensibilis est. “This place was made by God, it is inestimably holy. It is absolutely without blemish.”)

The assembled people all joined in the following prayer:

O Jesus, present in the sacrament of the altar,
teach all the nations to serve you with willing hearts,
knowing that to serve God is to reign.
May your sacrament, O Jesus,
be light to the mind,
strength to the will,
joy to the heart.
May it be the support of the weak,
the comfort of the suffering,
the wayfaring bread of salvation to the dying
and for all the pledge of future glory.
Amen.
(by Pope John XXIII)

Returning to the High Altar for the veneration the Procession then went to the tower area and the image of St Michael the Archangel was hallowed after which all joined in the Prayer to St Michael:

Holy Michael, the Archangel defend us in the day of battle;
be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him we humbly pray;
and may the prince of the heavenly host,
by the power of God thrust down to hell Satan
and all wicked spirits,
who wander through the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.

Following the blessing a Bring and Share Supper was held in church with many basketful's left over!

Please pray for the souls of:

Derek Savage

Mollie and Harry Coombs

Gweneth Stock

Moly Foxley

by whose generosity these works were made possible and in whose memory they were hallowed to the greater glory of God.

The following is a list of all those who were involved in designing and carrying out these works and of the materials used:

Architect: Mr Julian Limentani of ‘Marshall Sisson Architect,’
Hemingford Grey, Huntingdon

Contractors: Rattee & Kett Ltd of Cambridge

Site Manager: Mr Tim Heriot

Stonemasons: Olly Huckin & Steve Cooper

Decorators/French Polishers: Robin Money & Jake Ralph

Carpenters: Ian Lawrence & Dave Newman

The Baptistery Floor

In Memory of: Derek Savage, Mollie and Harry Coombs

Materials: a) Clipsham stone from Clipsham Quarry, Oakham
b) Purbeck Green & Purbeck Thornbach from Landers Quarry, Swanage, Dorset
c) York stone, from Brittainia Quarry, Morley, Leeds
d) Roman Veined Verde Tinos & Verde Thassos

from Pisani Brothers, Avenza-Carrera, Italy

The Confessional

In Memory of Molly Foxley
Crucifix bequeathed by her to this Parish Church

The Chapel Pews

In Memory of Gweneth Stock

Luke Hughes & Co, Covent Garden, London

The Lectern, Intercession Board & Reredos Board

In Memory of Derek Savage

Turners Carpentry & Joinery, Babraham, Cambridge



The Vicar, Churchwardens and Parochial Church Council are grateful to all those who have given by way of gifts or bequests so many things to the glory of God to this Parish Church over the years - many anonymously - and ask your prayers for the continued success of our Regeneration Project that we may continue to worship almighty God faithfully and share in the continuing mission of Christ the Redeemer to those amongst whom we are set and beyond.