A Man of the Cloth

Good morning ,everyone ,lovely sunny day again ,but still very cold here .

Stuart (specimen days) posted a picture of himself and some colleagues ,in their clerical wear ,the other day, and posed the question ,'is this how you see me ?'Which set me thinking about some of the ministers I've known , The first one ,who made an impression on me was The Rev John Bryan,after Sunday school,I graduated to the church choir ~I can remember choir practise,especially on a dark night,we would rehearse around the organ ,the main body of the church would be dark ,and fascinated, we would watch the bats swooping around the high ceilings ,as we sang ,and sing we did if we knew what was good for us ! Of course we loved to sing ,all the lovely hymns appropriate  to the church calendar,at each service we would sing four hymns and the psalm,as well as the responces  ,an then on special days we would learn to sing one of the lovely anthems ,sometimes requireing ,additional practise The Rector loved to sing too ,and he also strove for perfection !He and Miss Robins,taught me so much ,I can remember as well as the normal services we sang at weddings ,funerals and ,can also recall an outdoor service where we went around the edge of the Parish blessing the Bounds (Which I understood to mean the boundrys )My Dad also had alot of respect for this lovely man ,though you wouldnt always think so ,they often drank to gether in the pub opposite,the church  and would tease each other ,unmercifully !When Mick and I got married it was he who officiated at the service ,as indeed he did at Jean and Pete ,and John and Julia's weddings ,he was a great friend of the Rector at Micks church ,The Rev George Bradshaw ,who if you would like me to I will speak about another time,another lovely man ,When I,had my children,I had to alternate the minister who Christened them !The Reverend Bryan did Mark and Sharon ,and the dear old Rev Bradshaw did Derek and Catherine  ,When my Dad died I rang Rector Bryan from the hospital,I remember he said he would ring the passing bell at the church before ,we got back to the village ,to save my Mum more distress .He did a lovely service for Dad likening him to an old Oak of the village,that had been hewn down ,And quoted from the poem by Thomas Grey'In a Country Church yard ',making the words 'Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife,their sober wishes never earred to stray ,along the cool sequestered vale of life ........etc etc very special , he joined us at my Mums house after the funeral,to drink tea etc with the family ,but first he took off his surplus and cassock and left them on the top of the soft water tub outside ,before joining us and sharing some funny stories about him and my Dad ,Yes he was /is a special man ,and though now retired ,when John (my brother )and Julia came over the other week they tell me they often see him in Morrisons in Stamford having his lunch ,So he was the first ,and if you like I will tell you of more special clergymen ,another time .

Have a Blessed Sunday everyone ,with love from