St Albans Branch Events 2008
Corporate Communion
St Saviour St Albans March 31st 2008 8.00pm
Our meeting took place on Monday 31st March at 8.00pm at St Saviour's Church, Sandpit Lane, St Albans and was taken by Canon Peter Palmer our Branch Chaplain. The Members were requested to robe for this service.
Several of the members arrived early and awaited Peter Palmers arrival. This is a big diocese and many of the members had to travel a fair distance to get to the service.
Arriving early gave many of us the time to have a good look around the church. Many ideas of how, a visited church is run, comes back to a local church, via the verger.
St Saviour's is a lovely church inside. We admired the Easter garden and the stations of the cross on the walls. Once the refreshments for the end of the service had been sorted out, the members robed and were met by Peter in the Sanctuary. Peter was wearing an alb over his cassock and was wearing a maniple especially for us since this had been the subject of his last talk.
Gathering together we had a brief chance to exchange stories and to have Peter organise us so that the service would run well.
We processed around to the lady chapel for a communion service to commemorate lady day. The vergers led the way and occupied the front seats of the chapel - a strange feeling for most.
The service finished with Peter announcing "and now the Vergers Prayer!" It wasn't in the order of service! Peter is determined to get all of us to learn this prayer off by heart! We could feel that Peter had a wry smile on his face. At this point of the service Peter was facing the altar and could not see the vergers behind him. In desperation and panic several of the members quickly whipped out cheat cards to help them with the words. We really must learn this prayer before Peter catches us out next time!
At the end of the service we managed a team photograph. A rare feat for the branch.
The service was followed by some exceedingly good sandwiches and tarts made by Peters wife. She was exceptionally well organised and had everyone enjoying a cup of tea or coffee and munching through the refreshments. It was a good time to catch up with some the other vergers, exchange some stories and some experiences.
We enjoyed the service. Peter our Chaplain, walked us through a communion service much as we remember those of years ago. We had time to talk with others. I think that a good time was had by all.
Codicil
The Chairman rang me up the following evening. He was printing and laminating twenty copies of the prayer for members!