This joyful Easter-tide

Easter was celebrated in fine form all around Southwark Diocese with processions, services - even a Vicar's wedding!

At Southwark Cathedral on Maundy Thursday hundreds of clergy - deacons, priests and bishops - joined together in a service during which they renewed their ordination vows and re-confirmed their commitment to serving God's people.

In his sermon Bishop Tom quoted another Bishop who wrote to an ordinand in 1926 'The next years of your life will be devoted to the Christian ministry - physical, mental and spiritual. 'It is greatly important that you should act rightly with all three. Physical exercise must not be neglected if your body is to be adequate for its great duty..."

The sermon brought much laughter but its serious note, that ministry is hard work for which all need to be properly prepared, was a great encouragement to everyone.

On to Good Friday and Croydon...

Three separate processions of witness - from Churches Together in Addiscombe, South Croydon, and Central Croydon - converged on the Whitgift Alms Houses where the Passion was vividly acted out to a crowd which grew to over 400 as the processions wended their way through the shopping centre.

Back to the Cathedral on Easter Eve

Fifty candidates came to the Cathedral to be baptised and confirmed. They came from parishes all over the Diocese and just like the Maundy Thursday service the rich diversity and mix of people reflected the vitality and excitement about the Christian faith which can be seen right across Southwark Diocese.

Easter brides...

On the Saturday after Easter, Bishop Peter Price (now at Bath & Wells) cut short his holiday to return to Southwark Diocese - to conduct the wedding of Mitcham, St Barnabas, Vicar, the Rev. Alison Price (no relation).

In front of a congregation of over 300 friends and parishioners, Alison was married to Patrick Dobell whom she met on a Christian holiday. Also back in the Diocese for the day, from Hereford Cathedral, Canon Val Hamer, who led the prayers for the couple.

And finally

On Easter Day the Archdeacon of Lewisham, the Ven. Christine Hardman, conducted the marriage of her daughter, at St Mary's Church, in the grounds of Knebworth House, Hertfordshire.