2017 Choral Evensong for the commemoration of Charles I, King and Martyr.
The Choral Evensong was held in the main body of St Mary's Church this year, as the lovely Whittall Chapel was too small for the large congregation and the two joint choirs of St Mary's and St John's Churches. This was a slight disappointment to me, as the work of Giles Gilbert Scott is always a joy. He is remembered as a world-renowned architect, whose work is established throughout the country: at Liverpool Cathedral, at Tate Modern, at the converted power station, at many local parish churches (even St George's in Kidderminster) and in the humble red telephone box.
The service was led by the Team Rector, the Rev Rose Lawley, and was from the Book of Common Prayer. The Headteacher of King Charles I School, Stephen Brownlow, read the first lesson (Genesis, Chapter 18, Verses 1 to 15) and Old Carolians Association President Ian Sandall read the second lesson (St Matthew, Chapter 27, Verse 11 to 26). There were three hymns and the joint choirs also sang the Psalmody, the 'Magnificat' and the 'Nunc Dimittis'. The descant singing in the final verses of the hymns was particularly lovely.
Rose Lawley's address highlighted the connection between the reading from St Matthew, where Pilate asked Jesus whether he was the King of the Jews, and King Charles I himself. Jesus is given lots of titles, and, although people of the time wanted someone to defeat the Romans, he was a swordless king, come to found a kingdom based on love, not power. We were asked to remember Charles, for whom power was essential. He was the first monarch to be brought up in the Church of England, certainly not a statesman, but a firm believer in Divine Right, 'a mild and gracious prince' (Archbishop Laud), who was wedded to his firm faith in God. Rose then moved on to comment on World Holocaust Memorial Day, at which point the congregation was similarly asked to let go of hate, to live as one in peace and in honouring God.
Leaving into a black, cold and wet night, those were words to remember.
'Captain' Peter Vaughan, Religious Affairs Correspondent