Candlemass – With the help of two visual aids, Father Stephen Drakeley, priest-in-charge, set out to explain the significance of the day to the congregation that included quite a number of young people, this also being a Parade Sunday for the uniformed organisations.

One was in the form of a signpost, one arm of which pointed back to Christmas and the other forward to Holy Week and Easter. This is where the church believes itself to be calendar wise. The second was the Candlemass candle, a reminder that Christ, the light of the world, had come to paraphrase the words of Simeon, repeated in the Nunc Dimittis, a light to enlighten the Gentiles and give glory to the people of Israel.

The mass, conducted by Fr Stephen, began with the processional hymn “Thou whose almighty word”, during the singing of which the organisations flags were presented for laying up at the altar. The gospel reading from Luke was read by three members of the Cub Scouts. This tells of the meeting of Simeon and the baby Jesus, now 40 days old, at the temple in Jerusalem. After lighting the candle he began his address on light by comparing natural light and electricity, both needed for complete enlightenment. Jan Cunningham led the pre and post communion prayers; Jane MacLennan and Sally Maynard were chalice administrators at the eucharist; Jane was also the server for the mass; Hazel Bennett and Paul Jenkins were sidespersons.

On the conclusion of the eucharist the Nunc Dimittis was said. During the singing of the final hymn “Lord the Light” the banners were returned to the Standard bearers. Matthew Seaton, church organist, ended the mass by playing Prelude and Fugue in C by J S Bach.