Canon David Miller, at the beginning of parish communion, welcomed as celebrant and preacher the Rev Alastair Mansfield, Chaplain RNAS Culdrose.

The Bible readings from Acts, of the stoning to death of Stephen, and from John’s Gospel when Jesus describes His Father’s house and declares that no-one comes to the Father except through Him, were the themes of the Mr Mansfield’s sermon. He spoke of how conflict develops when groups of people adhering adamantly to different beliefs fail to engage in conversation, often with terrible consequences such as in the death of Stephen.

This was a different way of seeing Stephen’s martyrdom and very challenging. The Rev Jane Bradbury and Betty Booker, lay reader, assisted at the service, with John Eddy reading the lesson and Michael Thomas leading the prayers. The organist was Richard Berry.

Canon David announced that the greatly improved sound system has been made possible by gifts in memory of the late Ruth Willey, with thanks to Nicola (daughter of Ruth) and John Boase.